Critical Design Reviews February 25 March 8

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Critical Design ReviewsFebruary 25 March 8
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Critical Design Review
Idea
Business Evaluation
Customer Requirements
Systems Design
Product Design
Prototype Build
Test and Debug
Product Manufacture
Product Support
Activities
Deliverables
Business Case
User Documentation Build Documents Final Cost
Estimate
Design Alternatives Design Specifications Prelimin
ary Cost Est.
Prototype Product
SD Announcement
Design Description
MD Announcement
Product Requirements
Critical Design Review
Completed
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Critical Design Review

• Review of your design by sponsors, faculty and/or
  other students.
• A last review of the project and your design
  ideas before starting implementation.
• Uses the format of an oral technical presentation
  before peers and technical management

Assume the audience is technically knowledgeable
in the field of your project but NOT necessarily
familiar with the details
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Critical Design Review

• What it is
• A technical critique of your design including
• A check to see if your design meets requirements
• A review and critique of your approach
• What it is not
• IT IS NOT a forum to gather information about how
  to design your project
• IT IS NOT an opportunity to gather free design
  ideas
• IT IS NOT a substitute for a good design effort
  prior to the review

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Critical Design Review

• What should you gain from a design review?
• Insight to alternate solutions.
• An independent check of your design approach.
• Awareness of potential problems.
• Confidence in a design approach.

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Preparation for the Review

• Prepare a set of presentation slides (Powerpoint)
  
• Gather and organize all documentation relative to
  the project as backup (additional materials) for
  the review.
• Datasheets of key components
• Application notes
• White papers
• Calculations
• Practice your presentation and try to anticipate
  questions.

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The Presentation

• Required Information and order of presentation
• Clear, concise overview of the project. Include
  background and why the project is being done.
• Summary of Product Requirements.
• Description of your design at a functional level
  (block diagram and architectural diagram level),
  other approaches you considered and reasons you
  chose this approach.
• Preliminary Cost Estimate for the project.
• Summary of the Project Plan.
• Expand on areas of your design which may be
  unique or deserve special attention.
• Target the presentation for 45 minutes including
  questions

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Effective Presentation Style

• Slides
• Use bullet lists and diagrams as much as possible
• Limit textual explanations on slides
• Consistency of format from slide to slide
• Oral
• Do not read from a script
• Use note cards as an aid if required
• Cover all topics required
• Keep presentation on track
• Stick to the planned presentation
• Do not jump around (or let audience jerk you
  around)

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Questions

• Two ways to handle questions
• Take questions only at the end of your organized
  presentation.
• Keeps presentation moving with a smooth flow.
• - Reviewers may forget details causing you to
  re-present part of the presentation.
• - Reviewers may forget questions
• Allow questions during the presentation.
• Questions are asked when details are fresh in
  everyones mind.
• - Presentation may be sidetracked or delayed.
• - Reviewers may take control of your presentation.

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Questions

• Recommendations
• Large group or very complex project - defer
  questions to the end.
• Small group - take questions as they come up.
• You may have to cut off a question in interest of
  time.
• You may have to take discussions outside the
  review.

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Setting up your Meeting

• Sign-up for a meeting time using the sign-up
  sheet outside my office
• Reserve a conference room with Brandee in
  Daniels 232 (Daniels 231 conference room is
  preferred)
• Invite your sponsor, faculty advisor and myself.
  
• Other students and faculty may be invited if they
  will add value to the review.

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Setting up the Meeting

• Distribute a copy of your Presentation Slides to
  all invitees at least THREE working days before
  the presentation.
• Projectors
• Transparency projector will be available
• Let me know if you want to use my laptop and/or
  projector for the presentation (projector is
  not always available)

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Sign-up Sheet
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Grading Sheet