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.

The diagram shows the stages of a technology project, but one of them is covered by a question mark. State which stage is missing and explain what it involves.

Match each deliverable with the stage in which it is produced: (a) list of materials and plans, (b) test report with proposals for improvement, (c) finished prototype, (d) collection of data and existing solutions. Stages: research, design, manufacturing, and evaluation.

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.

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.

A group wants to improve the lighting over the desks in their classroom. These are their actions: (a) they measure the light level with a phone app in several classrooms, (b) they draw three lamp proposals, (c) they assemble the chosen one with an LED board, (d) they test whether it causes glare and note improvements, (e) they state the problem: 'we lack enough light to read without straining our eyes'. State which project stage each action corresponds to.

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'.

In the computer lab, 30 workstations suffer recurring headphone breakages due to tugs on the jack connector and cable twisting at the edge of the desks (average lifespan: 3 months per unit; replacement cost: 8.50 pesos per unit). You have 3D printers and standard hardware items available.

1. a) Draft the Technical Specifications document for the project with at least 4 quantifiable requirements: mechanical, ergonomic, assembly, and maximum cost per workstation.
2. b) Design the protocol for mechanical fatigue and tensile tests that the prototype must pass before approving its mass production, indicating the quantities to be measured, loading method, and quantitative acceptance threshold.

A prototype awning works well on the workshop bench but moves and makes noise when installed in the playground. In which stage is this fault detected and what design changes could result from it?

A team installed a 4 × 3 m awning in the school yard anchored with standard eyebolts to a hollow brick wall. During the first storm with gusts of 65 km/h (estimated dynamic pressure of 200 N/m²), the anchors were pulled out and the fabric tore. The team claimed that "the physical assembly was perfect according to their initial sketch."

1. a) Determine in which phase of the technological project (needs analysis, technical specifications, technical design, or quality control) the critical failure occurred and what previous calculation or test was omitted.
2. b) If the total wind force on the awning at the worst angle reaches 2.4 kN distributed among 4 anchors, technically justify the choice between chemical anchors or plastic expansion plugs, and design a testing protocol to validate the strength of the anchor at scale or with controlled load prior to final assembly.

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

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.

Distinguish between evaluating the process (how the team worked) and evaluating the product (the constructed object). Give an example of each type of question applied to a shelving unit project.

Explain what the project report is and explain why it is advisable to write it throughout all stages rather than only at the end.

For a mobile line-tracking robot, chassis brackets must be selected between two prototypes to carry a delicate optical sensor:

• Prototype A (printed in PLA, 20% infill): mass = 45 g, cost = 1,80, pesos manufacturing time = 2.5 h, withstands a drop from 0.5 m, excellent aesthetic finish.

• Prototype B (machined aluminum sheet): mass = 110 g, cost = 6,20, pesos manufacturing time = 6.0 h, withstands a drop from 2.0 m, rough finish.

The specification requirements demand: minimum weight so as not to overload the servomotors, withstanding impacts from accidental drops of at least 1.0 m, and tight cost.

1. a) Develop a multi-criteria decision matrix with 5 weighted criteria (the sum of weights must be 1.00). Assign scores from 1 to 5 to each prototype in a numerically justified manner.
2. b) Calculate the total weighted score of both, determine which one should be chosen, and propose a specific design modification to mitigate the weak point of the winning prototype.

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.