What is the Engineering Design Process? An Introduction

The engineering design process is a series of steps that people go through to solve a problem in STEM fields. It’s not so much of a linear step process as it is a “try this”, it doesn’t work out, “let me go back and try to fix it”. To see what this looks like in a stem challenge activity for kids, click to read this lesson. 

 

The names of the engineering design process can be different depending on the program or curriculum, but it is all essentially the same thing. For example, some people may call the second step, “Explore,” but others will call it “Research.” so long as you understand and can communicate the ideas behind each of the steps to your students, the name of the step is not important. 

 

It’s important to learn as a teacher that the engineering design process is the bread, butter, potatoes, AND the meat of any stem lesson or unit. This is something that you should be well versed in so your students feel comfortable with it as well. 

 

 

 

This is the beginning of the engineering design process. The teacher presents the problem with the criteria and constraints. It is usually a design and build problem that connects to the real world. Within this problem, students are also given the criteria and constraints. Those are the limitations and restrictions of the project. 

 

 

In this stem challenge, the students are presented with the criteria that the fork stand design must stand for 30 seconds on its own. Any materials can be used, but the constraints are that the students cannot use more than 5 pieces, must use a real fork, and not allowed to use any tape, glue, or adhesive of any kind. 

 

 

 

In this research step, students collect their ideas or brainstorm in multiple ways. They can…

1. Search the web for ideas on their stem challenge by using keywords such as “made at home,” “do it yourself DIY” or “stem challenge.” If you’re able to find direct links where students can go to and find ideas, that would be the best option. 
2. You provide informational text on how different materials work, what they can be used for, and the students would be able to create completely original ideas. 
3. Students can meet in groups to brainstorm what materials they will use and how they will use it to fit the design challenge. 
4. You can provide failed design challenges for the same stem challenge and ask students to inspect the materials used and how they were used. This can give the students some ideas. 

 

In this step, students will be in their groups finalizing their designs. They will have draft sketches and final sketches of their design. Their sketches will have clear labels along with a numbered set of directions on how to build. 

 

All of this is usually completed in their digital or paper journals. You can find a free digital journal here.

 

In this step, students will be in their groups with their job roles building. If you need to know how to set up groups during build days, you can read more here. I usually have my students in groups of 4, and these are the same peers they have been working through the engineering design process with. 

 

 

 

They will rotate between their building jobs, and build their design in the appropriate time allotted within the constraints. This is the most hands-on step, and one of the students love a lot. 

 

 

 

 

This is the step where the students take their design that they have thought out, planned for, and created with their groups. They will test their design under the conditions of the stem challenge or design problem. During this time, students are asked to monitor their designs carefully. 

 

They are to reflect based on the process and outcome of their design, so they will have to sketch, record with a video, or take a photo of how their design holds up to the challenge. 

 

After the actual testing happens, groups will gather and discuss what worked well for their design. Here are some questions they can answer in this step: 

 

1. Was the design successful? 
2. How did they know?
3. What could have been improved in the design? 
4. How could they have improved it?
5. What worked well? 
6. Why did it work well?

 

 

 

In this share step, elementary students will be sharing their process of the design challenge. They can create a multi-media presentation such as a slide deck, video from Inshot, infographic from Canva, FlipGrid video discussion, writing, or in any other way. 

 

This is simply the time to share how their design performed in the testing step, and what they would change to improve the design. Communicating ideas is an important step not to skip over because reflections of learning are often-times where misconceptions are unpacked. 

 

Sharing the Engineering Design Process With Your Students