What Makes a Good 3D Design Problem Bank Problem?
Click Below to Download our "What Makes a Good Problem Bank Problem" Assessment Tool
assessment_tool_-_good_problem_bank_problem.docx | |
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Recall that the purpose of the Problem Bank is twofold: To get solutions to problems and to provide opportunities for students to learn design thinking and 3D designing and printing. Keep the following in mind as you begin the process of "Problem Finding" for our students:
An excellent Problem Bank problem:
Urgency and Authenticity
- meets a real need but is not urgent
- can be easily categorized as a completely new invention, an upgrade on something that already exists, or a personalized version of something that already exists
Time Constraints
- does not have to be solved immediately
- requires a short print time so that many iterations can be created and tested
Physical Constraints (materials, size, etc.)
- is solvable using a device made of plastic, or plastic attached to some other material
- is solvable using a device that is smaller (and preferably much smaller) than 8" x 8" x 8"
- can be ultimately solved with a solution that requires small amounts of materials and energy
Knowledge
- has a solution that can be designed using Tinkercad or 123Design
- provides students with practice in many elements of 3D designing
People
- involves deep collaborations in order to "find the problem"
- provides clear opportunities for others (problem poster, fellow designers) to provide feedback
- provides a usable solution for self or other
Difficulty
- provokes a solution that is relatively simple to design
- has true potential for success
Cycle of Improvement
- lends itself well to original prototyping with conventional materials (cardboard, duct tape, modeling clay, etc.)
- lends itself well to simply printing a "slice" or the footprint of the item to check specs
- allows "cycle of improvement" to play itself out many times
- lends itself well to many improvements, refinements, iterations
An excellent Problem Bank problem:
Urgency and Authenticity
- meets a real need but is not urgent
- can be easily categorized as a completely new invention, an upgrade on something that already exists, or a personalized version of something that already exists
Time Constraints
- does not have to be solved immediately
- requires a short print time so that many iterations can be created and tested
Physical Constraints (materials, size, etc.)
- is solvable using a device made of plastic, or plastic attached to some other material
- is solvable using a device that is smaller (and preferably much smaller) than 8" x 8" x 8"
- can be ultimately solved with a solution that requires small amounts of materials and energy
Knowledge
- has a solution that can be designed using Tinkercad or 123Design
- provides students with practice in many elements of 3D designing
People
- involves deep collaborations in order to "find the problem"
- provides clear opportunities for others (problem poster, fellow designers) to provide feedback
- provides a usable solution for self or other
Difficulty
- provokes a solution that is relatively simple to design
- has true potential for success
Cycle of Improvement
- lends itself well to original prototyping with conventional materials (cardboard, duct tape, modeling clay, etc.)
- lends itself well to simply printing a "slice" or the footprint of the item to check specs
- allows "cycle of improvement" to play itself out many times
- lends itself well to many improvements, refinements, iterations