DTEDE corporate involvement

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=Corporate Involvement=
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This page provides information for companies interested in involvement with the [[Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship Course]] at [[Carnegie Mellon]]
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<br> ''' Corporate Support: Support a DTEDE Student Team'''
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* [[Introduction to DTEDE and the opportunity to support a student project]]
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=Introduction=
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* [[DTEDE example gift letter in support of a student project]]
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Dear Potential Supporter,
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* [[DTEDE student project timeline and corporate involvement]]
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<br> '''[[DTEDE participation on end-of-term student project review panel]]'''
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Thank you for your interest in providing a gift for Carnegie Mellon’s Spring 2008 senior- and graduate-level course on Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship (DTEDE – pronounced “D-Te-De”). DTEDE provides Carnegie Mellon engineering students with a toolset to determine and communicate the economic competitiveness of a new product design or innovative technology. The course is framed around one, team-based semester-long project. Teams are expected to apply topics covered in class, as well as general engineering knowledge, to develop quantitative models of design, production and projected market response to the product.  As the culmination of the course, students are expected to synthesize their model results into a business plan for the new product or technology.
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 +
The following guidelines may be useful in identifying an appropriate product or technology for a DTEDE project:
 +
# '''Innovative:''' The proposed project involves a new product or technology with attributes (e.g. price, efficiency, reliability, size, performance, etc.) you hope will provide you with added competitiveness on the market, but for which actual market adoption is still uncertain.
 +
# '''Prior to Capital Investment:''' Your new product or technology has only recently or has not yet been introduced into high-volume manufacturing, or you are considering a significant change that would affect production; however, based on your experience with prototypes, or legacy products, your company has a plan for how such an introduction would occur (e.g. what equipment would be necessary, what might be expected for cycle times and yields)
 +
# '''Identified Target Market:''' Your company has identified a target market for this new product or technology.  You are aware of competing products in that market, and are able to identify with students the attributes on which new market entrants compete (e.g. price, efficiency, reliability, size, performance, etc.)
 +
# '''Global Relevance:''' Optional – when appropriate, new products in which manufacturing location is undecided, where manufacturing practices vary by country, or where market preferences vary by country are particularly of interest.
 +
 
 +
By nature, each team will have somewhat different tasks and areas of emphasis, depending on the product selected. Also, as in any educational experience, the composition and quality of output of student teams can vary widely. We cannot guarantee the final output of individual teams.  That being said, the quality of student team output frequently correlates with the attention and data access provided by the participating company.  Based on course requirements, companies sponsoring a DTEDE project may expect the following basic output from its student team at the end of the semester:
 +
 
 +
# A Final Report including the following assessments:
 +
#* Detailed analysis of the cost-drivers of one production step;
 +
#* Quantitative analysis of the relationship between one or two design attributes and production costs for that step;
 +
#* A decision-tree analysis of how the optimal plant capacity investment varies with expected demand;
 +
#* A survey by which to assess consumer preferences for a few critical design attributes using student respondents or other respondents provided by the sponsor;
 +
#* Quantitative analysis of the relationship between one or two design attributes and the optimal trade-off between these attributes based on demand predictions;
 +
#* Quantitative analysis of how heterogeneity in market preferences affect competitive positioning; and
 +
#* An initial assessment, based on the above analyses, of the critical trade-offs impacting the ability of the new product or technology to achieve economic competitiveness against existing products available on today’s market.
 +
# A 10 Minute Final Presentation recommending a business plan, based on the team’s assessment of the economic competitiveness of the new product or technology against existing products on today’s market.
 +
 
 +
As this is the inaugural semester of this innovative class, we are asking for company gifts of $5000. Examples of past work by both lead-faculty on technology, operations, and market decision modeling can be found on our websites at, for [http://www.epp.cmu.edu/httpdocs/people/bios/fuchs.html Professor Fuchs], and for [http://www.me.cmu.edu/default.aspx?id=michalek Professor Michalek].  While we allow that participating companies may choose to exchange information under non-disclosure agreements with the faculty and student teams, all teams must maintain the right to present and publish the results of their analyses in such a way that obscures the underlying data.
 +
 
 +
We are very excited about the kick-off of this ground-breaking new engineering design and entrepreneurship class at Carnegie Mellon University, and look forward to working with you in the upcoming term.  If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at dtede@andrew.cmu.edu.
 +
 
 +
Sincerely,
 +
 
 +
Erica Fuchs and Jeremy Michalek
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=Example Gift Letter to Support a Student Project=
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Company Representative
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<br>Company Name
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<br>Company Address Line 1
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<br>Company Address Line 2
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<br>
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<br>Professor Erica Fuchs
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<br>Department of Engineering and Public Policy
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<br>Carnegie Mellon University
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<br>Baker Hall 131E
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<br>5000 Forbes Avenue
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<br>Pittsburgh, PA 15206
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<br>
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<br>Date
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<br>
 +
<br>Dear Office of Gift Administration,
 +
<br>
 +
<br> Please find enclosed a gift check of $5000 from *''Company Name''* for Professors Erica Fuchs and Jeremy Michalek for their new course on Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship.  This gift is intended as a thank-you to Jeremy and Erica for using *''Company Name's''* *''Company Innovative Technology''* as a project in their class.  Although not included with this letter, in addition to this gift of $5000, *''Company Name''* also intends to cover all travel and lodging expenses for the student team studying *''Company Name’s''* technology (totaling not more than three students) to spend spring break collecting data on-site at *''Company Name''*, as well as all reasonable telephone expenses incurred by the students in corresponding with *''Company Name''* or otherwise collecting data for the project.
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<br>
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<br>Sincerely,
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<br>
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<br>*''Company Representative''*
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=Timeline=
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<br><u> '''Summary of Key Dates (Tentative)'''</u>
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<br>
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<br> '''January 21'''
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* Team selection, first company conversation with student team
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<br>
 +
'''January 28'''
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* Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on project selection and scope
 +
* Company participation welcome
 +
* Company should expect a copy of presentation.
 +
<br>
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'''February 4'''
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* Written memo (1-2 pg.) due of revised project proposal
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* Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo
 +
* Optional: company representative meets with team in Pittsburgh (anytime Jan 28 - Feb 4)
 +
<br>
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'''February 18'''
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* Teams begin collecting data on production
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<br>
 +
'''March 3'''
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* Teams begin collecting data on demand
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<br>
 +
'''March 8-15'''
 +
* Company site visits, further collection of production and demand data
 +
<br>
 +
'''March 17'''
 +
* Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on production analysis
 +
* Cost memo due (2-5 pages)
 +
* Data collection on production ends
 +
* Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo
 +
<br>
 +
'''April 2'''
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* Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on demand analysis
 +
* Market memo due (2-5 pages)
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* Data collection on demand ends
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* Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo
 +
<br>
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'''Finals Week (week of May 5, date TBD in Jan. by university final exam schedule)'''
 +
* One 3-hour session with final project presentations (20 min, ~15 slides)
 +
* Final project report due
 +
* Company attendance encouraged
 +
 
 +
=Participation in end-of-term student project review panel=
 +
<br> We are currently seeking leaders from the business community to attend and critic the students' end-of-term presentations of their business plans.  Student teams will be asked to present their complete, integrated analyses during one 3-hour session the week of May 5, 2008.  Each team presentation will last 20 minutes, and should be accompanied by a 10 page business plan defending their conclusions with their integrated modeling analyses over the course of the semester. If you would be interested in participating, please contact Professors Fuchs and Michalek by email at dtede@andrew.cmu.edu  or by phone at 412 268-6115.

Revision as of 12:28, 5 January 2008

This page provides information for companies interested in involvement with the Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship Course at Carnegie Mellon

Contents

Introduction

Dear Potential Supporter,

Thank you for your interest in providing a gift for Carnegie Mellon’s Spring 2008 senior- and graduate-level course on Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship (DTEDE – pronounced “D-Te-De”). DTEDE provides Carnegie Mellon engineering students with a toolset to determine and communicate the economic competitiveness of a new product design or innovative technology. The course is framed around one, team-based semester-long project. Teams are expected to apply topics covered in class, as well as general engineering knowledge, to develop quantitative models of design, production and projected market response to the product. As the culmination of the course, students are expected to synthesize their model results into a business plan for the new product or technology.

The following guidelines may be useful in identifying an appropriate product or technology for a DTEDE project:

  1. Innovative: The proposed project involves a new product or technology with attributes (e.g. price, efficiency, reliability, size, performance, etc.) you hope will provide you with added competitiveness on the market, but for which actual market adoption is still uncertain.
  2. Prior to Capital Investment: Your new product or technology has only recently or has not yet been introduced into high-volume manufacturing, or you are considering a significant change that would affect production; however, based on your experience with prototypes, or legacy products, your company has a plan for how such an introduction would occur (e.g. what equipment would be necessary, what might be expected for cycle times and yields)
  3. Identified Target Market: Your company has identified a target market for this new product or technology. You are aware of competing products in that market, and are able to identify with students the attributes on which new market entrants compete (e.g. price, efficiency, reliability, size, performance, etc.)
  4. Global Relevance: Optional – when appropriate, new products in which manufacturing location is undecided, where manufacturing practices vary by country, or where market preferences vary by country are particularly of interest.

By nature, each team will have somewhat different tasks and areas of emphasis, depending on the product selected. Also, as in any educational experience, the composition and quality of output of student teams can vary widely. We cannot guarantee the final output of individual teams. That being said, the quality of student team output frequently correlates with the attention and data access provided by the participating company. Based on course requirements, companies sponsoring a DTEDE project may expect the following basic output from its student team at the end of the semester:

  1. A Final Report including the following assessments:
    • Detailed analysis of the cost-drivers of one production step;
    • Quantitative analysis of the relationship between one or two design attributes and production costs for that step;
    • A decision-tree analysis of how the optimal plant capacity investment varies with expected demand;
    • A survey by which to assess consumer preferences for a few critical design attributes using student respondents or other respondents provided by the sponsor;
    • Quantitative analysis of the relationship between one or two design attributes and the optimal trade-off between these attributes based on demand predictions;
    • Quantitative analysis of how heterogeneity in market preferences affect competitive positioning; and
    • An initial assessment, based on the above analyses, of the critical trade-offs impacting the ability of the new product or technology to achieve economic competitiveness against existing products available on today’s market.
  2. A 10 Minute Final Presentation recommending a business plan, based on the team’s assessment of the economic competitiveness of the new product or technology against existing products on today’s market.

As this is the inaugural semester of this innovative class, we are asking for company gifts of $5000. Examples of past work by both lead-faculty on technology, operations, and market decision modeling can be found on our websites at, for Professor Fuchs, and for Professor Michalek. While we allow that participating companies may choose to exchange information under non-disclosure agreements with the faculty and student teams, all teams must maintain the right to present and publish the results of their analyses in such a way that obscures the underlying data.

We are very excited about the kick-off of this ground-breaking new engineering design and entrepreneurship class at Carnegie Mellon University, and look forward to working with you in the upcoming term. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at dtede@andrew.cmu.edu.

Sincerely,

Erica Fuchs and Jeremy Michalek


Example Gift Letter to Support a Student Project

Company Representative
Company Name
Company Address Line 1
Company Address Line 2

Professor Erica Fuchs
Department of Engineering and Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
Baker Hall 131E
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Date

Dear Office of Gift Administration,

Please find enclosed a gift check of $5000 from *Company Name* for Professors Erica Fuchs and Jeremy Michalek for their new course on Decision Tools for Engineering Design and Entrepreneurship. This gift is intended as a thank-you to Jeremy and Erica for using *Company Name's* *Company Innovative Technology* as a project in their class. Although not included with this letter, in addition to this gift of $5000, *Company Name* also intends to cover all travel and lodging expenses for the student team studying *Company Name’s* technology (totaling not more than three students) to spend spring break collecting data on-site at *Company Name*, as well as all reasonable telephone expenses incurred by the students in corresponding with *Company Name* or otherwise collecting data for the project.

Sincerely,

*Company Representative*


Timeline


Summary of Key Dates (Tentative)

January 21

  • Team selection, first company conversation with student team


January 28

  • Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on project selection and scope
  • Company participation welcome
  • Company should expect a copy of presentation.


February 4

  • Written memo (1-2 pg.) due of revised project proposal
  • Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo
  • Optional: company representative meets with team in Pittsburgh (anytime Jan 28 - Feb 4)


February 18

  • Teams begin collecting data on production


March 3

  • Teams begin collecting data on demand


March 8-15

  • Company site visits, further collection of production and demand data


March 17

  • Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on production analysis
  • Cost memo due (2-5 pages)
  • Data collection on production ends
  • Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo


April 2

  • Team presentation (10 min, ~8 slides) on demand analysis
  • Market memo due (2-5 pages)
  • Data collection on demand ends
  • Company should expect a copy of presentation and memo


Finals Week (week of May 5, date TBD in Jan. by university final exam schedule)

  • One 3-hour session with final project presentations (20 min, ~15 slides)
  • Final project report due
  • Company attendance encouraged

Participation in end-of-term student project review panel


We are currently seeking leaders from the business community to attend and critic the students' end-of-term presentations of their business plans. Student teams will be asked to present their complete, integrated analyses during one 3-hour session the week of May 5, 2008. Each team presentation will last 20 minutes, and should be accompanied by a 10 page business plan defending their conclusions with their integrated modeling analyses over the course of the semester. If you would be interested in participating, please contact Professors Fuchs and Michalek by email at dtede@andrew.cmu.edu or by phone at 412 268-6115.

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