Evaluating methodical engineering design education

Abstract

At the Institute for Machine Design of the Technical University of Berlin, design methodology has been taught in industry-related engineering design projects for more than 20 years. In an interdisciplinary research study, different kinds of engineering design projects were evaluated. The aim was to identify factors which influence the acceptance and application of design methods, and thus optimize engineering design education and design methodology. The results suggest that the design work structure prescribed by design methodologies is a natural way to structure design work, at least for students. The separation of the basic machine elements education and the design methodology education seems to result in additional stress for the students.