WIP: Mechanical engineering students' incorporation of stakeholder considerations throughout a Senior Design course sequence

Abstract

The purpose of this work-in-progress is to share preliminary results of student responses to a stakeholder-focused engineering design task. Engineering design is a complex process that requires engineers to go beyond solely meeting technical design constraints. How a design interacts within the environment and society is a crucial aspect that also needs to be taken into account early within the design process. Moreover, considering stakeholder needs and limitations throughout the design process is an integral part of reducing risks and assuring the overall success of a design throughout its operation. This work-in-progress is a part of a larger longitudinal study that explores the experiences of mechanical engineering undergraduates in a two-course Senior Design sequence. In particular, this paper presents preliminary results of an analysis of students' consideration of stakeholders within their own design process as they address an engineering design task. Data was collected across two semesters from 97 students within a large public university through a survey that included an open-ended submarine design scenario. Although students' design considerations varied, a trend of students prioritizing vehicle specific factors and constraints over stakeholder considerations was apparent. Additionally, students' total breadth of considerations decreased or experienced little change across the course sequence. Overall, this work-in-progress describes preliminary results of the students' responses in hopes of providing insight into how students' consideration of stakeholders evolves within a design course. The overarching objective is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of students' design approach and the pedagogical and individual factors that impact it.