Many engineers employ a structured engineering design process to offer solutions to customer requirements. The process helps to structure a project, and encourages creativity. The real-time data obtained during the process could be used to reduce the chance of bias and encourage more accurate decision making. Additionally, the engineering process teaches that setbacks and failures can be valuable sources of future data.
The first step in the engineering design process is problem definition. Engineers must be clear on what their product is going to accomplish and why they require it. This is a crucial step for the rest of your engineering process.
After the problem has been identified, it is crucial to gather as much information regarding the solution to the need as is possible. This can be accomplished by research, asking critical questions and brainstorming ideas. Here is where engineering creativity shines and where the most creative ideas can be created.
Engineers should identify possible solutions, then evaluate the pros and cons of each, and select the most suitable. The solution must be able to satisfy the requirements of the project (e.g. cost, materials space, time, and cost are all important aspects.
It is a good idea to create a prototype after picking the best solution. Then, tests can be conducted to see if the product does what it is supposed to. In identifying any flaws in the beginning this reduces overall development time and saves money in fixing problems later on.