Topic outline

  • Week 7. October 25th to 31st


    This week, you need to work on 'Graded Assignment Week 7. Mid-term Essay'. As this is a big assignment, there are no videos, quizzes, lectures or feedback forms.

    • General

      This 'Workshop' contains both a graded assignment and a homework assignment. 

      1. Graded assignment: Between 22 October and 5 November 9am you will submit your mid-term essay. This will be graded by the teachers and determines your final grade for 40%. Please note that a late submission would fail you in the course, so be on time.
      2. Homework assignment: Between 5 November and 19 November you will need to review two mid-term essays of your peers. This review needs to be specific and justified (more instructions follow later). This will count as a homework assignment. Not completing the homework assignment with sufficient quality will result in 0,6 points being deducted from your final grade.


      Please review the instructions for the mid-term essay below and the rubric in great detail. If anything is unclear, do let us know!


      Deadline 5 November 9am


      Why this assignment?

      During the first half of this course, you have practiced and discussed several capabilities related to addressing engineering problems and applied these to an identified opportunity of your company case. In this assignment, you will capture what you have done, and what you have learned in the process. The purpose is to then connect this to becoming an effective, impactful engineer, so that you are more aware of what you want to keep using, and what you might want to develop.

      Instructions

      Write an essay of approximately 2,000 words (~4 pages) in which you cover the sections described below. The number of words is an indication of the length, it is fine to have 20% less or more for each section - quality in terms of clarity, relevance and specificity matters more than quantity as such. As this is one of the two assignments that largely determines your grade on the course, check out the grading rubric before you start.

      Part I. The engineering opportunity (~1,000 words)

      1. Identified case opportunity and justification. Include relevant elements of your PESTEL analysis and the pitch you created with the Language Centre. Why is this a promising and meaningful opportunity to address? What could the societal impact be?

      2. Solution idea in a nutshell. Describe the key components of your solution idea (the one you chose to prototype), and how it contributes to the identified opportunity. We welcome visuals to support your description.

      3. Prototype and test. Describe the reasoning behind your prototype (what you were trying to find out, and how this prototype was intended to support that), as well as how you created and tested the prototype. Then, describe what you learned from the test, and what the implications of your insights are for your solution idea.

      Part II. Future development of the opportunity (~500 words)

      1. SWOT analysis of your solution idea. Do a SWOT analysis on the idea you prototyped. Reflect on your chosen solution direction and discuss at least two strengths, two weaknesses, two opportunities, and two threats. 

      2. Further development plan. Imagine you are continuing with this project in your case company. What would your next move be? Briefly describe what your next steps for development could be. Be specific, e.g. not “Next, I would need to find more information”, but “Next, I would investigate the environmental impact of a hydraulic power network”, or “Next, I would contact a legal advisor to inquire about the health and safety regulations related to reusing waste”.

      Part III. Your learning journey  (~500 words)

      1. Reflection. Based on your experience in addressing the case and in the course so far, what do you believe would be key capabilities for effective and impactful engineers? Identify one skill, one knowledge area, and one attitude relevant for creating a positive impact in the case you have been working on.

      2. For each of the three capabilities mentioned in question 6: 

        1. Explain why they are important for engineers working in the field. How would they help in being effective and having a desired impact in the case context specifically?

        2. Reflect on your own current level of proficiency. What has already been useful in cultivating these capabilities? What has made practicing these difficult?

        3. Think of issues, organizations, or career directions you personally find appealing, how might this capability be useful?


    • This is where we will share our feedback and grades for your mid-term essays (after the peer review period is over).