background, review elements, grading, logistics, results

Background
The goal of the technical review is to inform instructors about the state of your functional, final prototype and to obtain critical feedback. This feedback will help you prioritize improvements for the final presentation. The exercise will help you learn how to factually present a product prototype to colleagues in a professional working context and obtain design feedback.

The review will be held during the evening, as indicated in the class schedule. Examples from prior technical reviews are on the right. You can also view projects from other years in the gallery (select a project and the click on the technical review tab). The communication instructors have also prepared some useful guidelines for effective technical review demonstrations.

Key review elements
The review is an informal, interactive prototype demonstration. Think of it as a mostly show (demonstration), not tell, presentation. Be ready to have reviewers using your prototype.

Instructors will work in teams so that you will demonstrate for 15 minutes, have 15 minutes off, and then demonstrate again to a different pair of instructors. In total you will have four 15 minute demo sessions.

Grading
The review contributes to a portion of your shared team-wide grade and all course instructors will participate in the review process.

This is a technical design review, so important aspects that will be considered include:

• Mechanical design details
• Human factors/form/aesthetics
• System integration
• Details/prototype execution/manufacturing
• Performance quality/safety/reliability

Instructors and mentors will attend the review and will meet immediately following to discuss each prototype, but your team instructors will determine your final grade.