Homework 2: Refined/Redefined Idea (Due Jan. 28)

Each student will prepare and submit a revised and expanded version of their project idea (submitted as homework 1). If you feel that your first project idea was inappropriate, then you can select another idea (include in homework 2 a brief description in the style of homework 1 to present the new idea and then continue with the homework 2 assignment).
Your report should address the following items:

  • An initial analysis of the stakeholders' requirements for your project, including:
  • Identify the three stakeholders, i.e. user, client, designer
  • List potential requirements from each of these stakeholders
  • An initial evaluation regarding whether the project idea is practical in the sense of cost and time to complete. Adjustments should be considered to make the project be appropriate for a two-semester, multi-student senior design project.
  • A consideration of skills that you lack but would be needed to complete the project. Such additional skills can be sought as groups form.
  • A basic "SWOT" analysis discussing the "Strengths", "Weaknesses", "Opportunities" not considered, and "Threats" that would render your proposal as a disaster. Your SWOT analysis should include each of the items listed (the "S", "W", "O", and "T" parts), each approximately equal in length and depth. Basic definitions of the SWOT items are as follows:
  • Strength: Think positively. Reasons why the idea is a great idea and will be successful, have an impact.
  • Weaknesses: Go back and think critically. Why is your project idea a weak idea. Critical thinking is critical.
  • Opportunities: Think positively. If you slightly modify your project, are there significant new opportunities (market, applications, etc.)
  • Threats: Think critically again. Is there some aspect of your project that might cause it to utterly fail in its execution or value.
  • If you are working with ideas or information obtained from the Web or technical reports, add a citation to each such idea and include a full reference (e.g., full URL to the specific web page used). For important contributions by other students, you should add a citation ("[x]") in the text and a reference (e.g., [x] George Kotistkwncy: private communication)

The report should be designed to assist in the attraction of other students to participate in the project as a team member. For this purpose, the report should provide your serious presentation of the project idea, not a last minute quick writeup.
The report should be three or four pages long and should be submitted as a Word or PDF file on the Moodle course site. In preparing this second report, the student is encouraged to discuss their project with other students in the class, incorporating, when appropriate, suggestions and other ideas provided by the other student(s).
This report is intended to be Phase II of the student's consideration of a possible project to be developed by a team during the course. Students may submit more than one project description (each including the information above).

Instructions for homework submissions:

  1. Please follow the file name convention:

"YourLastName_Keyword1_Keyword2_Keyword3_hw#.doc"

For example: "Man_software_defined_radio_hw2.doc"

  1. Submit your homework through Moodle eMail, and include me and our class TA Xiangda Shi as recipients.

Aniket Patel

Professor Hong Man

Design VI

28 January 2014

Electric Bicycle

A new and more realistic project idea I have come up with is an electric bicycle. This idea could potentially have large impact on the bicycle market. Simply riding it can charge the bicycle. This bicycle will make the riders life a lot more convenient; when they become tired from riding, they can immediately pull on the throttle and catch their breath. This bicycle will be stylish, robust, fast, and great exercise.

The stakeholders for this project are as follows. The user will be the everyday American. The user can use the bicycle for whatever purpose they choose. The clients to target would be major bicycle company looking to expand and contribute to the technological revolution. The companies will be able to mass produce the bicycle and get them to stores and warehouses across the nation. The designer will be a not one, but a collaboration of engineers from Stevens Institute of Technology.

I truly believe that this project is possible and cost efficient. I also believe with the right team this project has the potential to have a major impact on the bicycle market. This product would truly bring a convenience to anyone who rides bicycles for long and rigorous period. The potential weakness that we have is that there are many companies who have begun development and also the increasing popularity with hybrid cars.