On the Peculiarities of Design: An Engineering Perspective

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex and diverse nature of engineering design, aiming to clarify its abstract concepts and assist students in understanding and applying design principles more effectively.

Contribution

It dissects the facets of applied engineering design, elaborates on its diversity and complexity, and provides insights to help students grasp design principles better.

Findings

Analysis of the multifaceted nature of engineering design

Clarification of design process elements and diversity

Guidance for students to improve design understanding

Abstract

It is a fact of our existence, that no matter where we are, we most often find ourselves either hearing, seeing, talking, or even engaged in design related activities. Despite this reality, the notion of 'design', and in particular 'engineering design', is often ambiguous, and at times obscure. Thus, the transfer of knowledge of this crucial topic to engineering students engaged in practical hands-on learning or analytical research is usually perplexing to accomplish. In light of this, it becomes worthwhile to dissect and reflect on the abstraction of the design process in engineering. In fact, the aim of this article is to investigate the facets of applied design, and elaborate on its diversity, complexity and elements. Eventually, by concretizing this subject matter, we hope to slightly assist engineering students in alleviating some of the vagueness associated with the principle of design, and enhance their technical skillset during innovative conceptions.