Final+Project+Report,+How+to+Write+it

Final+Project+Report,+How+to+Write+it
Final+Project+Report,+How+to+Write+it

Purpose of a Design Report

The main purpose of a design report is to provide the details or a description of a device or process.

The purpose may also include a discussion of the logic of the design or the reasoning behind its development.

The design report is often a persuasive document because the writer must convince the audience that the design of the device or process meets important criteria that have been established during the development of the design.

Preparation for Writing a Design Report

During the development of the design, you should have established criteria or standards that need to be met.

Some general examples of criteria in engineering include the practicality or feasibility of the design, manufacturability, functionality, usability and cost.

Before you begin writing your design report, be sure to have a clear idea of what is expected of you in your “Everyday Mechatronics Design Project” so that you can effectively explain how you arrived at your design and show that it meets the criteria.

Front Matter and Opening Sections

A cover page, table of contents and an executive summary precede a design report. The executive summary provides a synopsis of the main findings for a particular audience, such as managers or executives.

It should also include a clear explanation of the need for the design, a brief description of the design process, an overview of the entire design and an explanation of the main features and benefits of the design, and a description of the prototype developed and its performance evaluation.

Main Body Sections

The design report begins with a simple introduction to explain the main purpose of the design and to describe its major components, features and benefits.

Although the contents of a simple introduction may seem to overlap with the contents of the executive summary, the two sections serve different purposes:

(1) The recipient of your report can read the executive summary without having to read the design report, or conversely,

(2) They may read the design report without reading the executive summary.

Without the simple introduction, therefore, the design report would be incomplete.

The introduction also includes a brief explanation of the structure or …forecast? of the body of the paper. A forecast is a statement of topics in the order that they appear in the body section. The forecast statement offers the reader a preview of the topics.

Following the introduction, the major sub-sections within the body of a design document are the following:

1. Relevant background information (if necessary) that should orient the reader and place the

design issues in context.

2. Definition of all relevant design objectives and criteria.

3. Design description, including:

a. detailed features and benefits

b. explanations of how your design meets the criteria

c. major design decisions and tradeoffs (or methodology)

d. alternative designs that you considered and the reasons you rejected them

e. potential drawbacks to the design (including a refutation to these drawbacks)

Prototype description, including:

a. your prototype construction process (including problems encountered and solutions

found)

b. performance evaluation

c. explanations of how your prototype demonstrates the feasibility of your design

d. drawbacks of the prototype and proposed future improvement

4. Budget (if necessary)

Closing Section

A conclusion section for a design document explains the main features and benefits of the design and reiterates how the design meets the established design criteria. It also summarizes the performance of the prototype developed and how the prototype demonstrates the feasibility of the design.

References

All research reports will have a list of sources and will use some standard system for citing and documenting those sources. Your report may not include any outside sources, but if it does, you must cite them. Please see me for additional information about this topic.

Types of Attachments

Research reports often contain appendices; typical content for these includes some of the items listed below:

Detailed results of experiments discussed in the body

Detailed specifications for devices, discussed in the body

Additional tables, figures, and graphics to supplement those presented in the body

Glossaries or extended definitions of unfamiliar terms and concepts

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