Weekly Progress Reports (see sidebar), the Gantt chart, and this Project Management page should be printed out before meetings with the sponsor and instructor.
All team members should be able to explain all items on the progress report.
Place a "*" at the beginning of the title of the active week Progress Report (see * in sidebar).
Project Objectives
Concisely list and prioritize the project objectives and constraints
High Priority Objectives
A design for the chamber (CAD Model)
Second Priority Objectives
Prototype of the chamber
Other Constraints and Issues
Size of the chambers to optimize the number of chambers they can store on their racks
The connection between the behavioral chamber and housing chamber
Easy to disconnect from each other for clean
WOW Design Solution
Ask what would their dream design solution would be like. You may not achieve this, but it is good to know what it would be like.
Multiple iterations
Make improvements
Automating water to release a certain amount each day
Make behavioral chamber more of an enrichment chamber
Make multiple chambers once we are happy with a prototype
Risk Reduction Strategy
List areas of risk and strategy that will be used to eliminate risk really in the design process.
Possible bridge to connect the housing chamber to the behavioral chamber
Structural integrity of the bridge to support a rat
Secure, but removable way to connect bridge to the chambers
How to eliminate risk:
Doing simple analysis to see how strong the bridge must be
Look into different types of material to make the bridge out of that is strong enough to support the rat
Look into different ways to connect the bridge that are secure enough
Automated water distribution
Servo-motor to release certain amount of water each day
How to eliminate risk:
Look into different types of motors that will accomplish our goal
Design a way to incorporate a motor into a water bottle that will release only the required amount of water and no more
Intermediate Milestones
Identifying meaningful intermediate milestones is a critical for effective project management. Together with your sponsor identify such milestones, and specify specific performance requirements you aim to meet at each milestone.
Narrow down design
Agree on Size of chamber, material for bridge, type of connection from bridge to the chambers
CAD prototype
Modify original CAD files to fit our design
Build prototype
Build something that can be used to test out with the rats
Test with the rats
Take notes of aspects that worked for the sponsor and what things could be improved
Reiterate
Modify our design based on feedback