Communicating a Design Proposal

By

Brian Nettleton

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0402616. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Speech

The ability to express yourself verbally is an important part of communicating your design ideas to others. A good speaker needs to speak clearly and confidently. It is always a good idea to use note cards during a presentation.

PowerPoint PresentationA good way to help people visualize your design is to use a PowerPoint presentation. The PowerPoint can be used instead of note cards. An outline of your presentation can be made to appear as the presentation is being made. Pictures, charts and graphs can be inserted into the presentation to help people visualize your design.

PostersPosters are an excellent way to communicate design ideas to others. Sketches and pictures of your design can be put on the poster along with vital information.

VideoAnother way to present a design proposal is to create a video. A video will allow you to explain your design and demonstrate how it works.

Prototypes

Building a prototype is helpful when presenting your design to others. It is easier for people to visualize a design idea when there is physical model available to look at and test.

Standards and Benchmarks

Standard 9: Students will develop an understanding of engineering design.

G. Brainstorming is a group problem-solving design process in which each person in the group presents his or her ideas in an open forum.

Standard 17: Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select and use information and communication technologies.

J. The design of a message is influenced by such factors as the intended audience, medium, purpose, and nature of the message.