Define the Problem

Defining the problem is the first step in the engineering design process. The main task when defining the problem is determining what specific elements are needed to have a successful design solution, therefore the problem at hand must be well understood.

As a tool for understanding, and hence defining the problem, we recommend listing all the requirements that the design must meet in order for it to succeed. For example, when building a bridge, the criteria for success could include the following:

• the bridge must be long enough to get
• from one side of the river to the other,
• the bridge must be wide enough to fit a car and,
• the bridge must be strong enough to hold people and cars.

Here we have listed 3 elements, the length, width, and weight capacity. There may be others depending on the situation such as aesthetics, weight of the bridge, clearance for the river, road, or cavern underneath, as well as others. In order to know if some of these other elements are needed in our design, we must thoroughly understand, or "Define the Problem".

Throughout this phase of learning, students build on their own understanding and continually question and rethink scientific ideas and phenomenon. As students work on their design they may realize that there are other elements which they did not include in the original definition of the problem and list of required elements. In this case, the students may want to revisit this step and add those elements in, just as real Engineers would do.