Reporting Steps Taken In a Design Process

Design Process Element Description of Activity

1. Problem Definition - Clear identification (understanding) of
the problem
- Answering the questions: What is the
problem? Who has the problem? Why is
it important to solve?
- Important to identify the true problem
that needs a solution , not just the
symptoms of the problem or perceived
issue
2. Background Research - Learning from the experiences of others
- Investigate the way others have tackled
similar problems
- Avoid mistakes that were made in the
past
3. Specify Requirements - State the important characteristics that
solution must meet
4. Idea Generation - Formulate or conceive an idea
- Brainstorming different ideas
5. Evaluation and Decision Making - Design review
- Approval process before implementation
- Feedback from users
- Redesign solution to make it better
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Select optimal design based on findings
from previous stages
6. Implementation - Step after design has been completed and
approved
- Searching for sources in order to
complete project
- Communicate results to others in a final
report

The engineering design process can be defined as the progression of steps that engineers follow in
order to find out solution to the problem. It is methodical approach which helps solve issues and
achieve objectives within constraints. Due to the fact that the process is cyclic it is quite easy to
make an improvement.