Journal of Engineering Education Transformations

V. Mahesh ¹, P. V. Raja Shekar ², P. Pramod Kumar ³

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, IN
2 Dept. of Physics, SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, IN
3 Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, IN

Abstract

Divergent thinking (DT) is one of the design skills which helps in generation of alternative design solutions for any given design task and is very much essential for addressing a design problem. Hence, an attempt has been made to evaluate the DT skills of Indian engineering students. The level of design fixation is also determined. The methodology of the work carried out to estimate and analyze DT skills and the results obtained are discussed in detail. The results throw light on the design skills of Indian engineering students, which perhaps help in the development of effective teaching methods.

Keywords

Design Skills, Divergent Thinking, Design Fixation.

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V. Mahesh ¹, P. V. Raja Shekar ², P. Pramod Kumar ³, M. Kantha Reddy ⁴, Vishvaksena. Ravichandran ⁵

Affiliations
1 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, SR Engineering College,Warangal, Telangana, IN
2 Dept. of Physics, SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, IN
3 Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, SR Engineering College, Warangal, Telangana, IN
4 IUCEE, Hyderabad, Telangana, IN
5 University of California, Berkeley, US

Abstract

Design fixation negatively impacts design outcomes and is generally referred as the designer's inability to consider multiple strategies to formulate and solve a design need. The present paper will assess some of the design skills of Indian engineering students viz. fluency, flexibility and originality. To evaluate these skills, a more general task of designing a disposable spill-proof coffee cup is given to the sample. The sample consisted of students from native domain (Mechanical and Civil engineering departments) and foreign domain (other than the mentioned departments). The results were discussed with reference to the level of fixation of students of native and foreign domains, while providing two different kinds of environments, one with a specified sample example and other with a design pattern.

Keywords

Design Fixation, Design Skills, Fixation Group, Control Group.

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