Session 2011/2012 2

SMC4523AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING DESIGN

Developing Problem Statements

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamarul Baharin TawiDr. Nurulakmar Abu Husain

• Understand the problem– Problems are often specified rather imprecisely

– It is important that designer and client communicate at the earliest opportunity - and continue to communicate throughout the design process - to make sure that they are both on the same wavelength regarding what has to be done

Factors relevant to problem statement

Don’t understand exactly what's required

Complete clarification requires initial exploratory

work

– communicate

Factors relevant to problem statement

• Avoid artificial constraints – Fictitious restrictions which are not intrinsic to

the problem but which are introduced incorrectly and usually unwittingly by the designer

UntrueFabricatedInventedMade up

InherentBuilt-in

EssentialNatural

Example

• Design and build a device to pick up a ball from a rest position on the ground, transport it to a vertical pipe 3m away, and drop it into the end of the pipe 1m above ground

2 minutes!!

Do not narrow down to early!!

Broaden your problem, you may get more attractive solutions

Factors relevant to problem statement

• Broaden the problem– Define a less specific problem that covers the

given problem

Increasing potential

advantages of a successful solution

Factors relevant to problem statement

• Consider subdividing the problem– Sometimes splitting the original problem into sub-

problems make it easier to solve

– Can lead to a more tractable solution process

HOWEVER..

Avoid artificial constraints!!

• Collect a pile of grain at ground level and deliver it to a bin 3m high and some meters distant horizontally

1. How to collect the grain and lift it off the ground?2. How to elevate the grain to a height of 3m?3. How to transport the grain some meters horizontally?4. How to energise these various transportation

components?5. What materials should a device be constructed?; etc. etc.

2 minutes!!

Example

Factors relevant to problem statement

• Consider subdividing the problem– Sometimes splitting the original problem into sub-

problems make it easier to solve

– Can lead to a more tractable solution process

HOWEVER..

Avoid artificial constraints!!

• As a problem-solver:

– You cannot afford to accept uncritically whatever information is handed to you

– In many cases, you have to figure out the best problem before figuring out the best solution!!

• Problem statement must be as broad and as complete as you can make it

You must ask the right questions!!