User research software is really important in the engineering design thinking process. It helps us understand what users need and refine our solutions. Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works: ### 1. **Gathering Insights** User research software helps us collect data easily. We can use surveys, interviews, and tests to get feedback. Tools like **UserTesting** or **SurveyMonkey** let us reach more people. This is important because different users give us a variety of perspectives. The more insights we have, the better our designs can be. ### 2. **Analyzing Data** After we collect the data, we need to organize and analyze it. Software like **Dovetail** or other tools helps us look at feedback in a smart way. We can label comments, find common themes, and quickly check what users think. This helps us see patterns and focus on the main problems we need to fix. ### 3. **Visualization** User research software also helps us create visual tools like personas, journey maps, and affinity diagrams. These visuals make it easier for our design team to understand complex information. They also help us share our findings with others. It’s about turning data into a story that’s easy to understand and act upon. ### 4. **Iterative Feedback** One great thing about design thinking is that it’s a process that improves over time. With tools like **Miro** or **Figma**, we can quickly create prototypes and share them with users for feedback. This cycle of gathering, analyzing, and improving helps us stay in tune with what users really need. ### 5. **Collaboration** Many of these tools let us work together in real-time. This means we can share ideas and build on user feedback together. It makes the process feel more connected instead of working alone. In short, user research software is an essential part of design thinking. It helps connect engineering ideas with what people really want and need in the real world.
**Understanding Empathy in Engineering Design** Empathy is super important in engineering design. It helps engineers figure out what people really need right from the start. This process, called design thinking, uses empathy to create products and services that connect with users on a deeper level. **Getting to Know Users** The first step in design thinking is called the 'Empathize' phase. Here, engineers aim to really understand the users and what they need. To do this, they engage with users by asking questions, watching how they interact with products, and even putting themselves in the users' shoes. For example, when designing a medical device for elderly patients, empathy helps engineers see both the practical needs and the emotional challenges these users face, like fear or frustration. **Finding Real Problems** Empathy also lets engineers find the actual problems users are facing. When they understand users better, they can see the true challenges instead of just guessing what people want. This human-focused approach helps engineers focus on the issues that matter most to users. For instance, after talking to commuters, an engineer might learn that it's more important for public transportation apps to be reliable and safe at night than to save time. Understanding these details helps teams create solutions that really help people. **Working Together** Empathy encourages teamwork between different groups during design thinking. When team members understand each other’s views and user experiences, they can share ideas more easily. A design discussion that includes empathy enables engineers, designers, and others to think about the user’s experience together. This teamwork creates a space for diverse ideas, leading to creative solutions that might not come up otherwise. **Improving Through Feedback** The design thinking process relies heavily on empathy, especially when it comes to improving designs based on feedback. Engineers should test their ideas with users regularly. This back-and-forth communication helps teams make changes based on real user experiences. For example, if an early version of a wearable device feels uncomfortable for users, an empathetic team will focus on making it comfortable instead of just adding more features. This willingness to adapt is important in engineering design because user happiness can decide if a product is a hit or a flop. **Using Empathy Maps** To help with understanding users, teams often use tools like empathy maps. An empathy map is a simple chart that shows what users say, think, feel, and do. By organizing this information, engineering teams can better understand user experiences. This tool keeps empathy at the center of their work, making sure they always consider users when making decisions. **Considering Culture** Empathy also means understanding different cultures in engineering design. People from different backgrounds may have different needs and preferences. For example, when designing a mobile app for users in various countries, engineers need to think about cultural habits and access to technology. An app that works well in North America might not be as helpful in Africa, where mobile use and internet access can be very different. Empathy helps engineers create solutions that respect these cultural differences, leading to products that people will trust and enjoy using. **Examples of Empathy in Design** There have been many successful designs that show how empathy can drive innovation. One famous example is the development of the “Oculus Rift” virtual reality system. Engineers worked closely with gamers to learn about their experiences and challenges. Their discoveries helped them design a product that focused on user comfort and enjoyment, setting a new standard in virtual reality. Another example is IKEA's home furniture assembly system. Engineers watched how frustrated customers got while putting together furniture. By empathizing with users, they improved instruction manuals to make them clearer and easier to follow. This change made assembling furniture much more enjoyable for customers. In schools, universities that teach empathy in their engineering programs often see more engaged and creative students. Programs that involve community projects help students learn to understand real users, building empathy skills that are essential for their future jobs. **Conclusion** In summary, empathy is not just an extra part of the design thinking process; it’s essential for great engineering design. From getting to know users and identifying problems to encouraging teamwork and using feedback, empathy shapes every step of the design journey. As engineers keep creating new products in a fast-changing world, using empathy will help them build things that meet both practical needs and emotional connections with users. This connection leads to happier customers and success in the marketplace. Putting empathy into engineering education and practice is crucial to prepare future engineers for the complex challenges they will face today and in the future.
**Design Thinking: What It Is and Why It Matters** Design Thinking is a way to create new ideas by focusing on what people need. It helps find solutions that really work for users. There are five main steps in Design Thinking: 1. **Empathize**: This means getting to know how users feel and what problems they face. 2. **Define**: Here, you clearly state the problem you want to solve. 3. **Ideate**: This step is all about coming up with a lot of different ideas and solutions. 4. **Prototype**: This means making simple models of your ideas to see how they work. 5. **Test**: Finally, you get feedback to improve your solutions. **Why It's Important for Engineering Students** - **Problem-Solving Skills**: Engineers often deal with tough challenges. Design Thinking gives them the tools to break down these problems and find solutions. - **Teamwork**: Most new ideas (about 70%) come from working together. Design Thinking encourages teamwork, which is really important. - **User-Focused Solutions**: A lot of successful products (around 85%) listen to users. This makes sure that the products are useful and easy to use. - **Boost in Creativity**: Going through these steps can help engineering students feel more creative, boosting their confidence by up to 60%. When engineering programs include Design Thinking, students will be better prepared to handle real-world problems.
Diverse skills are super important for making engineering design teams at universities work well. When team members have different abilities, it helps both the creative process and the final outcome of projects. To see how these different skills affect team roles, we need to look at how they work together, the roles of each person, and what design thinking means. ### The Power of Working Together Engineering design is all about teamwork. Projects usually come with tricky problems that need a mix of skills. These include technical knowledge, like mechanics, electrical engineering, and coding, as well as soft skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork. Having this variety helps create new and exciting ideas that might not happen if everyone on the team had the same background. In a strong engineering design team, members often take on roles that fit their strengths. For example, someone good at math might handle calculations, while someone creative might work on making the design look good. This way of sharing tasks helps the team work better together, making the overall outcome greater than what any one person could do alone. ### Benefits of Different Skills Having a mix of skills is helpful for teams in many ways: 1. **Different Solutions to Problems:** Team members from different backgrounds provide unique ways to solve problems. For instance, if a team has both mechanical engineers and industrial designers, they can create a better product by using each other’s strengths. 2. **Better Ideas:** Diverse teams are great at brainstorming. Team members can challenge each other’s ideas in a nice way, which leads to more creative and innovative thoughts. 3. **Finding Risks Early:** When people with different skills work together, they can spot potential problems more easily. For example, software engineers can detect coding issues while mechanical engineers look for structural problems. This helps avoid wasting time and resources later on. 4. **Clear Communication:** When team members have different areas of expertise, they learn to explain complicated ideas in simpler terms. This is important for working together and for sharing ideas with people outside the team. ### The Importance of Design Thinking Design thinking works really well with diverse engineering teams. It focuses on understanding users, trying out new ideas, and developing products step by step. When teams with different skills use design thinking, they get better results in these five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. 1. **Empathize:** Team members with different roles can understand user needs better. For example, an industrial designer might see something about user interaction that a mechanical engineer misses. 2. **Define:** Different viewpoints help teams clearly define the problem. This way, all parts of a challenge, whether technical or user-focused, are included when setting goals. 3. **Ideate:** Brainstorming gets stronger with diverse teams. Members can suggest a wide range of ideas from their own fields, leading to creative and useful designs. 4. **Prototype:** In the prototyping stage, the mix of skills really shines, bringing together technical know-how and creative ideas to create prototypes that meet various needs. 5. **Test:** Looking at designs from different angles ensures a thorough evaluation. For example, checking that technical specs match user-friendly features can make the product more enjoyable for users. ### Working Together as a Team While there are clear benefits to having diverse skills, some challenges can come up, like miscommunications or differing priorities. Here are some tips to help teams work through these challenges: - **Set Clear Roles:** Clearly defined roles help avoid confusion, so everyone knows how they contribute to the team’s goals. Tools like RACI charts (which show who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed) can clarify roles. - **Encourage Inclusion:** Promoting an open environment where all ideas are valued can reduce conflicts. Having rules like "no idea is a bad idea" helps create a supportive space for creativity. - **Rotate Roles:** Changing roles among team members from time to time helps everyone understand each other’s strengths and challenges. This builds empathy and makes collaboration easier. - **Hold Regular Meetings:** Setting aside time to talk about what’s working and what’s not can help the team improve continuously and address any issues. The impact of having diverse skills in engineering design teams is significant. Mixing different fields enhances creativity and prepares students for real-world situations where teamwork is essential. As our world becomes more connected and complicated, the insights gained from working in diverse teams will help solve modern engineering problems. To sum it up, different skills within university engineering design teams play a key role in how effective the team is and how innovative their projects can be. By focusing on teamwork and using design thinking, diverse teams can create engineering solutions that work well for users and are technically solid. So, creating an environment where varied skills are not just welcomed but celebrated is key for future engineers.
Feedback mechanisms are really important for improving how we share engineering design ideas. Here are some key ways they help: 1. **Clearer Ideas**: Studies show that 70% of engineering students find that getting structured feedback from their peers helps them understand their design goals better. 2. **Improving Over Time**: Research indicates that 85% of successful engineering projects use feedback over time. This helps teams make their ideas even better. 3. **Using Visuals**: Tools that provide visual feedback can help people understand concepts by up to 60%. This is especially helpful during presentations. 4. **Getting People Involved**: Actively involving others in giving feedback can boost how well the audience remembers information by 50%. This means design ideas connect better with them. Using feedback mechanisms can really help improve both how we present and communicate engineering designs.
### How to Have Great Brainstorming Sessions Brainstorming sessions are super important for helping engineering teams be creative and work well together. These sessions can boost problem-solving skills and bring everyone together around common goals. Here’s how to make brainstorming sessions successful, broken down into easy-to-understand parts. ### Preparation Being prepared is key! Before you start a brainstorming session, make sure everyone knows what the goals are. - **Define the Challenge**: Clearly explain the problem you want to solve. Use simple words and avoid any complicated terms that might confuse people. - **Gather Resources**: Share any helpful materials before the session starts. This could be research, designs, or feedback from users that relate to the topic. - **Pick a Diverse Team**: Include people from different areas in engineering. This way, you get a variety of ideas and experiences that can lead to better results. ### Setting the Environment The place where brainstorming happens can really affect how creative everyone is. - **Create a Comfortable Space**: Make sure the space is welcoming. Use comfy seating and good lighting. Have materials for drawing or writing, like whiteboards or sticky notes, ready to use. - **Establish Ground Rules**: Set some rules at the start to encourage kindness and openness. Make sure everyone knows it’s okay to share ideas without being judged. Emphasize that it’s better to have lots of ideas than perfect ones at this point. ### Schedule and Facilitation How you manage time and discussions during the session matters a lot. - **Allocate Adequate Time**: Plan for enough time to think of a lot of ideas, but don’t drag it out too long. Aim for a session that lasts about 30 minutes to an hour. If it goes longer, take breaks. - **Use a Skilled Facilitator**: Choose someone who can lead the discussion, keep it focused, and make sure everyone gets to share their thoughts. The facilitator should encourage participation but not take over. ### Ideation Techniques Using specific techniques can help guide the brainstorming process. - **Mind Mapping**: Start with a main idea and branch out to related thoughts. This helps everyone see how ideas connect. - **SCAMPER Method**: Use the SCAMPER acronym—Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse—to help generate new ideas. This method encourages looking at challenges from different viewpoints. - **Brainwriting**: Instead of speaking ideas out loud, have everyone write their ideas down anonymously in a set time. Afterward, people can build off of each other’s ideas without feeling pressured to respond right away. ### Encouragement of Diversity of Thought Having a mix of ideas is important for coming up with new solutions. - **Encourage Wild Ideas**: Let people share crazy ideas without judging them right away. Sometimes, the most unusual ideas can turn into great breakthroughs! - **Build on Others’ Ideas**: Create a space where people feel comfortable adding to others’ ideas. This not only improves existing ideas but can spark new ones too. ### Evaluation and Selection After brainstorming, it's time to look over the ideas you've come up with. - **Group Ideas**: Put similar ideas together to spot common themes and get rid of duplicates. This can make it easier to evaluate everything. - **Use Criteria for Evaluation**: Decide on criteria to judge ideas, like how realistic they are, their potential impact, and how they fit with your project goals. Involving the team in setting these criteria helps everyone feel committed. - **Voting Mechanism**: Allow everyone to vote for their favorite ideas. This democratic method helps bring out the best solutions. ### Follow-Up Don't stop after the session! Following up is important to keep the momentum going. - **Document Ideas**: Write down all the ideas discussed and share them with the group afterward. This helps everyone remember what was talked about. - **Assign Ownership**: Give specific team members the job of developing the chosen ideas further. This encourages responsibility and helps move ideas from planning to action. ### Continuous Improvement Take the time to think about how the brainstorming session went and how to make it better in the future. - **Solicit Feedback**: After the session, ask team members what they thought worked and what didn’t. Consider things like the way the session was led, the setup of the space, and the techniques used. - **Iterate**: Use the feedback to improve the next brainstorming session. Keep making changes over time for better results. By using these best practices, engineering teams can make their brainstorming sessions more effective and productive. This organized yet creative approach helps everyone work together, encourages different viewpoints, and leads to innovative solutions that match the principles of design thinking. Good brainstorming sessions not only spark creativity but also help everyone understand the challenges they face, supporting the entire process from idea creation to execution.
**Understanding Team Roles in Engineering Design Projects** When working on engineering design projects, it's really important to know what each team member's job is. This helps make new ideas happen, especially when everyone needs to work together. Each person on the team has different skills, experiences, and ways of thinking. When they coordinate well, they can come up with amazing solutions. A helpful way to approach this is called design thinking. This is all about putting people first, focusing on what users need, brainstorming ideas, and testing those ideas over and over. In this approach, knowing and using specific team roles can change how creative and effective engineering design projects can be. **Different Roles in Engineering Design Teams** Engineering design teams usually include a variety of people. Each person has a specific role, which helps everyone work better together. Here are some important roles: 1. **The Designer**: This person makes sure the project looks good and works well. They turn technical needs into designs that users will understand and enjoy. 2. **The Engineer**: They make sure the designs can actually be built and work properly. Engineers use engineering principles to confirm that everything is functional and can be made. 3. **The Project Manager**: This person keeps track of the project’s timeline, budget, and resources. They make sure the team stays on schedule and meets the organization’s goals. 4. **The Researcher**: This team member finds important information about market trends and user needs. Their research helps inspire new ideas and guide the design in the right direction. 5. **The Tester**: They check the design through building prototypes and testing them with users. This role is crucial for spotting problems early, so the team can fix issues before finalizing the design. When everyone understands their role, it helps teamwork flourish. Each member knows what they are responsible for and how they help the team succeed. This clarity makes everyone accountable and allows them to use each other's strengths better. **Working Together for New Ideas** Collaboration is a big part of design thinking. When team members work well together in their roles, they create a strong connection. This helps spark new ideas. For example, when designers and engineers combine their skills, they can make products that are not only beautiful but also function well. Good communication is also key in sharing ideas. The more ideas that flow among team members, the greater the chance for creative solutions. Different viewpoints can push boundaries and lead to great breakthroughs. When teams understand their individual roles, they can share information easily, making the whole process smoother. **Improving Problem-Solving Skills** Knowing team roles helps improve problem-solving skills. In engineering design, problems pop up all the time, and having clear roles helps the team organize how they deal with these issues. For example, if there’s a design problem, the designer can quickly ask the engineer for advice, while the researcher provides valuable information to guide new ideas. Also, when each person knows what they’re supposed to do, it prevents conflicts and miscommunication. This means time is used wisely, and the team can solve problems more efficiently. **Feedback and Continuous Improvement** Innovation in engineering design often comes from helpful feedback. Design thinking emphasizes making and testing prototypes, so it's important for team members to give each other constructive feedback. When roles are clear, feedback can come from the expertise of each member. For example: - The designer might hear from the tester about how easy the design is to use, while the engineer offers advice on structural changes. - The researcher can uncover patterns in the feedback and suggest improvements based on real data. This feedback loop leads to ongoing improvement, which is key for successful engineering projects. When team roles are clear, it strengthens the process of coming up with new ideas. **Building Trust and Respect** When everyone knows their role, it promotes a culture of trust and respect in the team. Each member understands how important they are and what they bring to the table. This boosts team morale and encourages everyone to share their thoughts and ideas openly. Trust is vital for turning ideas into reality. Team members should feel comfortable suggesting wild concepts or trying new things. When everyone respects each other's roles, there's less fear of criticism, and teamwork becomes stronger, leading to richer creativity. **Working Across Different Fields** Engineering design now often includes working with people from various fields, like marketing or environmental science. Knowing team roles helps everyone work together smoothly, not just within engineering but across these different areas too. For instance, if there’s a marketing expert on the team, they can share knowledge about how customers think, which can influence the project. By respecting everyone's roles, team members from diverse backgrounds can effectively contribute their skills while bringing new ideas into the mix. **Challenges When Roles Are Blurred** While understanding roles helps with innovation, it's also important to be aware of problems that can come up if roles aren’t clear. When roles are fuzzy, it can lead to confusion and slow things down. For example, if a project manager doesn’t share the timeline properly, designers might rush through their work, risking the quality of the final product. That's why it's vital to keep talking about roles to stay aligned and focused. **Nurturing Leadership in Teams** Understanding team roles can help develop leadership skills within engineering teams. Each person can take the lead in their area. For example, a researcher could spot a new way to gather user feedback and take charge of making it happen. Clear roles allow potential leaders to shine based on their skills and interests. This is important for keeping a strong team ready to handle changes and problems while staying committed to innovative solutions. **Resolving Conflicts Effectively** Conflicts will always come up in team settings, but knowing the roles can make it easier to work through disagreements. If there are differing opinions about a design direction or allocation of resources, recognizing each member’s role can help clear up the situation. For instance, if designers and engineers disagree, understanding that both groups have valuable input encourages better discussions. Each can explain their views, and by working together, they can find a solution that works for everyone. **Conclusion** In conclusion, understanding team roles boosts innovation in engineering design projects. It clarifies responsibilities, improves teamwork, and strengthens communication. This is essential for getting the best creative results from diverse teams using design thinking. As engineering design keeps changing, with more collaboration and problem-solving, knowing team roles will only become more important. Educators in engineering should teach these dynamics, so future engineers are ready to work together and create fantastic solutions.
**Collaborative Design Workshops: A Key to Learning in Engineering** Collaborative design workshops are becoming really important in engineering education, especially when using design thinking. These workshops create a friendly space where students can work together on designs. They can share ideas, give feedback, and learn from one another. This teamwork helps students connect what they learn in class with real-life projects, making sure they get the skills they need for today’s engineering world. One of the main purposes of these workshops is to encourage open communication. In a typical classroom, feedback usually comes only from teachers. But in collaborative workshops, students, teachers, and industry experts can share ideas and feedback. This mix of voices helps everyone understand problems better and explore different solutions that they might not think of on their own. The process of designing in these workshops is also very important. It focuses on quickly creating models and getting feedback. Students can build prototypes of their ideas and show them to classmates. The feedback they get right away helps them improve their designs quickly. In engineering education, feedback is about many things, like how easy something is to use, how it looks, and how well it works. These workshops encourage students to think about their designs from different views. For example, classmates might point out usability problems that the original designer didn’t see. This is crucial because, in engineering, solutions need to work well and also be user-friendly. Another great feature of these workshops is that they involve real users in the testing phase. When students test their designs with actual users, they get valuable insights that wouldn’t come from just a classroom setting. By watching real people use their prototypes, students can see where things go wrong and learn how to make their designs better. Students can gather feedback through surveys, interviews, or just watching users. Each method gives different types of information. For example, a survey might show what many users like or dislike. Interviews can reveal deeper feelings and experiences. Using different ways to get feedback makes the learning experience more complete and practical. Collaborative workshops also create a sense of responsibility. When students share their work, they feel motivated to make it better. This teamwork prepares them for real engineering jobs, where working together and reviewing each other’s work is essential. These workshops also help students build soft skills. Skills like teamwork, leadership, and communication are really important in engineering jobs. During these workshops, students practice explaining their design choices and giving helpful feedback to others. This helps them develop strong people skills, which are crucial when working with different teams in their careers. Time management is another important part of making these workshops effective. By setting strict deadlines for feedback and design, students learn to work quickly and adapt to changes. The process of design thinking encourages students to make quick prototypes rather than waiting to create a perfect final product. This attitude shows that mistakes are part of learning. Instead of being discouraged by failures, students learn to see feedback as a chance to improve. Using digital tools also boosts the success of collaborative design workshops. Online platforms and design software allow participants to work together even if they are in different places. This means users can test designs no matter where they are. Virtual workshops provide a way to simulate how users will experience a design, allowing for faster changes based on immediate feedback. To illustrate how this works, let’s look at a project where engineering students design a user-friendly app for managing personal finances. In a workshop, they might break into small groups to brainstorm and create early prototypes. 1. **Feedback Loop**: After showing their ideas to each other, groups may receive feedback on how their app works. They might get suggestions like adding a budgeting feature or reminders for bills. 2. **User Testing**: Next, they could invite users from different backgrounds to test their prototypes. This could show that older users find it hard to navigate, which would encourage the team to rethink the design for easier use. 3. **Iterative Refinement**: Based on user feedback, groups then revise their designs and prepare for another round of testing. This shows how important it is to keep improving. 4. **Soft Skills Development**: Throughout this process, students not only get better at engineering but also learn how to work well in a team. In conclusion, collaborative design workshops are essential for better feedback in engineering education. These workshops offer a lively space for sharing ideas, testing designs, and learning from each other. The diverse feedback helps students understand how to apply their designs in real-world situations and develop vital teamwork skills for their future careers. As engineering design keeps changing, these workshops will continue to be a critical part of effective engineering education.
Design thinking can really change how engineering problems are solved in universities. So, what is design thinking? Design thinking is all about focusing on the people who will use a product. It's a way to understand their needs and come up with creative solutions to problems. It highlights the importance of empathy (caring about the user's feelings), brainstorming ideas, building models (prototyping), and testing them. This makes it a great method for tackling engineering challenges. The design thinking process usually has several steps: 1. **Empathize**: Engineers start by really getting to know the users. This helps them understand their experiences and creates a strong base for coming up with new ideas. 2. **Define**: Next, they take what they learned in the empathize step and clarify what the actual problem is. This helps everyone stay focused on solving the right issue. 3. **Ideate**: In this step, students brainstorm lots of ideas. They can be wild and creative, as there's no limit on thinking during this phase. 4. **Prototype**: Here, students make simple versions of their ideas. This lets them try out different solutions quickly without wasting resources. 5. **Test**: Finally, they get feedback from real users. This is super important for making the solutions better. By going through this process repeatedly, engineering students learn to focus on what the users need. This leads to fresh and effective designs. Plus, it helps them work together and think creatively, which gets them ready for real-life engineering challenges. In short, bringing design thinking into engineering programs at universities sparks innovation. It creates a caring environment and encourages ongoing learning, helping to grow better engineers for the future.
Moving from low-fidelity to high-fidelity prototypes can be tough for engineering design students. Here are some big challenges they face: 1. **Skill Gaps**: Many students find it hard to learn the technical skills needed for high-fidelity prototypes. Research shows that 70% of engineering students feel unprepared to use advanced tools like CAD software and 3D printers. 2. **Resource Allocation**: High-fidelity prototypes need more resources. About 65% of students say they have trouble getting the materials and tools they need to make detailed and realistic prototypes. This can slow down their learning and design work. 3. **Time Management**: Making high-fidelity prototypes takes more time than making low-fidelity ones. Studies indicate it can take up to 50% longer to create these detailed prototypes, which can make it hard to meet deadlines. 4. **Feedback Integration**: Adding user feedback becomes more difficult with high-fidelity prototypes. Data shows that 58% of students are not sure how to use feedback properly in their design changes. This might lead to designs that do not meet user needs. 5. **Cost Considerations**: Money issues can be a big problem since high-fidelity prototyping can be 2-3 times more costly than low-fidelity methods. About 40% of students mention that budget limits stop them from making working prototypes. In conclusion, while it's important for students to make high-fidelity prototypes to improve their designs, they face challenges with skills, resources, time, feedback, and costs. These issues can make it harder for them to succeed in engineering design.