An F??? WTF?

So an interesting thing happened concerning my EGR 101 (Engineering design) class yesterday/today. WOW... it's a lot to take in. As it turns out, what we had in our second assignment was what he wanted for this assignment... I still think the assignment sheet was unclear. Of course, I was the last to know about of this. I didn't find out until class today. Still, it's a bit messed up.....
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Comments on Requirements Analysis for System of Systems

The Quarry Challenge Project

EGR 101, Section 02

FA 05

9 Nov 05

Team Power Wheels and Styx

Grade for this interim assignment: F

Resubmit as soon as you can, to get helpful guidance

to get you back on track and on to the next assignment.

1. This is such a “We don’t care” submission that I am worried that your team may not make it past the first stages of “Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing”. What’s going on with you that you could think this is appropriate work?

2. You are expected to provide a narrative (not one PowerPoint chart of words), as a first attempt at what would be the first section of your final technical report. In this way, over the coming weeks, you will be learning the design process while also progressively completing the report in stages.

-- Power point charts should not be densely packed text in the form of complete sentences.

-- Narrative for a technical report should be in 12-pitch font, much like any other college-level term paper submission, but with title page/name of class/name of teams and team members/class name and section/date. Pages should be numbered. Margins should be reasonable. In final version, you’ll want to make proper reference to the Challenge Problem (CP) Statement as Appendix 1 to your report, and will want to refer to your diagram as a numbered, captioned figure in the report. You’ll want to amend the Appendix, or add another called Appendix 2, with the clarifying Q&As that will continue to appear over time. Narrative should somewhere say the system consists of a Sorter, Hauler, Headquarters and Communications Tower.

3. Go back and read the assignment, and try again, resubmitting as soon as you are ready, so I can give you timely feedback so you can move on to the next step. See also the chicken coop assigned reading from earlier this term. While you are not expected to go crazy with numerical breakouts of values for each requirement, or to create infinite levels, you’ll find that there is a rich amount of requirements that you should be discussing and understanding. The diagram will help you discover how these things relate, and will help communicate whether your team understands, and agrees, on what the system must be able to do.

4. Your diagram represents all of 15 seconds of work, in my opinion. Go back and give it an honest try.

5. Consider addressing in your narrative, and including in your diagram, such system level requirements as:

a. sizing requirements – system needs to be sized to hold sufficient boulders for the job, both in fixed location and in transit

b. requirement to navigate – line following and sensing proximity to key points (not the specific types of sensors… that’s for later, when you get into various solution options)

c. requirement to manipulate boulders individually and deliver them to precise locations.

d. time restriction – a fairly easy requirement, but worthy of mention.

e. system must interoperate. At the next level down, you might want to address the two key areas of interoperation: communication, and transfer of boulders.

f. system must operate without intervention: reliability is key.

6. Please provide a reasonably short team name by the end of the next class.

7. I am available if you really don’t get it yet. But my bet is that this was tossed off by one of your team at the last minute, and that the others either didn’t see it, or saw it and just didn’t speak up. Signs of a team in trouble.

8. Don’t lose heart. Each time you complete one of these iterative assignments, you will be further along toward completing the technical report, and as you see the report progress, along with your design, you will feel more confident about where you are going, and about your ability to complete the job.
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Fist, one of my teammates, responded with the following:

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Response to Concerns on Analysis of System of Systems

The Quarry Challenge Project

EGR 101, Section 02

FA 05

Teams Power Wheels and Styx

9 Nov 05

Dr. Herrelko,

Your comments are both civil and appreciated, and the opportunity to allow us to resubmit our assignment is generous.

However, it appears that there has been both a miscommunication and misunderstanding of the requirements for this particular assignment.

Upon our initial attempt to construct an appropriate diagram and narrative, our team briefly consulted with you, as well as Ashish Godbole, about the definition of top-level specifications and what constitutes and appropriate sub-level. Apparently, it was at this point that a miscommunication was made, as the group of four team members designated to actually write out this assignment arrived at the impression that the key top-level specification was that which was listed on the problem sheet, that is, to create a system of systems that accomplished multiple goals, and from there the appropriate sublevels would be accurate descriptions of what each subsystem needed to accomplish. From this perspective, all of our notes about specifics that we have taken would be interpreted as Functional Specifications (Suggestions listed by you in 5. of your comments), and therefore would be submitted in the next assignment. Our progress on the next assignment will be listed at the end of these comments for your consideration.

Indeed, the diagram was sparse, however upon our interpretation of the top-level requirements left little to be diagramed, and it was intended to be amended with our Functional Specifications falling below each subsystem in the next assignment. However, it appears from your comments that these things should be included within this assignment.

Additionally, while diagramming our specifications, it was our belief that that visual aide was the main goal of the assignment, and not the narrative, which we interpreted to be in essence the diagram spelled out in words. Naturally then, PowerPoint was chosen to be the communications tool of choice. Now that we have a better concept of what is desired from a narrative, and can be reworked, reformatted, and resubmitted. Mr. Godbole asked me about our format, alluding that it was different than others submitted, and I kindly asked him that if you would like it reformatted, simply ask. You have asked, and indeed we will.

A new team name will be created.

I want to make it very clear that we in no way were attempting to “blow off” this assignment, as your perception may be inferred by your comments. Quite the contrary, we believed this assignment was merely a stepping stone for the assignment due on Tuesday, and that an assignment of this nature was meant to be general as a preparation for the specific. I speak for the team in saying that we would be quite offended to be perceived as lacking respect for the design process, because we have already taken great pains to brainstorm, conceptualize, and log our progress. I hope that this misunderstanding can be quickly resolved, and that our progress in the course can quickly fall back on track.

Sincerely,

Andrew Fist

NEP, MEE Student

BELOW: Notes from log to potentially be added to current assignment / next assignment

Functional Specifications

Teams Power Wheels and Styx

15 Nov 05

Sorter:

• Needs to use light sensors to distinguish between blue and yellow Nonos
• Needs to be able to sense each Nono one at a time
• Needs to count and sort blue and yellow Nono in to separate bins
• Needs to be able to receive instructions for the Hauler
• Needs to deliver the specified color and number of Nono to the Hauler

Hauler:

• Needs to be able to receive instructions from the tower/builders
• Needs to navigate the 3 foot long and 2 inch wide road
• Needs to communicate with the sorter
• Needs to be able to collect the correct amount of blue and yellow Nonos from the Sorter
• Needs to transport the cargo from the collector to the barge
• Needs to be able to determine whether it is at the collector or barge
• Needs to be able to repeat all of above if more that one trip is needed
• Needs to be able to interact with Barge (12” wide, 2” high, 8” deep) in a manner that permits Hauler to move cargo from its bin to the Barge

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Which my teacher, Dr. Herrelko responed with:
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thanks for this response, which I understand is an interim response

this team is the only one to be so far off the mark... be sure you review the assignment on the back of the Challenge Problem Statement, and the additional notes in the Q&A provided by email on 3 Nov, as well as my email sent this evening

if your team has worked in detail to think this through, as it appears you have, it should be a quick job to generate an improved submission, which I'll be glad to review

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Lol... did you really read everything? (or did you just scroll down here?) Anyways, I'm posting this here more for my record than for y'all, though if you have any questions about my project, I'll be happy to share some answers. Later everyone.