Approaches to the teaching of design

Design is an extremely wide subject, covering the whole range of disciplines within engineering. It is at the heart of what engineers do, and draws together all the skills and knowledge that we seek to foster in our students into an activity that has perhaps the greatest effect on society. There are many approaches to the teaching of design, and each of them has a place in engineering education. These approaches range from the traditional to the truly innovative, encompassing tasks based on individual study and scholarship, to those that require all the skills of group work, management, logistics and communication. This booklet seeks to provide a resource for all those with an interest in design, and the education and training of engineering students to carry out the design process. A brief description of the internal and external requirements for design in the engineering curriculum is followed by a review of different approaches to design teaching currently employed in engineering schools and universities worldwide. Suggestions for further reading about each approach and a reference section are also provided.