Entrepreneurship Challenge Project - 2021 entry

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations (UN) Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

As an Engineering graduate going into an increasingly diverse industry, you have the power to bring real change to people’s lives and reduce the impact on the environment. In this module, which will be completed over two terms, you will apply the core knowledge gained throughout your degree so far, as well as develop your previous knowledge of the design process through a creative real-world Project Based Learning (PBL) collaborative technical design project. 

 

The PBL driving question is ‘How can we tackle aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through Social Entrepreneurship?’ 

 

Through this project you will research social entrepreneurship and enterprise whilst applying your technical knowledge to develop a product, service, or process. Engineering design is a complex activity, which combines using technical knowledge, and combining it with more creative knowledge and skills whilst addressing a real need. 

 

This module will provide you with an awareness of how engineering design fits within a business. As part of the group design project, you will be encouraged to use the wide range of workshop facilities to make proofs of concept, scale models, or specific component prototypes (using manual or automated machine tools) to improve your understanding of your design, and how to optimise your final design. This module will enhance your 3D modelling skills from Multidisciplinary Challenge Project 1 (ENG1005) and equip you with the challenge of optimising designs in terms of performance, cost and manufacturing whilst balancing a social need.

The module is designed to establish the foundation for advanced engineering design projects. The purpose of this module is to: 

• Address aspects of the UN Sustainability Development Goals through a team project focused on social entrepreneurship. The PBL project will build on the of the core engineering knowledge and skills gained in the first year.

• Establish the principles of the design processes as part of engineering practice working with industry collaborators to ensure relevance and authenticity of the PBL project and assessment to professional engineering.  

• Develop 21st century skills in creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership and technology literacy.

• Develop skills in EDI through reflective reports.  

• Build on project research/study skills, conceptual and detail design using 3D modelling and prototyping and report/technical writing. 

• Develop new skills in engineering entrepreneurship. 

• Steering projects through the Design Thinking design process and creating concepts and working prototypes for your final PBL ‘Public Product’.

 

ILO #1: D2p: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering design and the hone your ability to undertake technical research in terms of current and future developments and technologies

 

ILO #2: SM6m: Understand concepts within your discipline, outside your discipline and outside engineering, evaluate them using critical thinking and apply them effectively in engineering projects

 

ILO #3: EA1p: Demonstrate understanding of the knowledge gained in theoretical modules and the ability to apply it to analyse key engineering processes

 

ILO #4: ET2p, ET6p: Evaluate business, customer and user needs and through the formulation of a detailed product design specification and apply engineering techniques taking account of a range of commercial and industrial constraints

 

ILO #5: D5p: Plan and manage the design  Process, including cost drivers, and evaluate outcomes

 

ILO #6: D3p: Quantify the effect incomplete information on the designs and apply theory, prototyping and computational methods to solve engineering problems and mitigate deficiencies

 

ILO #7: EA2p, EA2m: Identify, classify and design components using a product design specification, analytical methods and modelling techniques

 

ILO #8: EP3p: Develop advanced 3D modelling skills and apply them to generate conceptual designs, test prototypes and detail engineering design drawings

 

ILO #9: EP2p: Demonstrate knowledge and experience of prototyping tools such as laser cutting, card modelling and 3D Printing and appreciate the challenges of interfacing CAD designs with CAM techniques

 

ILO #10: D4p: Apply advanced problem-solving skills, technical knowledge and understanding to establish rigorous and creative solutions that are fit for purpose for all aspects of the problem including production, operation, maintenance and disposal.

 

ILO #11: ET4p: Understand the role of engineers to lead sustainable product development and apply quantitative techniques if necessary, to justify the change required

 

ILO #12: D2p, ET6p: Understand the assessment and management of risk in terms of H&S, environmental and commercial risk

 

ILO #13: EP2p: Knowledge of characteristics of particular equipment, processes, or products, materials and component

 

ILO #14: EP9p, D6p, G4p: Work in teams to analyse problems, find and optimise solutions, and communicate the entire process to an audience

 

ILO #15: EA1m, G1p: Enhance critical thinking, communication, report writing, and organisational skills

1: Project introduction:

 

2: Project Launch – product design inspiration:

 

3: Project management tools and  techniques:

 

4: 3D modelling and engineering drawing lectures and tutorials

  

5: Design Thinking workshops

 

6: Prototyping workshops 

 

7: PBL support sessions 

 

8: Circular economy and sustainable business models

A key aspect of this group project module is not only learning and applying core technical knowledge to the design process, but developing 21st century skills in creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, problem solving and leadership. Guiding a project through the design process is also a core part of this module. All of these elements are required for the achievement of ILOs for this project module and are crucial for student success later in the programme and post graduation. Traditional reassessment of this module in the summer period would not allow all module ILOs to be assessed. Combined with the fact that the window for reassessment is extremely limited, it is not possible or practical to offer reassessment during the summer months.

 

For any failed component of summative assessment, a student or group will be given the opportunity to resubmit within the current academic year. In this way ref/def assessment is moved within the current project context. The usual rules around mitigation and capped marks apply.

 

If all assessment opportunities are exhausted and the module is failed, this must be remedied in the following academic year. The likelihood of failure is mitigated by the assessment strategy that utilises multiple assessment and reassessments throughout the academic year.