Cultivating an Engineering Mindset

Students in the Designing for Production and Sustainability course share how they approached the final project from both non-technical and technical backgrounds, leading to greater learning and innovative thinking.

As the first course of the Technology for Product Management certificate, Designing for Production and Sustainability teaches students the basic principles and philosophies of engineering design. Students study the influence of materials, manufacturing, and other downstream decisions that impact the overall design of a product, considering the environmental impact of these concepts and how sustainable design relates to a product’s lifestyle.

To explore areas of production in need of development to improve sustainable practices, Lauren Kauffman completed her project ECOBRAKE in collaboration with online students Chloe Jian and Zachary Jessell. The team looked at areas of concern within power generation, storage, and the recapturing of power within electric aircrafts. To do this they explored efficient ways that an aircraft might utilize its power more effectively so that charge is reserved for “take off, flight, and landing.” To do this the team looked at a solution to replace battery power lost before takeoff and after landing. Their solution, ECOBRAKE, captures energy generated by the wheels through braking and coasting. This energy is translated and then stored in the airplane's battery. The product helps reduce battery power usage and enables net-zero consumption prior to and after flights, therefore reducing the time it takes to recharge.  

“Through this course, students engaged with topics on material selection, product schematics, mechanical constraints such as thermals in design, and how to consider sustainable choices as part of the product life cycle,” said Professor Laura Fulton. “Throughout the course, students tie in other skills from the iii including business perspectives as they apply user requirements, cost analyses, and product-market fit.”

Explore student experiences in the course below: 

iii: Please describe your professional background. 

Lauren Kauffman: I come from a consulting background, kicking off my career at Infosys, where I dove into IT and application strategies in the financial services and energy sectors. After that, I made my way to Elixirr, a London-based strategy firm, where I dabbled in digital and data strategy across different industries. I've got my hands in a bit of everything – innovation, strategy roadmap design, enterprise reorganization, contact center optimization, business transformation, enterprise product management, digital adoption, and program leadership. It's been a journey blending IT and strategy roles, steering successful enterprise transformations and process tweaks along the way.

iii: Did you face any challenges working on this project? How did you overcome them?

Lauren: We faced a few challenges throughout the project, particularly in the prototyping phase due to our team’s limited design background as well as the intricate material selection process for the regenerative braking system in the context of the electric aircraft. To overcome these hurdles, our team played to each member's strengths. We conducted extensive research to find suitable materials and sought guidance from Professor Fulton to fill any gaps in our engineering knowledge. This combination not only addressed specific project challenges but also cultivated an engineering mindset within our team.

iii: How did you connect with teammates across time zones and across professional backgrounds/technical skill levels in this course? 

Lauren: To tackle the time zone differences, we established a weekly meeting time that accommodated everyone as much as possible. Flexibility was key, and we adjusted when needed. For asynchronous collaboration, we heavily relied on Miro for visual collaboration and shared Google Docs for documentation. Despite none of us having an engineering background, our team had a mix of diverse strengths that complemented one another. Where we encountered engineering knowledge gaps, we would proactively reach out to our TA and Professor Fulton for guidance and support.

iii: Have the skills you learned in this course been transferable to your current work or intended career path? 

Lauren: This course has really gotten me into an engineering mindset, thinking about how things interact, whether it's between physical components or between teams. The Design of X framework has become a very helpful framework for me as I kick off new projects. Exploring physical product development and sustainability in the course was a challenge I found particularly interesting. These mindsets and skills have stuck with me, making my engagement with engineering teams smoother. Understanding how they ideate and deliver has added a nice layer to how I collaborate.

iii: How have the skills you’ve learned in this course helped your understanding of the broader innovation process? 

Lauren: The course has really been transformative in my approach to the broader innovation process. Adopting an engineer's mindset, especially considering interaction points, has become integral to my problem-solving approach. Exploring physical product development and sustainability in the course has broadened my understanding of real-world applications of innovation and I really appreciated exploring a complex industry like aviation. The skills I picked up not only contribute to my current projects but also enhance my ability to collaborate across teams throughout the delivery lifecycle. I anticipate these skills will continue evolving as I continue to put them in practice to navigate future challenges.