In practice, engineering design is really just a specialized form of problem solving.  Consider the simple 7-step problem-solving process below:

1. Identify the problem

2. Define the problem

3. Develop alternative solutions

4. Analyze and compare alternative solutions

5. Select the best alternative

6.  Implement the solution

7.  Evaluate the results

 

When civil engineers design a bridge, they typically use this same process:

 

1. Identify the problem.  A client hires a team of engineers to design a highway bridge that will cross a river.

 

2. Define the problem.  The engineers investigate the proposed site and work with the client to determine exactly what the functional requirements of the bridge will be.  Where will the bridge be located?  How many lanes of traffic are required?  What are the characteristics of the river--width, depth, current velocity?  Is the river used by ships?  If so, how wide a navigable channel and how much overhead clearance do the vessels need?  Who owns the land on either side of the river?  What sort of soil and rock are located there? The engineers also determine if there are any aesthetic requirements for the structure and, perhaps most importantly, they find out how much money the client is willing to pay for the new bridge--the project budget.

 

3. Develop alternative solutions.  The engineers develop several alternative concept designs for the new bridge--perhaps a truss, an arch, and a suspension bridge.

 

4. Analyze and compare alternative solutions.  The engineers analyze each design alternative to determine its strengths and weaknesses, with respect to the project requirements and constraints identified in Step 2 above. They also consider the environmental impact and constructibility of each proposed option.

 

5. Select the best alternative.  After carefully analyzing all of the alternatives, the engineers select the one that best satisfies the project requirements.  They present this selection as a recommendation to the client, who makes the final decision.

 

6.  Implement the solution.  Once the client has approved the concept design, the team completes the final design, prepares plans and specifications, and hands them over to a construction contractor to build.

 

7.  Evaluate the results.  At the end of the project, the engineers evaluate the completed structure.  They identify aspects of the project that went well and aspects that could be improved.  Ultimately these observations help to improve the quality of future projects.

 

(from: West Point Bridge Builder)