The phases of a technology project

These stages of a technology project are out of order: (a) building the prototype, (b) identifying the need, (c) evaluation and improvement, (d) researching information, (e) designing the solution. Put them in the correct order and explain in one sentence what is done in each stage.

Define in your own words what the 'need' that sets a technology project in motion is, and write down two real needs in your classroom or school that could become a project.

Explain what a prototype is and explain why the first prototype is almost never the final product.

Explain what is done during the research stage and why it is useful to do it before designing. Give an example applied to this challenge: building a mobile phone holder using recycled materials.

A team writes their need as follows: 'we want to make a cool device'. Rewrite it in a specific and verifiable way: for whom, what problem it solves, and in what context it will be used.

In a project to create a school raised bed, research reveals that watering at dusk significantly reduces evaporation. Explain how this information can alter the design of the irrigation system and why doing research first saves work later.

In the manufacturing stage, why is it better to follow the plans and the list of materials instead of improvising as you go along? Explain two specific risks of improvising.

Explain the difference between the design stage and the construction stage, and explain why it is advisable to have the design finished (plans, list of materials, and budget) before starting to build.

Your team has ten sessions for a complete project. Divide the sessions among the five stages in a reasoned way and justify why evaluation needs its own time slot rather than 'whatever is left over'.

Explain with an example why the evaluation stage may force a return to the design stage, or even to research, and explain why going back should not be considered a failure.

A group is working on a school wind turbine to power a 5 V circuit. Their test log shows the following data:

• Version 1: 3 flat PVC blades (0° angle), wind at 20 km/h → 0,8 V generated. Diagnosis: the rotor does not generate enough torque due to a lack of lift.

• Version 2: 3 curved profile blades (15° angle), wind at 20 km/h → 3,6 V generated, but with critical vibration on the shaft at 400 rpm.

• Version 3: Same blades as V2 at 15°, dynamic balancing counterweights and ball bearings are added → 4,9 V at 450 rpm without vibration.

1. a) Based on the data, technically refute the statement: "The team failed twice before getting it right". Demonstrate how each step constitutes an iteration based on the 'measure - learn - redesign' loop.
2. b) Explain what would have happened if the team had resorted to 'blind trial and error' instead of technological iteration guided by physical parameters.

A team has 6 weeks (12 1-hour sessions) to build an automated greenhouse with microcontroller-based irrigation control. Their initial linear planning was:

• Weeks 1 and 2: Information search and 3D design of the model.

• Week 3: Purchase of sensors and materials.

• Weeks 4 and 5: Construction of the model and circuit assembly with Arduino.

• Week 6: Code programming.

Upon reaching week 6, they discover that the soil moisture sensor outputs an analog signal that is incompatible with the configured reference voltage and the water pump draws more current than allowable, burning out an output on the board.

1. a) Identify the critical task sequencing and dependency errors in this linear planning. Why should programming and unit testing of components not be left for the final phase?
2. b) Restructure the project using a concurrent (parallel) task diagram and introduce at least three intermediate "control milestones" with technical passing conditions to avoid reaching the end with integration failures.