Fellow Engineer or Customer Critique: Let another

got problems?
engineer or a customer use your current design and give
you feedback. Either you or your fellow engineer can
record feedback to the following questions:
 What do you like about this design?
 How could this design be improved?
 Are you having any trouble using it? If so, what is let’s solve ’em.
frustrating about using the prototype/model?
 Do you have any other suggestions for modifying _______________________________________
this the prototype/model to make it better? Engineer’s Name
o How could it be more fun?
o How could it be easier to use?
o How could its performance improve?
o What could be done to make it look incredible, or
sleek, or cool?

____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________ Image Source: https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/eg-design-process/et-design-process/

DaNel Hogan – STEMAZing.org

Brooke Meyer and Sherrie Dennis – SARSEF.org
23
 Notice Problems Data Table
Describe problems you notice that a person (could be
you) or an animal or a plant has. This problem could be
Independent
Variable: ____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:

something that is difficult for them to do, puts them in

danger, makes their day harder, or causes them to Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
struggle. It could also be something that would make
their life better – more fun, easier, happier, etc.
For each problem, identify who has the problem and
describe what it is.
Who? ______________________________
Problem ____________________________
____________________________________ Prototype/Model is: Better / Same / Worse
(circle one)
____________________________________
_____________________  STEM Solvable Observational or Quantitative Evidence
From the test you did, describe either observational data
Who? ______________________________ or quantitative data to support your claim that the
Problem ____________________________ prototype model is better, the same, or worse.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
_____________________  STEM Solvable
____________________________________
Who? ______________________________ ____________________________________
Problem ____________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
_____________________  STEM Solvable Modification: Keep / Kick
(circle one)
1 22
Describe a modification can make to your prototype/model. Notice More Problems
____________________________________
____________________________________ Who? ______________________________
____________________________________ Problem ____________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Make the modification. ____________________________________
_____________________  STEM Solvable
Describe the procedure for a test you will conduct to
determine if the modification has made the Who? ______________________________
prototype/model perform better, the same, or worse
than before. How will you know if it is better?
Problem ____________________________
____________________________________
Test Procedure: ______________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ _____________________  STEM Solvable
____________________________________
____________________________________ Who? ______________________________
____________________________________ Problem ____________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ _____________________  STEM Solvable
____________________________________ Who? ______________________________
____________________________________
Problem ____________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
_____________________  STEM Solvable
____________________________________
21 2
 Brainstorm Solution ____________________________________
Imagine a STEM solution for one of the problems you ____________________________________
identified. Draw and describe the solution below. Don’t ____________________________________
worry about whether the solution seems possible or not.
____________________________________
Just think of ways you could make life better for the
person, animal, or plant. ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

Draw and label modification idea.

____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

3 20
Fellow Engineer or Customer Critique: Let another How will your solution help the person/animal/plant
engineer or a customer use your current design and give with their problem?
you feedback. Either you or your fellow engineer can
record feedback to the following questions:
____________________________________
 What do you like about this design? ____________________________________
 How could this design be improved? ____________________________________
 Are you having any trouble using it? If so, what is ____________________________________
frustrating about using the prototype/model?
 Do you have any other suggestions for modifying How will you know if it is doing what you want?
this the prototype/model to make it better? ____________________________________
o How could it be more fun?
o How could it be easier to use? ____________________________________
o How could its performance improve? ____________________________________
o What could be done to make it look incredible, or
sleek, or cool? ____________________________________
What challenges do you think you will have when trying
____________________________________ to design a prototype/model of your solution?
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
Can you think of modifications to your idea, which would
____________________________________ make it more likely to solve the problem? Describe them.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
19 4
 Brainstorm Solution Data Table
Imagine a STEM solution for one of the problems you
identified. Draw and describe the solution below. Don’t
Independent
Variable: ____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:

worry about whether the solution seems possible or not.

Just think of ways you could make life better for the Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
person, animal, or plant.

Prototype/Model is: Better / Same / Worse

(circle one)

Observational or Quantitative Evidence

From the test you did, describe either observational data
or quantitative data to support your claim that the
prototype model is better, the same, or worse.

____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Modification: Keep / Kick
(circle one)
5 18
Describe a modification can make to your prototype/model. How will your solution help the person/animal/plant
____________________________________ with their problem?
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Make the modification. ____________________________________
How will you know if it is doing what you want?
Describe the procedure for a test you will conduct to
determine if the modification has made the ____________________________________
prototype/model perform better, the same, or worse ____________________________________
than before. How will you know if it is better?
____________________________________
Test Procedure: ______________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ What challenges do you think you will have when trying
____________________________________ to design a prototype/model of your solution?
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ Can you think of modifications to your idea, which would
____________________________________ make it more likely to solve the problem? Describe them.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
17 6
 Brainstorm Solution Data Table
Imagine a STEM solution for one of the problems you
identified. Draw and describe the solution below. Don’t
Independent
Variable: ____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:

worry about whether the solution seems possible or not.

Just think of ways you could make life better for the Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
person, animal, or plant.

Prototype/Model is: Better / Same / Worse

(circle one)

Observational or Quantitative Evidence

From the test you did, describe either observational data
or quantitative data to support your claim that the
prototype model is better, the same, or worse.

____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Modification: Keep / Kick
(circle one)
7 16
 Reflection How will your solution help the person/animal/plant
with their problem?
How would you find out what modifications could be
made next in order to keep improving your design?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
How will you know if it is doing what you want?
____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
What would you modify next to try to keep improving
____________________________________
your design? ____________________________________
____________________________________ What challenges do you think you will have when trying
to design a prototype/model of your solution?
____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
What else could your design be used for? What other
____________________________________
problems could it help solve? Can you think of modifications to your idea, which would
make it more likely to solve the problem? Describe them.
____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
31 8
 Solution Prototype/Model Research Website Design for Product
Research other solutions that exist for the problem you
Make a sketch of what the homepage for this product
identified. Describe them below. How will your solution
would look like. Be sure to include your product logo
be better than solutions that already exist or have been
tried by others? How can you improve upon these and slogan on the site.
solutions?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
9 30
 Marketing Criteria
Describe the desired features of your solution. What will
Name of Product _____________________ it do? How will it work? What features will it have? How
does it eliminate the problem or make it better?
Slogan ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Company or Product Logo ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Draw and label your prototype/model.

Key Features _________________________

____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
29 10
 Constraints Draw and label final prototype/model.
Describe the limits you will face when making a
prototype/model and testing it. What materials do you
have available? How much time do you have? How
much will it cost? What tools do you have access to for
building a prototype/model? Can you reuse or upcycle
materials that are available for free? What safety
considerations should be considered?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
11 28
 Final Prototype/Model Build It and Test It
Who? ____________________________ Build a prototype/model of your most promising
solution and test it. Describe your procedure for testing
Problem ____________________________ it below.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Description of Final Prototype/Model
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ Independent
____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:
Variable:
____________________________________
____________________________________ Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________ Did it meet the criteria? In other words, does it help
How does it solve the problem? solve the problem you identified? How?

____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
27 12
Describe a modification can make to your prototype/model. Data Table
____________________________________
____________________________________
Independent
Variable: ____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:

____________________________________
____________________________________ Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

Make the modification.

Describe the procedure for a test you will conduct to
determine if the modification has made the
prototype/model perform better, the same, or worse
than before. How will you know if it is better?
Test Procedure: ______________________ Prototype/Model is: Better / Same / Worse
(circle one)
____________________________________
____________________________________ Observational or Quantitative Evidence
____________________________________ From the test you did, describe either observational data
____________________________________ or quantitative data to support your claim that the
____________________________________ prototype model is better, the same, or worse.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
Modification: Keep / Kick
(circle one)
13 26
Describe a modification can make to your prototype/model. Data Table
____________________________________
____________________________________
Independent
Variable: ____________ Units:___
Dependent variable:

____________________________________
____________________________________ Units: Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

Make the modification.

Describe the procedure for a test you will conduct to
determine if the modification has made the
prototype/model perform better, the same, or worse
than before. How will you know if it is better?
Test Procedure: ______________________ Prototype/Model is: Better / Same / Worse
(circle one)
____________________________________
____________________________________ Observational or Quantitative Evidence
____________________________________ From the test you did, describe either observational data
____________________________________ or quantitative data to support your claim that the
____________________________________ prototype model is better, the same, or worse.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
Modification: Keep / Kick
(circle one)
25 14
Describe a modification can make to your prototype/model. ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Make the modification. ____________________________________
____________________________________
Describe the procedure for a test you will conduct to
determine if the modification has made the ____________________________________
prototype/model perform better, the same, or worse ____________________________________
than before. How will you know if it is better? ____________________________________
Test Procedure: ______________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________ Draw and label modification idea.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
15 24