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School of Engineering and Informatics (for staff and students)

Design Project (H6052)

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Design Project

Module H6052

Module details for 2024/25.

60 credits

FHEQ Level 6

Module Outline

The final year design project is where you apply your accumulated knowledge and design skills to a more substantial project of your choice. The projects are designed to give you a taste of real-life design practice in which you must develop your skills in product design and realization, and interact with skilled people across a range of specialisms. The work must be completed by an agreed deadline, and then presented to an audience not necessarily familiar with the work you have done.
Projects are designed to expose you to issues of project management, resourcing, planning, scheduling, marketing, documentation and communication. This will involve you managing the process of design and may involve activities such as: observation, user research, design probes, specification, sketching/sketch modelling, concept development, prototyping, product refinement, user interaction and producing the relevant presentation material. A good project will demand creative thinking, analysis and implementation.
The project will involve you as an individual working two-days-per-week on a particular area of activity relevant to your major, with the goal of meeting a specific set of objectives. There will be two interim presentations for critique each term and at the end of the second term, you produce a Technical Report and a Portfolio and give a 20-minute presentation. In addition you are required to display and present your work at the Design Show. A single member of faculty will supervise your project; a second (minor) supervisor is also assigned to provide occasional guidance and to give an independent assessment of the completed report and portfolio. The specific objectives will depend on the nature of the project. It is anticipated that you will have developed a substantial piece of work for inclusion in your portfolio.

Module learning outcomes

Plan, conduct and report on the design implementation of a product, system, component and process to meet a need.

Analyse problems of a creative nature through generating a wide range of design ideas, concepts from a variety of researched sources and integrate and interrogate the data to inform the design process to provide appropriate solutions.

Apply a holistic approach in solving problems and designing systems, applying professional judgements to balance risks, costs, benefits, safety, reliability, aesthetics and environmental impact.

Research, select, evaluate, manipulate and manage information relevant to the analysis to select, test and exploit materials and manufacturing processes and cost drivers for the products.

Apply Human-centred and design thinking methods in an iterative process to evaluate, analyse and make evidence-based improvements to products.

Use research, anthropometric data and ergonomic principles to analyse user requirements to inform the technical requirements such as materials selection and manufacturing processes.

Consider and apply the appropriate mathematical and engineering principles to a particular product design problem.

TypeTimingWeighting
PortfolioSemester 2 Assessment Week 1 Tue 16:0050.00%
PresentationSpring Semester Week 11 Wed 16:0030.00%
Coursework20.00%
Coursework components. Weighted as shown below.
PresentationMYI Week 1 25.00%
PresentationT2 Week 9 50.00%
PresentationT1 Week 8 (8 hours)25.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Autumn SemesterProject8 hours11111111111
Spring SemesterProject8 hours00111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Dr Charlotte Robinson

Assess convenor
/profiles/415999

Ms Clare Harris

Assess convenor
/profiles/384698

Miss Claire Potter

Assess convenor
/profiles/322434

Mr Giles Ellis

Assess convenor
/profiles/638953

Dr Emeline Brule

Assess convenor
/profiles/461041

Dr Giovanni Contreras Garcia

Assess convenor
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School of Engineering and Informatics (for staff and students)

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