Gain an understanding of the engineering design process

On this two-week course, you’ll gain a basic understanding of engineering design, learning the techniques behind how designers create new products.

You’ll delve into the engineering design process, developing skills like requirement gathering, problem-solving, and project management.

The course provides an introduction to these essential skills.

Understand the product life cycle

You’ll learn how to make informed decisions throughout the design process exploring the full product life cycle and understanding how different types of engineering design and how they relate to the product life cycle.

Develop practical skills in conceptual design

You’ll examine some of the soft skills you need for a role in engineering design, and engage in a case study on solar trackers to gain practical skills in conceptual design.

This will involve participating in real-world design scenarios to hone your problem-solving abilities and gain hands-on experience.

Learn from the experts at the School of Computing at the University of Leeds

Throughout the interactive course, you’ll be guided by specialists from the School of Computing at the University of Leeds.

By the end, you will have a basic understanding of how to gather requirements and solve problems, providing a foundation for further learning in engineering design.

Syllabus

Week 1
Understanding engineering design
- Welcome to Fundamental Skills in Engineering Design
  Gain a basic understanding of 'engineering design' and explore the product life cycle. Learn about the engineering design process, including the five types of engineering design and the five product life cycle phases.
- Introduction to engineering design
  Understand 'engineering design' and explore fields like mechanical engineering. Learn how designers create outputs such as technical drawings and classify design activities based on product novelty.
- Designing for the product life cycle
  Explore the five stages: design, manufacture, marketing, usage, and disposal. Focus on understanding factors affecting manufacturability, marketability, and disposal.
- Focusing on the design phase
  Explore the five stages: design, manufacture, marketing, usage, and disposal. Focus on understanding factors affecting manufacturability, marketability, and disposal.
Week 2
Engineering design in practice
- Soft skills for engineering design
  Explore essential soft skills for engineering design and practice abstraction. Engage in conceptual design activities through a case study.
- The solar tracker design problem
  Apply conceptual design skills to design a solar tracking apparatus. Study the design brief, analyze requirements, and develop a function structure. Discuss the next steps for creating the solar tracker with peers.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Describe the meaning of ‘engineering design’ in one sentence.
Describe the five types of engineering design
Describe the five phases of the engineering product life cycle.
Describe at least three soft skills required in engineering design
Summarise the four stages of the engineering design process.
Practice one essential soft skill: abstraction.
Practice conceptual design activities with the help of case study.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for beginners interested in exploring the basics of engineering design. It’s suitable for anyone wanting to understand the engineering design process, gain industry insights, and develop the foundational skills needed to start a career in engineering design.

As part of the Click Start initiative, which is dedicated to addressing digital disparities for underrepresented groups, complimentary access to this course is provided by the esteemed University of Leeds. Participants benefit from full access to course materials, graded assignments, and certificates—completely free of charge. This initiative helps enhance your skills and prepare for a career in engineering design.

Who will you learn with?

Sam Wilson

I am currently an Associate professor in the School of Computer Science, University of Leeds. Graduating with a PhD in theoretical computer science I am focused on computer science pedagogies.

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

Click Start

This course is part of Click Start, a nationwide training programme developed by the Institute of Coding (IoC) , a national collaboration of universities, employers and charities and funded by Nominet – the public benefit company and guardians of the .UK namespace.

Institute of Coding

The Institute of Coding (IoC) is a national collaboration of employers, universities, and charities, on a mission to provide people from all walks of life with access to digital learning and career opportunities.

Endorsers and supporters

funded by

What's included?

University of Leeds are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

Unlimited access to this course

Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes

Tests to validate your learning

A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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