Major Stages of Engineering Design

Identifying the Problem

• Identifying the problem is the foremost step in any engineering project. There are endless problems for engineers to tackle, such as how to drain an area flooded with water or how to irrigate a 40-acre farm effectively. Identifying a problem is essential as it will help the engineer analyze and find possible ways to solve it.

Gathering Data

• The engineer will have to gather data by looking at similar projects either from the Internet or the library. The engineer should visit a site that had the same problem to see the solutions applied so he may work toward improving it. Finally, the engineer is expected to visit the site he is working on and collect data. All data collected in the research should be recorded and will be used in the actual project work.

Generation and Analysis of Ideas

• The engineer must devise means to solve the problem. Here, the engineer can consult other professionals to have as many solutions as possible. The engineer can choose the best solution, taking into consideration the environmental effects and the cost implications.

Developing Test Models

• The engineer will create a model of the area she is working on and test the possible solutions on the model. Computer models using special programs such as AutoCAD and ArchiCAD can also be used to evaluate the possible solutions. After putting each and every solution to the test, evaluate and determine the best. This is an idea for actualization.

Communicating the Project

• Communication of the project idea is essential as it helps the team you are going to work with on the ground visualize and subsequently comprehend the idea better. Oral presentations, drawings and PowerPoint presentations are some of the ways to convey the project work to the team.

Implementation of the Idea

• The idea, once analyzed by the team, is now enacted. All the previous paper and computer work are used to create the actual project. After its completion, the groundwork is then documented on paper.

Review

• The review process entails assessing the completed project. Here the errors that may have occurred should be rectified. The review process also includes thinking of ways in which the project can be improved in the future.