Title: Phase 8 Communicate Your Achievements
Course: ATEP - MMT: Module A: > Section: PHASE 8 COMMUNICATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

8.1.1 Communicating Your Achievements

This last step of the design process is where the information that has been gathered and refined through research and reiteration is presented to your audience. Knowing who will be reading or listening to your presentation will help determine what information and to what depth that should included in the reports. The documentation of the steps in the engineering notebook gives you a place to access this information quickly.

An elevator pitch or speech, is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a product. The name" elevator pitch" means that it should be possible to explain the product in the time span of an elevator ride, which is between 30 seconds to two minutes. Every member of your team should have the pitch ready, to explain the product whenever the topic is broached.

(MEDIA ASSET 8.A (Video in an elevator)

A visual presentation should be a short version of the written material that justifies your design solution. Present your final design along with a summary of how it meets the specifications and constraints to solve the problem. Describe the design process that you went through and which phases were most important in creating your final solution. A flowchart will also give your audience a visual picture of how you arrived at your conclusion.

Feedback from the audience can then send you back to any of the steps in the design process. Every iteration of the steps within the process will refine the end product to meet the desired outcome.

8.1.2 Who is the Audience?

When creating a report or presentation, the first thing you need to know is who will be your audience. Different groups or departments will be more intent on finding specific information that deals with their areas of expertise and may not be so interested in other facts or results.

8.1.3 Using the Engineering Notebook

The information along with the sketches that have been obtained and created during the iterations of the eight step Informed Design process should be easily accessible in the engineering notebook. Review the notebook and use the parts that are most applicable to the audience. It is also a good idea to have the notebook available to help answer questions from the audience.

8.1.4 The Printed Output

The written report should be a detailed compilation of all the work done during the eight-step process to reach the final conclusions. It should include the names of the team members, the design brief with the problem statement, constraints, flowcharts showing how the solution was obtained, research with citations, the solution with justification and a summation.

Suggested Information that should be included:

1. Company name, logo and product
2. Photos of team members and their position in the company
3. Problem statement
4. Justification of product
5. Team norms
6. Gantt chart of activities and days working on product
7. Sketches of product
8. Survey with chart/graphs
9. List of experts, address and expertise
10. Research with citations (stores, Web sites, individuals, etc.)
11. Similar Patents (minimum of six)
12. Materials information with citations
13. Materials matrix
14. Computer drawings
15. Prototype — photos / actual product
16. Test report
17. Three-Minute sales speech (elevator)
18. Tri-fold advertising
19. Mentors (Others that helped)
20. Images

8.1.5 The Visual Presentation

The visual presentation is a short version of the written material that justifies the solution. It will incorporate images and media that will hold the attention of the selected audience. In some cases, it will be necessary to make changes to or even create a new presentation to meet the needs of different audiences.

Use presentation techniques that will present the information in the best way to keep the attention of the audience. Avoid a lot of written material and use visual material as much as possible. Paraphrase any wording that appears in the presentation.