Element K: Reflection on the Design Project

Throughout the year we were successful in collaborating and communicating. This is evident through the Elements as we continued to expand and revise our project with input from each member of the team. In addition to working well together, we learned what the strengths of each member were and used them to our advantage.

Element A:

We defined the problem and supported it with research from multiple stakeholders. This problem was created after brainstorming multiple ideas and narrowing it down to the one that we felt was most feasible within the time frame as well as the one that we were the most passionate about. It was decided that we would pursue a solution for a bike kickstand that does not attach to the bike in any way. Using a survey, we were able to learn more about the problem and ask cyclists their opinion, which helped to create the solution later on.

Element B:

While researching attempts to solve this problem, we found that there were not many past solutions. Instead, we focused on present solutions, many of which did not effectively solve the problem. We analyzed specific features of each and listed the pros and cons to use as guidelines for our solution. We wanted to design a product that combined the favorable features in a new way and was more useful and appealing to consumers. Although there were not a lot of solutions, we feel like we acquired a sufficient amount of knowledge to attempt to solve the problem.

Element C:

Element C involved citing our stakeholders and devising design specifications that we would follow later. This was fairly easy as we had conducted a survey earlier in the year. Specifications included components that were important to an avid cyclist and logically important from the viewpoint of the other team member. By using ideas from both a cyclist and a non-cyclist we were able to formulate specifications that were measurable and applicable to the target market.

Element D:

Prior to deciding on a final solution, each member of the team came up with multiple potential designs which were then narrowed down through the use of a decision matrix and consumer survey. This process allowed us to go from 50 potential solutions to 10, then 4, and finally 1. One thing that we would change in this element is our use of the decision matrix. When looking back, we find that we were very indecisive when measuring the potential solutions against the design specifications. This meant that some scores were biased and may not accurately represent our audience. In the future we would have other members of the EDD class fill out the decision matrix to eliminate all bias.

Element E:

Throughout this whole process we utilized many STEM principles. We collected data of common rear axles and wheel sizes on bikes to use in dimensioning our final design. Calculations were made using the Law of Sines to determine the most effective way of bike resting while using our product. We feel we kept the design specifications in mind while solving the problem and used STEM principles to validate this. This helped us learn about how engineers make decisions during the design process, because everything is supported by these principles.

Element F:

Design viability was partially measured through the consumer survey in Element D, but we wanted to expand on it by looking at the current market as well as at past solutions. By doing this we found that the price point that the survey respondents set was very reasonable, and that our product could be modified to better adapt to many situations. A few surface modifications that we made were to the material that we would use as well as the way that the product was used with the bike. These changes were important for us to make as it would allow us to be more competitive and differentiate our product from others.

Element G:

We constructed the Rear Axle Support following precise instructions. We used outside sources to help construct our prototype and in doing so, learned the value of collaboration. One aspect of this process that we could improve upon is our communication and decision making. While we effectively constructed this prototype and used technical drawings to communicate what we wanted, we made a lot of edits to the process and occasionally that got in the way of progress.

Element H:

Testing procedures were written in a way to best test the product. We decided to test multiple styles of bases, yokes, and terrains. This allowed us to get a broad feel for how the product would work in many situations. We also tested the product against force and the design specifications that we created in Element C. These two tests were important as they showed us that the product is something that can actually be used, not just something that works on the computer.

Element I:

After extensive testing we decided on one combination of parts to use for the prototype. This led us to using Base #2 and Yoke #1. However, testing also showed us faults in our design and ways that the design could be improved. For example, we changed the yoke from being attached through a tripod adapter to being one whole, solid part. Changing this stabilized the product further. Element I allowed us to expand our knowledge of various technologies and engineering concepts.

Element J:

We are very proud of our presentation and the skills we improved upon during the process. We used the feedback we received and edited our presentation to be easier to comprehend and more informative. Additionally, we learned how to share our findings in a clear manner with a loud voice and confident appearance. We feel that this experience will greatly benefit us in the future.

Overall, we feel our project went well. We are especially proud of our abilities to problem solve, communicate, and use time effectively. One skill we learned was how to analyze trends in data and translate it into useful information. This skill can assist us later in life as we attend college and enter the workforce as engineers. We worked well together and were successful in creating a solution that solves the problem of bicycle stability without kickstands.