Dr. Kim BigelowUniversity of Dayton

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

November 11, 2014

Changing Mindsets: Framing Design-for-the-Disabled and Other Service-Learning Projects as Entrepreneurial Opportunities

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Background on our EGR 103 First-Year Engineering Design Course

Lessons learned from our community partnership

This presentation will summarize the deliverables of my 2013 – 2014 KEEN Topical Grant.

Opportunities and challenges with product advancement

Representative Assignments and Activities to promote KEEN learning outcomes

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Have ideas for introducing or improving first-year design courses at your home institution

A structure and plan for engaging community partners to enhance all design projects

By the end of this webinar, you will hopefully:

Example activities, assignments, and resources to enhance classroom focus on topics like opportunity recognition, value creation, and ideation

Consider the value of incorporating service learning and disability focus to your projects

Background on University of Dayton’s EGR 103 Engineering Innovation First-Year Design Course

The University of Dayton’s EGR 103 Engineering Innovation course was first offered Fall 2008.

It is structured to represent and has many similarities to our year-long senior design capstone course

Since the course’s introduction, we have always focused on elements of instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in our students

– This grant was an effort to formalize and grow these opportunities through curriculum development efforts.

While we have always worked with a “client”, the Kettering Health Network partnership discussed today was initiated in Fall 2011.

One of the grant deliverables was a video to show the course structure and role of the “client”.

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Some notable considerations and highlights:

Meaningfulness of experience largely comes from a carefully-worded --- open ended, ill-defined --- problem definition

Experience and student perceived value largely related to relationship and interactions with the client/partner

Results are generally innovation/creative, but technically less robust could use advancement/refinement

Mutual benefit to students and client depend oncarefully setting expectations

Service-learning projects resonate well

Lessons Learned From Our Community Partnership

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Our partnership has been quite structured – a less formalized one would still bring benefit.

KHN recognized opportunity/need and approached me to form partnership

Funded by KMCF; Budget of $3,000 - $10,000+ to UD

KHN had already identified NeuroRehab and Balance Center (NRBC) occupational therapists

Engaged KHN Research Director, NRBC Manager, 3-5 OTs•Grant covered loss of billable hours for staff

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Regardless of structure, there are several key roles for the partnering organization.

To work with the class instructor and agree on a mutually beneficial problem definition

Attend class to introduce the problem and facilitate problem definition initiation

Attend class and provide critical feedback during Conceptual Design Review

Ideally, attend class for final presentations so student can gain this meaningful feedback at completion (view stake in project)

Through partner or other means, allocate a minimum of approximately $50/team for prototyping

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It is very helpful for the instructor to meet with the partner prior to the project to discuss expectations.

These discussions should include: •Importance of open-ended problem (may mean partner doesn’t get to specify exactly what they have in mind)•Expectations regarding sophistication of prototypes•Expectations relating to product advancement/manufacture

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Presenting representative projects from previous semester helpful to set expectations.

2 chosen to be refined by more senior students in following semester.

Refrigerator Pull Out Shelf - Strong Idea and Functional, Usable Prototype

Oven Cart and Can Stabilizer - Outstanding Concepts but and Strong Prototypes – but did not function correctly

Microwave Cart - Good Concept but Poorly Prototyped

Bowl Stabilizer - Acceptable Concept and Acceptable Prototype

Dry Goods Dispenser - Poor Concept and Poorly Prototyped – Will not be taken further

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“I truly loved working with Kettering Health Network due to being able to affect someone’s life in the real world. I realized that engineering is the correct path for me because I loved that I was able to help people live a better life. Working with this client was my favorite experience as well as the most impactful. It made me happy to know, even if my design was not chosen, that patients would be able to have a device that would help them while working in the kitchen.”

Student reflections showed students perceived great benefits, and had insight on logistics on partnership.

Common ThemesAbout Experience

Notes about Logistics

1. Went into Engineering to Help People; so happy to already be “making a difference” in their first year

1. Upset clients weren’t more forthcoming with criticism – disliked instructor serving as “middle man”

2. Experience helped confirm and motivate them for careers in engineering

2. Project’s success related to open-ended nature of problem presented; let people go different directions

3. With regard to external sponsorship, so excited to know products could be reaching “real” people

3. Not excited because didn’t know anything about neurological disorders; ultimately helped realize working in unfamiliar area leads to innovative ideas

4. Worked harder knowing this was for “real” people

5. “Honored” to be externally sponsored – meant client had belief and confidence in them

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Summarizing, the most important lessons we have learned in our partnership, to help guide others are:

When possible, even in the first year, structure the course around a real-client with deliverables that could be implemented

Convey clear expectations of deliverables to clients; show previous samples when possible

Have a pathway to advance the most promising ideas

Carefully scope the problem to be broad and achievable with simple solutions

Utilize the Conceptual Design Review to have clients provide feedback to help get students “back on track” and best aligned with clients needs

Talk to clients about need for honest and critical feedback

Opportunities and Challenges Related to Design Advancement

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Partners are willing to invest more if there is higher likelihood of an ultimate, usable outcome.

Especially important when this work is being done at the first-year level

Possible avenues for advancement: Senior Design, Independent Student Work, Original Team with Senior Mentorship

Need a budget; need to agree with “completion”

Representative Assignments and Activities toPromote KEEN Learning Outcomes

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The deliverables associated with this grant provide sample assignments/activities focused on the areas:

Opportunity Recognition

Value Creation

Connecting with Clients

Universal Design

Ideation Methods

Reflection on KEEN Outcomes

One easy, effective activity to get students recognizing opportunities is “The Bug List”.

CLASS ACTIVITY FOR INTRO TO DESIGN EXERCISES•What is one thing that bugs you in your every day life? •Think-Pair-Share•Instructor narrows topics down to three that will likely generate interesting solutions•Class votes and that is used for activity

HOMEWORK – ADAPTABLE TO MANY DIFFERENT PURPOSES•Ex. Talk to 5 parents of small children and ask what daily tasks bug them; What are 5 things that bug you about your dorm room•Pick one to focus on; think about how to find current best solutions; explore them – is this still a problem to solve?

Walk students through recognizing opportunities during problem definition with HW experience.

Bug List used as a supplemental HW assignment can drive subsequent value creation exercises.

Now that you have picked a topic to focus on….

Describe the primary market you envision the solution being sold to

Do some brief research to learn more about this primary market. (How many people fit that demographic? What percentage of them do you think would need/want this product?) What does this primary market value most? What would be specific ways to get more accurate information?

Bug List used as a supplemental HW assignment can drive subsequent value creation exercises.

Now that you have picked a topic to focus on….

What are some ways that you could prove to customers that your product adds values?

How would your approach to this differ between a young tech crowd versus an 80 year old market? Give some examples.

It also seems like these prompts would lend themselves well to any in-class discussion / activities related to any design task….

Value creation exercises can also complement design work when students are narrowing in on best design.For each design

alternative…

Why, in your opinion is the device a better solution than what else is out there?

Search catalogs, Amazon, Youtube videos, etc. to identify 5 other solutions to the same problem you are trying to solve

For each, discuss how your proposed solution compares

Value creation exercises can also complement design work when students are narrowing in on best design.

Summarizing, the assignment concludes asking students:

What value does it add to currently available solutions?

Is it still worth pursuing?

What modifications could you make it better/more valuable?

What will clients value you most about the product? How can you convey this?

What will users value you most about the product? How can you convey this?

I also use assignments that help student connect with their customers and synthesize into the design.

Ex. Kettering Health Network is the sponsor for this project. Browse the website www.ketteringhealth.org for 10+ minutes to learn more.

What did you learn that might be pertinent to this project?

Based on what you learned about the values and mission of KHN, what 2 or more new objectives and/or constraints will you be adding to your list?

As students define the problem, the course framework and their excitement led to neat things.

Farm related problem Skyped with Grandpa for first-hand experience

Designing for individuals with poor motor coordination Browsing Playskool website looking at knobs on kids toys

Therapeutic assistive device Invited OT mom and colleagues to conceptual design review

Retirement community needs Student initiated tour of facilities

Ideation Session Invited art majors to join group for brainstorming

Curious and Excited Students are Invested!

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Kim Bigelow, PhDAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Eng.Joint Appointment, Bioengineering Grad. Prog.University of Dayton

Kimberly.Bigelow@udayton.edu

I am happy to discuss this work and your ideas further. Please feel free to contact me!

A special thank you to Dr. Suzanne Coleman, Belinda Isaac, and the rest of the KHN NeuroRehab and Balance Center Team - as well as the Kettering Medical Center Foundation and KEEN for funding work related to these efforts.