Final Report- Persuasion

www.lumesoft.com/images/MountainLakess1.jpg

You need to convince your

manager or client
that they should build the device
you propose

What are the criteria?

Dream of a new product utilizing solar ener

Do customer discovery to find out if peopl
Pitch your idea to the class, as you would
new business venture
Design, build, and test a prototype
Show-off your product at the end of semest
and written report

E100 F 2012

For your project...

You will be asked, not only to present your design,
but also to argue that it is a valid solution that
should be accepted
You have support data, good technical writing
skills, and you are credible, so what else do you
need to do to be persuasive?
This time, you will not just be selecting research,
but you will have to discuss your own
decision-making process and logic

Typical methods of persuasion

What happens if you simply list the benefits of
your solution?

What happens if you just discuss pros and cons?

How do you persuade objectively?

What are the standards or the criteria that one

has to meet to achieve an acceptable solution?

Who defines the criteria?

Sometimes the client will provide written guidelines

for any proposalscalled a Request for Proposal (RFP)
or a Request for Quote (RFQ).
Other times, you may be able to interview some of the
primary decision-makers
However, you should also assess the situation to
determine if any criteria are missing.

Criteria for Design

Feasibility of a design
-can you implement your recommendation?
Functionality requirements
-does the design meet cost, effectiveness,
size, weight, strength, ease of operation,
appearance, etc.?

Criteria for Design

Safety for users
-are there any potential hazards during use
or during manufacturing?
Environmental impact of a design
-what are the potential environmental
impacts?

Criteria for Design

Social impact of a design
-who will the design potentially impact?
-what are possible methods to gain support from
the potential stakeholders?

Criteria for Design

Degree to which design supports
manufacturing or construction

-can the design be manufactured or

constructed easily?
-does the design have the ability to meet
specific design requirements?
-is the design compatible with other
components?

Other important criteria?

Design innovation and creativity
Legal
Satisfies regulatory requirements
Specific requirements
Provides for users needs

How do you link criteria w/ design?

Define the criteria

Explain your overall design solution/recommendation
Explain how your design meets criteria
Offer adequate support data

Creating the link between the criteria 

and your solution (a simplification)
In order for our design to meet the cost
requirements, we recommend a design that
optimizes ___________. Our data shows that
by designing________, we are able to save
$_________.

Creating the link between the criteria 

and your solution (a simplification)
We recommend manufacturing the harvester
with __________ material. By selecting this
material, we are able to optimize the
manufacturing costs and use a reliable
manufacturer that is known for quality.
(add details & citations from experts)

Creating the link between the 

criteria and your solution (a simplification)
In order to create more functionality in our
design, we recommend offering ________
number of functions. We designed this
by.

Your list of criteria needs to be...

Accurate
Your argument can be
challenged if you do not
present the right goals
Eg.-Cost is more important
than safety

Complete
You argument may be
challenged if you do not list
all of the important standards,
objectives or goals
Eg.-You argue that the reuse
benefits are significant, but
forget to mention cost

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion



Title Page 

Table of Contents, 
Executive Summary

Title Page
Short and Informative Title
Recipients Names
Team Name and Logo
Team Member Names
Date of Submission

Title Page 

Table of Contents 

Executive Summary

Table of Contents
Write clearly and accurately so that the client can
easily access the appropriate information
Include page numbers

Title Page 

Table of Contents, 

Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Identify main problem, in detail
Where did the problem originate?
Why is this problem significant?
Offer relevant background material

State the the objectives, the teams role, and the solution
(refer to graphic of design and use multiple paragraphs)

Forecast the contents of the report

One page replaces foreword and summary

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Intro and Background

Identify main problem, in detail
Where did the problem originate?
Why is this problem significant?
Who are target customers? What are their needs?

Offer Solution, in overview (To address this need, our team)

Forecast the contents of the report
This report includes background information, the design
methodology, definitions of the design criteria, etc.

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Definition of Criteria
Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Based on the needs of the audience, as well as on the

design constraints, our team has developed a list of criteria
(which may include items the client hasnt thought of).
Our design needs to include functionality such as.
Our goal is to include innovation by
We want the systems to have minimum maintenance,
which means

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Definition of Criteria

Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Offer a design overview/summary before discussing

detailed sub- components of design
Describe the product, and how it solves the problem
The main features of our design include

Definition of Criteria

Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Criteria:
Cost of $4,000,000
(also state your reasoning for selecting this cost)
Link (with assumptions):
Our proposed design costs $3.8M. Table 2.2 shows
the cost details (support), which include raw
materials job installation. Our cost is lower than the
proposed budget.

Definition of Criteria

Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Criteria:
Reduction of Environmental Impact
Link (with assumptions):
We completed a detailed product life-cycle analysis to
show how the recycled plastics that we recommend for
the body of our synthesizer reduce the overall
environmental impact.

Definition of Criteria

Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Criteria:
Improved usability
Link (with assumptions):
We designed a user-friendly interface by(support
statements).

Definition of Criteria

Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Detailed design and operation

Explain solution and any way
they fail to meet certain important criteria

Definition of Criteria
Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Drawbacks to your design

Explain potential drawbacks to your design to anticipate

what the client might ask
We realize that the cost of our project is __________higher than our
original estimate. We still recommend our design choices
because_________________.

Refute the drawbacks

Definition of Criteria
Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Improvements to your design

We considered changing _______, but it failed to meet

(functionality) criteria because

Definition of Criteria
Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Impact of your product

How will it impact the economy, environment, society?

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Definition of Criteria
Explanation of Design
Conclusion

Conclude by
Reiterating your main design and stating that the goals
were met
Emphasizing the main benefits and any unique features
The conclusion is an overview/recap of the main
conclusions you made in the body of the report

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design, Technical Specs,
and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Clients are impressed with

Innovative & creative solutions

Detailed & practical solutions that demonstrate feasibility
Multiple options within one large solution

References and in-text citations (important!)

Supporting documents may include (in appendices):

Detailed calculations
Background material
Alternative designs
Data/Spreadsheets
Expanded or Non-essential Charts/Tables/Graphs

Potential Breakdown of an Argument

Criteria is not accepted by audience
Incomplete list
Inaccurate list (wrong criteria)
Inaccurate emphasis (wrong focus/prioritization)

Listing benefits only, or discussing pros & cons

Questionable support
Inaccurate or out-dated support data

Unclear presentation of solution

Not including alternatives and drawbacks

Budget
Detailed explanation of what the costs are and some
clarification of expenditures
Summarized in a table format with various sub-topics
Included as a part of your cost discussion

Final Report (Oral)

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design,
Technical Specs, and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Include slides that show organization

Methods to Reduce
Sulfur Dioxide Emissions
From Coal-Fueled Utilities

Beginning
Cynthia Schmidt

Mechanical Engineering Department

University of Texas

The most effective combustion method

is an atmospheric fluidized bed

Coal switching and coal cleaning

are two pre-combustion methods

Middle

cleaned
exhaust

Coal Switching

Coal Cleaning

90% removal capability

separator

High Sulfur Mine

Low capital costcan use

in existing equipment

Low S ulfur Mine

High operating cost

Ability to use different
grades of coal
grid
air
inlet

By using these methods, coal utilities

can greatly reduce SO2 emissions

coal cleaning

Ending

40%
40%

coal switching

80%

fluidized bed

90%
95%

absorption
80%

adsorption
25

50

75

Percentage Reduction of SO2

(Alley, 2003)

Final Report (Oral)

Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
Beginning
Definition of Criteria
Overall Explanation of Design,
Technical Specs, and Operation
Drawbacks, Improvements, and Impacts
Conclusion

Ending

Middle

Visual of the work

in a logical order

pre-combustion methods

combustion
methods

post-combustion
methods
(Alley, 2003)

The slide design presented here is more persuasive

than PowerPoints default design
Power passive modules perform the same functions
as discrete circuits but with smaller volumes

Sentence headline can

clarify assertions

Passive module

82 cm3

168 cm3

Images in body can

supply cogent evidence

Discrete Components

The total volume is cut by more than half

16

[Zhu, 2003]

CATME.org

Final report requirements

GROUP PROJECT: SOLAR POWER

Your nal report will provide an overview of your product, a descrip?on of the approach
your team used to address the problem, and a jus?ca?on for the criteria used in
narrowing down your proposed approach. It will also include the preliminary design
outcomes for your approach, supplemented by a discussion of your detailed design
approach and interpreta?on of results. A sec?on of the report must be dedicated to
repor?ng on the performance of the prototype during tes?ng, and sugges?ons on how
these outcomes inuenced changes to the nal design. In addi?on, you will make
recommenda?ons explaining any constraints / issues to consider in order to most
eec?vely address the project.

In this report, your team will describe the need for the product, the design and opera?on
of the product, improvements that would be required for the prototype, and the expected
impact that your product will have. The report should provide detailed specica?ons of the
product and all suppor?ng calcula?ons associated with the design, build, and opera?ng
characteris?cs of the prototype, as well the the results of tes?ng the design.

 Discussion ?me today and next Tuesday for team work

Tu Dec 2 free lecture ?me, mee?ngs if you like with TC

Oral Presenta?ons
Dec 4 (2,3,6,9,10,12)
Dec 9 (1,4,5,7,8,11) in class
Final slide decks due 10 a.m day of presenta?on
E-mail to upload.Current.44413vtzm8@u.box.com
Name your le TeamX_Final.pptx
8-9 minute presenta?ons
Wriben nal report due Tuesday, Dec 9 at 5 p.m. on CTools