ENGR 101 Engineering Design Process Exam Checklist (Problem Statement, Constraints, Decision Matrix, Reporting)
Purdue University
ENGR 101 - Intro to Engineering | Study Guide

Overview
A compact ENGR 101 checklist for exams and project writeups: turn a prompt into a measurable problem statement, generate alternatives, evaluate with a decision matrix, and present results clearly.

Key topics
•problem statement and measurable requirements
•constraints vs criteria and tradeoffs
•idea generation and alternatives
•decision matrix scoring and sensitivity checks
•report structure (methods, results, justification)

Suggested study tasks
•rewrite 5 vague prompts into measurable requirements
•draft a decision matrix for 3 design choices and rank them
•run a quick sensitivity check by changing weights
•outline a 1-page design report structure from memory
•create 10 flashcards for key design vocabulary

Common pitfalls
•writing goals that are not measurable
•mixing constraints with criteria
•choosing weights after you already prefer an option
•claiming the best design without evidence
•burying assumptions and test conditions in the report