FAQ

Why should I take this course?

You should consider taking this course if you are a senior or graduate student in any field of engineering interested in the design of products that interact with people. If you want to take a serious look at methods from fields other than engineering (like art, industrial design, ergonomics, marketing, economics, and psychology) and explore how they can be used in the design process, this is a course for you.

If you are a senior in mechanical engineering this course is an alternative to ME 450 and it satisfies the capstone design requirement.

If you are not an engineering student and want to learn more about the engineering approach to design and work with engineers in a design team contributing your own disciplinary skills, you are most welcome to join the course.

If you are a design science student, you already know why you want to take this course!

What are the prerequisites?

Senior standing for mechanical engineering majors taking ME 455 or graduate standing for all others taking DESCI 501. If you are an ME senior you can take the course as a 4-credit alternative to ME 450, which means you must satisfy the same prerequisites as for ME 450, i.e., ME 250, 350, 395, etc. You can also take it as a 3-credit tech elective but for this you must contact the ME ASO or as DESCI 501 for SUGS grad credit -- check with your program advisor. If you are a senior or graduate student besides Design Science, you must take the course as DESCI 501 and check with the instructor for prerequisite knowledge.

How is it different from ME 450?

For mechanical engineering seniors the course offers a “senior capstone design experience” similar to that in ME 450. However, it broadens the design scope beyond engineering and emphasizes an analytical approach to design that encompasses tools from non-engineering disciplines that bear on design, such as aesthetics, economics and marketing. There is emphasis on how the "APD" design process integrates these disciplines. Prototyping work is done earlier in the semester, so that the lessons learned from physical prototyping can be used along with analysis to inform the final design decisions and/or develop more detailed final virtual or physical prototypes. Another difference is that the projects deal with designs of products, systems and services with direct link to the human user, rather than pure mechanical systems like, say, engines. For other engineering seniors the course may be an elective and may satisfy the capstone requirement as dictated by their home department rules. The course has had consistently high course evaluations.

For graduate students this is a "complete" design experience.

Do I need ME Undergraduate Advisor's approval?

Yes if you are an ME senior. The ME UG Advisor needs to make sure you have met the ME450 prerequisites if you wish to take this course as an alternative to ME450, since then it will count as a core course. That's it.

Do I need Instructor's approval?

The class size is limited. Space is first reserved for all DESCI majors and for ME seniors taking it as a capstone required course. All others should register in the waiting list. During the first week of class most students will be accommodated. ALL students must show up the first day of class to keep their reserved spot or inform the instructors ahead of it.

What about other prerequisites not listed? Like Math?

The course uses analytical modeling methods from decision analysis, engineering science, economics, human factors, and marketing. You do not need background in all these areas, but you need the basic math that engineers learn in freshman and sophomore years. Some statistics are useful, too. Graduate students from disciplines other than engineering or design science should consult with the instructor.

What if I am not an ME student?

The course is open to all seniors and graduate students in engineering, and other areas outside engineering, like Art & Design, Information Science, Business, and Architecture. Such students are welcome and provide diversity in the project team composition. Allowances will need to be made for such diversity of backgrounds when teams are formed. Contact the instructor directly for more questions on this.

What if I am a graduate student?

Any graduate student (ME or otherwise) can enroll in DESCI 501 for 3 credits. You will do the same project work.

Can I take the course for 3 credits if I am a senior?

Yes, you can take it as a tech elective for 3 credits. The main reason you would want to do that is if you have already taken ME 450, in which case the extra credit is counted as “overlap” and not allowed. Also, if you wish to take ME 450 in the future you can register for only three credits but you would still need to do all the work, so this is not usually an attractive option. Consult with ME ASO at all times (linked here)

Is it more, or less, work than ME 450?

The amount of work is the same.

How large will the class be?

We have a typical limit of 30 for ME 455 and 30 for DESCI 501.

What projects can I do?

Projects must have a direct relation to an intended product user and a product producer, who will inform design decisions. For example, if you are interested in designing a valve-train for an engine, this would probably not be a suitable class. Past projects include helmets, medical devices, health products, solar and fuel cell systems for buildings, assistive devices for special population groups, can openers, cribs, car seats, cup-holders and more. An automotive clutch might be a suitable project if you want to include designing for the right “feel,” cost, and market. See the past projects list in the menu.

How do we select projects and are they sponsored?

You will be asked to form teams based on your common interests and complementary skills. You will not be assigned a sponsored project. Although there may be some sponsored projects, you can select your own project idea, as long as there is a team that wants to do it and it fits into the course objectives and philosophy. You can also seek sponsorship for your own idea. Contact the instructor for advice on that. Project ideas can be developed through the summer. You can visit the course Canvas site once you are registered.

Since the teams are interdisciplinary, is my work on the project limited to the skills I bring with me?

No. There is a set of tools we learn in the course that everyone should become familiar and use them. In the execution of the project, there is a tendency that leadership for particular task is taken by the team member with most competency in that task -which is likely to be skills you bring with you.

Do we have a project budget?

Yes, for prototyping and other project costs. The amount is determined each semester.

Will we use the ME prototyping shops?

Yes. If you are not trained as an ME major at UM you will need to take mandatory training during the first 2-3 weeks. This is arranged through the ME Department and details are provided in class.

Will we need programming skills?

Yes, some, but typically Excel has been the basic environment. However, MATLAB, various CAE tools, and statistical analysis packages have been used in the past.

What will make a successful project?

The final deliverable is an actual business plan grounded on a semester's worth of analysis, user surveys, prototyping, and computing. If you can show whether a compelling case can be made to produce (or not produce) the product, you have succeeded.