ME 110: Introduction to Product Development (3 units)
ONLINE RESOURCES: combination of Study.Net and the "Blackboard" course website at bb.berkeley.edu
CATALOG DESCRIPTION
The course provides an experience in preliminary project planning of complex and realistic mechanical engineering systems. Design concepts and techniques are introduced, and the student's design ability is developed in a design or feasibility study chosen to emphasize ingenuity and provide wide coverage of engineering topics. Innovative systems are preferred. Design optimization and social, economic, and political implications are included. Both individual and group oral presentations are made, and participation in conferences is required.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
102B, 107A (which may be taken concurrently).
TEXTBOOK(S) AND/OR OTHER
REQUIRED MATERIAL
Reading Materials:
The primary reading material for the class is the textbook Product Design
and Development (Second Edition) written by Karl Ulrich and
Steve Eppinger. This book is a very basic text that
provides a step by step view of how new
product development processes are to be conducted.
Supplemental required course reading materials are available
from a combination of Study.Net and the "Blackboard"
course website at bb.berkeley.edu
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course provides an operational experience in the
development of innovative and realistic customer-driven
engineered products. Design concepts and techniques are
introduced, and the student's design ability
is developed in a design or feasibility study chosen to
emphasize ingenuity and provide wide coverage of engineering and
business topics. Innovative thinking is nurtured.
Design optimization and social, economic, and political implications
are included. Both individual and group oral presentations
are made, and participation in a research seminar
or conference is required.
DESIRED COURSE OUTCOMES
Students can expect to depart the semester
understanding new product development processes
as well as useful tools, techniques and organizational
structures that support new product development practice.
TOPICS COVERED
Product development processes and organizations,
product planning, high functioning teamwork,
CAD, customer/user needs assessment, personas and empathic
design, translating the "voice of the customer", concept
generation, concept selection, concept development,
decision analysis, concept testing, taguchi method and
experimental design, product architectures, design
for variety, design for environment, design for
assembly/manufacture, prototyping, design costing,
information technologies, design optimization,
ethics case study, universal design and entrepreneurship,
innovation and intellectual property.
CLASS/LABORATORY SCHEDULE
Three hours of lecture per week.
CONTRIBUTION OF THE COURSE TO MEETING THE PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT
New Product Development Project:
The goal of this exercise is to learn principles and
methodologies of product development in a realistic context.
Most product development professionals work under
tremendous time pressure and do not have an opportunity
to reflect on the development process. In this course,
the stress level will be low enough to allow time to
experiment and learn. Students are asked to form project teams of
4 to 5 students. They have opportunities during the
first two weeks of class to scope out the possible projects
and get to know potential teammates.
Project Background:
The challenge in the project portion of this course is
to design a new product, test it on a consumer
group, and produce a prototype version of it.
The goal of this exercise is to learn principles
and methodologies of product development in a realistic context.
Journal:
Each individual in the class is required to maintain
a design journal throughout the semester to be turned in at
the final project presentation.
The journal will be returned at the end of the semester.
This journal should include a student's individual thinking
(both imagery and words) pertaining to her/his project.
Students may include sketch pictures, paste in pictures,
write words, or choose any other approach that
works for to capture their ideas, thoughts, and
reflections about their product and project.
The journal should be used both to capture ideas about the product
itself as they move through the process, but also to
document thoughts and insights on the process of
product development, group dynamics, project process,
etc. Inventors do this as it helps to document
when they came up with an original idea (useful in the
patenting process); engineers do this to work out
complex technical details; and designers do this to
generate lots of ideas (as ideas feed off of one another);
project managers use journals as a management tool to generate
"lessons learned" and "best practices" to help run future
product development projects more effectively.
Guidelines for Students: Working with Your Team
For some of you, this will be your first experience
in working on a collaborative, cross-functional team.
Part of the learning in this course is to
assess patterns of cooperation and team dynamics and
to reflect on both the behaviorial and organizational
challenges your team faces. While teams vary
from semester to semester, I find that good organizational
practices always benefit the entire team. Here are a few suggestions:
Set regular meeting times. One hour of the class
will be devoted to team activities so as to
minimize the time you need to meet outside of class.
Even so, you should schedule another hour during the
week for regular meetings with your design group.
Use the provided team e-mail "listserv" to communicate with
your team; It will also archive and thread your e-mails
so that you can review past conversations.
Store shared documents on the group page on the website.
Work together not separately. Get to know each
other's strengths, e.g., who knows PowerPoint, who is good
at drawing, graphics or CAD, who's good
at running meetings, who's good at eliciting feedback
from customers, etc. There are many decisions you must make as a team.
Attempt as much open communication as possible. Discuss
the means by which you wish to resolve problems as a group,
and what escalation process you will use if problems
persist. Decide, for example, when you want to involve the
faculty or TA in helping you resolve problems.
Use your mission statement to create a shared vision among
the team members that will allow you to stay focused and on target.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE COURSE TO ABET PROGRAM OUTCOMES
An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and
interpret data;
an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs;
an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
an ability to communicate effectively;
the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering
solutions in a global and societal context;
a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
a knowledge of contemporary issues;
an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary
for engineering practice.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT PROGRESS TOWARD COURSE OBJECTIVES
Much of the course is built around a student team's
design project, which is evaluated with a midterm
and final evaluation. The final evaluation draws on
input from industry judges. Students are also given
a midterm and final team peer evaluation to judge
their perceptions of program along several dimensions
of teamwork and leadership.
Grading:
The course grade is determined as follows:
10% on the quality of your preparation for
and participation in class discussions;
30% on the quality of your individual assignment solutions;
50% on the quality of your team's work on
project-related assignments and presentations;
10% on the quality of your individual
final project deliverables (lessons learned and design journal)
During the semester, I will periodically ask for
individual assessments of the contributions made
by members of your team to the team project. These
assessments may be considered in preparing your final team grade.
PERSON(S) WHO PREPARED THIS DESCRIPTION: Alice Merner Agogino
