Unit 8

The BIG M:B Project & Design Process

Now that you have experimented with different M:B challenges, sensors and peripherals, you are ready to be creative on your own. This final unit will focus on the BIG Micro:Bit Project. The goal of the BIG M:B project is to be able to build something original that serves a specific purpose or need. The first step to this project is to become familiar with the design process, which will guide you throughout the development of your project.


Themes: BIG M:B project, Brainstorming, Design Process, Documenting, Reflecting and Sharing.

The BIG M:B Project

The goal of the BIG project is to be able to build and program something original that serves a specific purpose or need. For the BIG project, we encourage students to use the M:B to solve a pressing problem in their daily lives OR create authentic projects based on the Global Goals presented in Unit 7 (do you :bit).


You will need to combine your experience from the previous units and add necessary materials to design your BIG M:B project.

TEACHER TIP! Here is a sample guide and project planner for students. Feel free to make copies of these documents and adapt them to your needs. We base the BIG project on Global Goals, however you can chose to pick a theme of your own.

Student Examples

Video Annie G 04_05_2021 18_27_49

The doggy door motion alarm.

Student Examples

Video Austin L 04_05_2021 21_25_17

The servo motor safe.

Student Examples

Video Franka M 01_05_2021 12_54_09

Waste reduction using a sensor.

Student Examples

Video FSK_s Nightlight_Version 11_ 05_05_2021 08_43_30

The night light.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

When looking to create, prototype or design something new, engineers and professionals all over the World rely on the design process to develop their product or find solutions.

Have you ever tried inventing something? Or tried building something for the first time? It's rarely perfect the first time around. You'll ask yourself questions, try again, try something different, explore different materials, reflect, ask someone for help, search on the Internet, compare, revaluate, redesign, revaluate... The path towards developing isn't always straightforward and that's where the learning and improvement takes place.

In this BIG project, you will be developing a PROTOTYPE (insert definition or example). Your creation does not have to be a perfect, final product. As long as you come up with a prototype that you are able to talk about, you've hit the target.

IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM

The first step to any design process is to identify the problem. People often overlook this step, but it is essential. Clearly identify what is the problem you are looking to solve and who the audience is (who will be using the prototype).

Questions to ask yourself:
-What is the problem I’m trying to solve? Why?
-Who is the audience (who will be using this)? How will it help them?

Tip: Break the problem down into smaller chunks.

BRAINSTORM

The next step is to brainstorm ideas, or in other words, come up with as many ideas as possible. There is no right or wrong answer: simply jot down all of the ideas you can think of, no matter how wild or far fetched. Be creative and respect everyone's ideas.

Are you stuck? Here are a few strategies or questions to ask yourself:


Think about... Try... Explore...

-Which peripherals, sensors or accessories would you like to use? Maybe there are some peripherals or sensors you would like to use but haven't explored yet. Don't be afraid to try new things!
-Which code blocks are you familiar with? Which ones will you have to explore?
-What materials do you have at hand to build your prototype?
-Try sketching out your ideas.
-Look through books, photos or the Internet for inspiration. Talk to your friends or classmates.
-How does each solution brainstormed solve the problem identified?

Tip: Remember to document your process! Keep notes, take pictures, write down your reflections...


Before moving onto the next step, sketch out your prototype.

BUILD, TEST, EVALUATE & REDESIGN

Once you've identified the problem, brainstormed and sketched out your prototype, it's time to build!

  1. Build your prototype

  2. Test it!

  3. Take a step back and evaluate your prototype.

  4. Reflect on how you could improve it & Redesign it.

Repeat these steps until you have reached your goal. Remember! It's a prototype - it doesn't have to be perfect or final.

Questions to ask yourself:
-Does my prototype solve the problem or purpose I previously identified?
-Is it adapted to the audience ?
-Keep in mind it is just a prototype. What would you do differently next time? How would you improve it?

SHARE SOLUTION

Let's share our BIG projects! In this final step of the design process, you are invited to present your project. An easy, user friendly way of doing so is using an online video creator such as Flipgrid.

Start off by taking a step back to reflect and go over your design process. Some questions to ask yourself or discuss during the sharing could be:

-What is the problem or issue you are trying to solve? Who is the audience? What did you have in mind as a prototype?
-What were the different steps you had to do to get your project to work the way you wanted?
-What do you think is the best feature of your prototype or design? Why?
-What steps of the design process helped you the most?
-If you had more time, how could you improve your design? What would be the next steps?

Keeping Track of Your Code & Process

Don't forget to keep track of your code and design process throughout the BIG Project! Use the tracking document or logbook provided by your teacher to save and track your M:B projects.