Design Process

Pierce Fryar 12/2/13

In this paper I identify all the steps to the design process for the puzzle cube project we completed in class. 1. Define a problemLocal office furniture manufacturing company throws away tens of thousands of scrap hardwood cubes that result from its furniture represents a sizeable loss of profit. 2. BrainstormWe brainstormed ways of forming a cube from the scraps of wood we were given, we toyed with different pieces and colors. We then decided to form the cubes and tried different cubes in our head. 3. Research and Generate ideasResearch consisted of figuring out if our cube pieces would fit together. We picked out colors making sure that they werent conflicting with each other. 4. Identify criteria and specify constraintsWe took the constraints and modified the pieces to fit in the criteria. The pieces were fit perfectly into all the constraints. 5. Explore PossibilitiesWe took our pieces and tried to decide which pieces could be bettered and which ones were too simple. Then if the piece wasnt good enough we redesigned it making it harder to solve. 6. Select an ApproachWe wrote in our journals about how we wanted to form the cubes and how we wanted them to fit together. We drew the pieces and the full cube also. 7. Develop a design proposalWe drew our cube into our book and then discussed with other students on what we needed to improve. The other students wrote there notes into the journal showing what we needed to change, when finished they signed off. 8. Make a model or prototypeWe took plastic blocks and formed 2 physical cubes. These were where we made the best cubes we could. 9. Test and evaluate design using specificationsAfter the cubes were made we then used a decision matrix to determine the better cube. We took the better cube, wrote it down and then signed it into the book. 10. Refine the DesignOnce we had a definite cube we took it and sketched it a lot of times. Then we decided what we liked and didnt like, then we changed the things we didnt like to more suitable ideas. 11. Create or make solutionWe made a solution to our cube by changing up the plastic parts to fit better and to maintain the criterias. Next we took 27 wooden cubes and we glued them into our pieces and then sanded and colored them. 12. Communicate processes and result-

Design Process
Pierce Fryar 12/2/13 We took our finished products to students to solve and toy with them. Then we took it home and used it on our desk item.