Overview
This course develops advanced competence in documenting, reviewing, defending, and presenting engineering design work to technical reviewers, clients, decision-makers, and public audiences. Students integrate requirements definition, stakeholder analysis, functional decomposition, concept selection, modeling, prototyping, verification, validation, safety, manufacturability, sustainability, cost, and lifecycle considerations within a formal design review process.
Students prepare review agendas and packages, establish evaluation criteria, present alternatives and trade-offs, justify assumptions, report test results, quantify uncertainty, respond constructively to criticism, record decisions, and manage action items. Technical communication practice includes executive summaries, design reports, engineering drawings, diagrams, data visualizations, version control, traceability matrices, appendices, slide design, demonstrations, and accessible presentation methods.
The course emphasizes audience analysis, narrative structure, verbal delivery, visual communication, question handling, peer review, and transparent communication of limitations or unfavorable results. Students produce an auditable design record, deliver evidence-based presentations, defend design choices using calculations and data, incorporate reviewer feedback, and collaborate effectively during formal review sessions.
Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate engineering design requirements, stakeholder needs, constraints, risks, and lifecycle considerations to establish defensible review criteria.
- Synthesize calculations, models, test results, uncertainty analyses, and traceability evidence into a coherent and auditable design record.
- Design review agendas, packages, visual materials, and decision records that support efficient technical evaluation.
- Present engineering alternatives, trade-offs, assumptions, limitations, and recommendations concisely to diverse technical and non-technical audiences.
- Defend design choices using appropriate calculations, evidence, standards, and verification and validation results.
- Critique technical reports, drawings, diagrams, data visualizations, and presentations for accuracy, clarity, accessibility, and traceability.
- Incorporate reviewer feedback into design documentation, action plans, and subsequent design decisions.
- Collaborate effectively during formal design reviews by responding to questions, recording decisions, assigning actions, and communicating unresolved issues.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Practicum | 3 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverable | Preliminary design review package and presentation | 10.00% |
| Test | Critical design review | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Final design review | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Technical design report and auditable design record | 25.00% |
| Assignment | Individual technical presentation | 15.00% |
| Tutorial | Peer feedback activities (5 × 1%) | 5.00% |
| Assignment | Communication performance reflection | 10.00% |
Prerequisites
- ENGR305 Engineering Systems and Control
- Requirement Prior completion of an approved engineering design project or equivalent departmental approval.
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
