Activity 1.3: Design Challenge Game (Explore) 

Objective:

Students will explore real-world problems, identify user needs, and begin developing a problem statement by engaging with a design challenge focused on clients and constraints.

Time:  45 minutes

Essential Question

How do engineers identify problems and design for real people?

Materials

• Access to the design challenge randomizer or prepared cards
  Problem, client, constraint, and innovation cards (https://bit.ly/3Q0DaLg)

• Student notebooks or paper

Introduction

1. Tell students that engineers do not design randomly. They design for real people with real problems.

2. Introduce the idea that understanding the user is one of the most important parts of design.

3. Explain that students will now explore a real-world challenge related to water and communities.

4. Present the water crisis as a real-world issue and explain that many people face challenges related to access, safety, and use of water.

Independent Practice

• Students develop their design challenge statement.

• Provide the structure for students to complete:

• Design a solution for ________
  that helps ________
  under the condition of ________
  using ________

• Students write their design challenge in their notebooks.

• Students begin discussing possible ideas for solutions based on their selected client and constraints.