D-Lab II: Design

Calendar

WEEK #	SES #	TOPICS	ASSIGNMENTS
			READINGS & HW OUT †	HW DUE
1	1	Introduction: design for development	Reading 1 HW 1: Design@MIT
2	2	Design, innovation, invention, and the design process Case studies: Q-drum, LifeStraw, Freeplay radio, solar cookers, treadle pumps, iDE drip irrigation kit	Reading 2 (due Ses #6) HW 2: Discussion questions HW 3: Technology critique
	3	Case study discussion Charcoal press case study Introduction to Mini Projects	Reading 3 HW 4: Idea generation	HW 1: Design@MIT HW 3: Technology critique
3	4	Mini Project Idea generation Experimentation Prototyping	HW 5: Concept evaluation	HW 4: Idea generation
	5	Mini Project Concept evaluation Detail design Fabrication	HW 6: Testing & evaluation HW 7: Mini Project presentations	HW 5: Concept evaluation
4	6	Mini Project Testing & evaluation Repeat	Reading 4 (due Ses #10) HW 8: Discussion questions	HW 2: Discussion questions
	7	Mini Project Presentations Graphical representation of information Presentation skills	Reading 5	HW 6: Testing & evaluation HW 7: Mini Project presentations
5	8	Project presentations and selection	HW 9: Project selection
	9	Build-It modules	HW 10: Information gathering HW 11: Problem statement & design specs
6	10	Build-It modules	HW 12: Build-It module wrap-up	HW 8: Discussion questions
	11	Phase 1 Design Review Project background Problem statement Design specs	HW 13: Refined problem definition & specs HW 14: Idea generation & concept evaluation	HW 10: Information gathering HW 11: Problem statement & design specs HW 12: Build-It module wrap-up
7	12	Manufacturing in the developing world Design for Manufacture Film: No Spare Parts	Reading 6 (due Ses #15)	HW 13: Refined problem definition & specs NB: IDEAS Competition proposals due
	13	Phase 2 Design Review Idea generation Experimental results Concept evaluation	HW 15: Detail design, analysis, & experimental results Reading 7 HW 16: Book group	HW 14: Idea generation & concept evaluation
8	n/a	Spring break – field trips, no classes
9	14	Human factors	Reading 8 HW 17: Wheelchair and stove assessment
	15	Design for [X]: usability, affordability, sustainability, reuse, failure Case studies: wheelchairs & cookstoves	HW 18: Design for usability	HW 17: Wheelchair and stove assessment
10	16	Guest speakers: Paul Polak & Shawn Frayne	HW 19: Paul & Shawn reaction piece
	17	Phase 3 Design Review Detail design Analysis Experimental results	Reading 9	HW 15: Detail design, analysis, & experimental results HW 18: Design for usability HW 19: Paul & Shawn reaction piece
11	18	Green Engineering 1 (with guest speaker Ben Linder)	HW 20: Final presentation
	19	Green Engineering 2 (with guest speaker Ben Linder)	HW 21: Embodied energy evaluation	NB: IDEAS Competition final entries due
12	20	Phase 3 Design Review Prototypes (with guest mentor Ralph Hotchkiss)	HW 22: Final report
13	21	Guest speaker: Suprio Das	HW 23: Suprio Das reaction piece	HW 21: Embodied energy evaluation
	22	Guest speaker: Bernard Kiwia	HW 24: Bernard Kiwia reaction piece	HW 23: Suprio Das reaction piece
14	23	Scaling up (with guest speakers Sarah Bird and Gwyn Jones)	HW 25: Design for production	HW 16: Book group HW 24: Bernard Kiwia reaction piece
	24	Practice session for MIT Museum presentations	Reading 10	HW 25: Design for production
	25	Presentations at MIT Museum (D-Lab event)		HW 21: Final presentation
15	26	Penultimania
	27	What next…? Evaluations		HW 22: Final report

† NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, reading assignments are to be completed by the class session after they’re assigned.