The class is organized and scheduled around the team project. Lectures are timed and structured to support the needs of the project. A range of lecture topics address product development process, project management, design methods, and relevant technologies.

Teams (identified by color) have a 3 hour lab each week which is dedicated to the management and review of the project. There are 6 or 7 teams typically, depending upon the size of the class. Each team consists of two lab sections, as illustrated in the project workflow.

The project provides the opportunity to experience the development of a real new product prototype. Each team has two faculty instructors, often assisted by outside mentors, to assist in their product development effort. The roles of different team members are described in the team manual.