Module IED-2053:
Engineering Team Project

Module Facts

Run by School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering

10 Credits or 5 ECTS Credits

Semester 1 & 2

Organiser: Dr Iestyn Pierce

Overall aims and purpose

To tackle an industrially inspired group project. This will involve working in a team to identify a new product opportunity, putting the technical aspects of the project in the wider social and environmental context by studying the market, and health and safety aspects of the product. Development of presentation and project management skills will be pursued in a learning environment that is shaped to reproduce the time and financial constraints regulating real industry operation.

Course content

• Frameworks for innovation and design, McKinney’s FIRE. User Centred Design. Design in the Toyota Production System.

• Compliance with codes and regulations (health and safety, international standards).

• Team creation and management through design, testing, finances and human resources divisions.

• Project management through utilization of tools such as Gantt charts, design reviews, product specifications, performance modeling and characterization.

• Earning project funding in a competitive environment by periodically presenting own teamwork before an investors board.

Learning outcomes mapped to assessment criteria

  threshold

40%

 		good

60%

 		excellent

70%

Apply theoretical knowledge to the design of a new product.

 All important project objectives attained. Almost all of the project objectives completed successfully. Some evidence of evaluation and reflection. All project objectives met and performance review to identify future improvements.

Exercise Presentational Skills in a broad range of contexts

 Can prepare and present an adequate report and oral presentation. Can prepare and present a good report and oral presentation. Can prepare and present an excellent report and oral presentation.

Appreciate the wider social and environmental aspects of a new product

 Some market, social and environmental aspects included in project report. Reasonable attention given to addressing the main social and environmental factors relevant to the project. Social and environmental concerns addressed early in the project and clearly influenced final design

Apply management frameworks to successfully complete a project.

 Evidence of some management processes (e.g. minutes of meetings, design reviews) A reasonable range of management tools applied to monitor the project’s progress and achievements. Creative use of management to drive the project hard.

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
Presentation of initial ideas 10
Interim progress review: team presentation 10
Final team presentation and product demo 10
Group report 30
Final Report 40

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Group Project

1 x 3 hour session per week for 24 weeks

 72
Private study

Individual work in support of project objectives, progress meetings with team members. Preparing reports and presentations.

 28

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Mentoring - Able to support, help, guide, inspire and/or coach others
  • Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
  • Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

Subject specific skills

  • Identify emerging technologies and technology trends;
  • Apply underpinning concepts and ideas of engineering;
  • Apply knowledge and understanding of the specialist cognate area of electronic engineering in an international context;
  • Apply knowledge and understanding of the specialist cognate area of computer systems engineering in an international context;
  • Apply knowledge and understanding of the specialist cognate area of computer systems for controlling complex systems;
  • Apply knowledge and understanding of the specialist cognate area of computer systems engineering in safety-critical areas;
  • Formulate and analyse requirements and practical constraints of products, processes and services, place them in an engineering context and manage their implementation;
  • Solve problems logically and systematically;
  • Systematically review factors affecting the implementation of a project, including safety and sustainability;
  • Plan, budget, organise and manage people and resources;
  • Agree objectives and work plans with individuals;
  • Appreciate the importance of designing products with due regard to good laboratory practice, health and safety considerations and ethical issues.
  • Access and synthesize information and literature sources;
  • Use both verbal and written communication skills to different target audiences;
  • Communicate proposals persuasively and respond positively to feedback;
  • Analyse and display data using appropriate methods and mathematical techniques;
  • Demonstrate familiarity with relevant subject specific and general computer software packages.
  • Demonstrate an awareness of current advances and contemporary approaches in the discipline and have strategies for keeping that awareness current;
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the need to work safely and comply within relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks;

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses: