2020-2021 PLTW IED Unit Three Vocabulary

constraint

1. A limit to a design process. Constraints may be such things as appearance, funding, space, materials, and human capabilities. 2. A limitation or restriction.

form

1. Having the three dimensions of length, width, and depth. Also referred to as a solid. 2. The organization, placement, or relationship of basic elements, as volumes or voids in a sculpture, so as to produce a coherent image.

parametric modeling

3D modeling where geometry is created with association to other geometry.

project charter

A document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.

patent

A government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention.

system

A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements or parts that function together as a whole to accomplish a goal. Change happens if you add or remove a part.

life cycle assessment

A life cycle assessment, also known as life cycle analysis, is used to measure how much energy is used to create a product and the impact a product has on the environment.

planned obsolescence

A manufacturing decision by a company to make consumer products in such a way that they become out-of-date or useless within a known period.

additive manufacturing

A manufacturing method used for rapid prototyping where three-dimensional objects are built by adding layer upon layer of material.

criteria

A means of judging. A standard, rule, or test by which something can be judged.

sustainable

A method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged and will still be available for future generations.

avatar

A personalized graphical illustration that represents a computer user, or a character or alter ego that represents that user. An avatar can be represented either in three-dimensional form (for example, in games or virtual worlds) or in two-dimensional form as an icon in internet forums and virtual worlds.

team norms

A set of rules or guidelines that a team establishes to shape the interaction of team members with one other.

ergonomics

A systems approach for analyzing the physical interaction of the human worker with his/her work environment to maximize productivity, quality, usability, safety, health, and comfort.

team

A team is a collection of individuals, each with his or her own expertise, brought together to benefit a common goal.

Gantt chart

A time and activity bar chart that is used for planning, managing, and controlling major programs that have a distinct beginning and end.

milestone

A time when a piece of work must be finished or something must be achieved.

decision matrix

A tool used to compare design solutions against one another using specific criteria.

graphic organizer

A visual display that demonstrates relationships between facts, concepts, or ideas. A graphic organizer guides the learner's thinking as they fill in and build upon a visual map or diagram.

conceptual model

A visual representation of an idea. A conceptual model can be a sketch, concept map, schematic, flow chart, or any other visual representation.

design brief

A written plan that identifies a problem to be solved, its criteria, and its constraints. The design brief is used to encourage thinking of all aspects of a problem before attempting a solution.

measurable

Able to be measured. Measurable design criteria should provide a precise indicator of a quantifiable characteristic so that a design can be compared to the criteria and deemed acceptable or unacceptable."

systems model

An abstract representation of a system that identifies interacting elements and components of the system and the relationships among those components and elements.

human-centered design

An approach to systems design and development that aims to make interactive systems more usable by focusing on the users of the system—their needs and requirements—and applying human factors/ergonomics and usability knowledge and techniques.

trade-off

An exchange of one thing in return for another: especially relinquishment of one benefit or advantage for another regarded as more desirable.

stakeholder

An individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project.

generative design

An iterative design process involving a program that generates a certain number of outputs meeting certain constraints. A designer defines the feasible region by manipulating minimal and maximal values of an interval in which a variable of the program meets the set of constraints in order to reduce the number of outputs from which to choose.

algorithm

An ordered set of instructions that are used to carry out a task.

raw materials

Any natural resource that is used to make finished products.

strain

Change in the length of an object in some direction per unit.

biomimicry

Copying or imitating the special characteristics of living organisms (animals, plants, etc.) in materials, processes, or products. From bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate.

quantitative data

Data dealing with numbers, such as height, volume, length, time, temperature, etc.

safety factor

Factor of safety (safety factor) is the ability of a system's structural capacity to be viable beyond its expected or actual loads, expressed as the ratio of actual strength to required strength.

consensus

General agreement.

optimization

Making the best or most effective use of resources to get the best possible solution.

anthropometric

Of or relating to the scientific study of the measurements and proportions of the human body.

popliteal

Relating to or situated in the hollow at the back of the knee.

product life cycle

Stages a product goes through from concept and use to eventual withdrawal from the marketplace.

permutation

The act of arranging the members of a set into a sequence or order.

carbon footprint

The amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by a process, person or group.

sustainable design

The application of the principles of sustainability to the realm of engineering and design.

Internet of Things

The concept of connecting any device with an on/off switch to a broader system, such as the internet, and to other connected devices.

stress

The force acting across a unit area in a solid material resisting the separation, compacting, or sliding that tends to be induced by external forces.

service life

The length of time a product is expected to operate properly without need for repair.

product life

The length of time a product will undergo production before being replaced with a newer version.

mass density

The measure of mass density is a measure of mass per volume.

persona

The publicly perceived character that a person seems to have, which is often different from the real or private character of the person.

recycle

To reclaim or reuse old materials in order to make new products.

systems thinking

Understanding a system by examining the connections between the parts that compose the entirety of the system.