2.00: Introduction to Design

Fall second half of term | Undergraduate | 6 Units | Prereq: None

Project-based introduction to product development and engineering design. Emphasizes key elements of the design process, including defining design problems, generating ideas, and building solutions. Presents a range of design techniques to help students think about, evaluate, and communicate designs, from sketching to physical prototyping, as well as other types of modeling. Students work both individually and in teams. Enrollment limited; preference to Course 2-A sophomores.

Fall 2020 Update: Fully Remote Hands-On Class - 2.00 Introduction to Design will be fully remote in Fall 2020. Both lectures and labs will be offered live. Class will include two design projects with hands-on components. Lectures will introduce students to product and engineering design theory, and incorporate hands-on activities and tutorials to illustrate design methods for defining design problems, generating design concepts, selecting designs, and design communication and representation (e.g., sketching, modeling, and prototyping). The bulk of the project work will take place during lab sessions. Students will work individually and also in teams to develop creative solutions to open-ended design challenges, and will each have the opportunity to prototype their designs remotely. Kits of project materials, tools, and safety gear will be shipped to students. Each student will be assigned a lab instructor for each project to help guide their work, answer questions, and learn specific design and prototyping techniques.