Keep an engineering journal
A simple structure for recording ideas, tests and improvements.
Use throughout a projectLearning goal
Document a design process and use evidence to explain an improvement.
What you’ll need
- A notebook or printed worksheet
- A pencil
- Your project and test observations
The activity
- Describe the problem, the people affected and the constraints. Sketch two possible solutions.
- Choose a design and record why you selected it. List what you need to build it.
- Plan a fair test. Write what you will measure, then record what actually happened.
- Change one part of the design. Repeat the test and explain whether the change helped.
Pause and reflect
- What evidence supports your decision?
- Which change made the biggest difference?
- What would you test next?
Take it further
Use your journal to prepare a short demonstration explaining the project and one improvement.