Teaching design

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Ullman notes in his textbook four basic conclusions about teaching mechanical design based on years of experience teaching and practicing design:

1. The only way to learn about design is to do design

2. In engineering design, the designer uses:

• Knowledge for Idea Generation (synthesis): from experience
• Knowledge for Evaluation (analysis): experience and formal training (from analysis courses)
• Knowledge to Structure the Design Process (process): largely independent of domain-specific knowledge

3. A design process resulting in a quality product can be learned, provided there is enough experience and training to generate and evaluate ideas

4. A design process should be learned in a dual setting

• In an academic environment
• In an environment that simulates industrial realities