MIT Courses
The three courses below constitute Professor Magee's major teaching duties for the last few years. He co-developed and co-teaches ESD.342 with Joel Moses and Dan Whitney. He co-developed ESD.83 with Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld and taught with him for 4 years and still co-leads the course. Professor Magee is section instruction for 2 sections 2.009 which is lead by Prof David Wallace. Chris is one of the instructors for UPOP each year since its 2002 founding and co-taught Systems Engineering (ESD.33) in 2002 and 2003.
ESD.342 Advanced System Architecture
This course provides a deep understanding of engineering systems at a level intended for research on complex engineering systems. It provides a review and extension of what is known about system architecture and complexity from a theoretical point of view while examining the origins of and recent developments in the field. The class considers how and where network theory has been applied, and uses key analytical methods proposed. Students examine the level of observational (qualitative and quantitative) understanding necessary for successful use of the theoretical framework for a specific engineering system. Case studies apply the theory and principles to engineering systems.
MIT OpenCourseWare Class Website
ESD.83 Engineering Systems Doctoral Seminar
Examines core theory and contextual applications of the emerging field of Engineering Systems. The focus is on doctoral-level analysis of scholarship on key concepts such as complexity, uncertainty, fragility, and robustness, as well as a critical look at the historical roots of the field and related areas such as systems engineering, systems dynamics, agent modeling, and systems simulations. Contextual applications range from aerospace to technology implementation to regulatory systems to large-scale systems change. Special attention is given to the interdependence of social and technical dimensions of engineering systems.
MIT OpenCourseWare Class Website
2.009 Product Engineering Processes
In 2.009, Product Engineering Processes, students work in large teams of approximately 15 to 18 individuals to design and build working alpha prototypes of new products. Students learn about creativity, product design, working within a budget, and gain unifying engineering experience.
The effort spans the early phases of product development, including: generating ideas; gathering customer and market data; selecting ideas, devising concepts and building sketch models; building and testing mockups; customer evaluation of mockups; embodiment design; and construction of a high quality functioning alpha prototype.
The large teams must work effectively to realize this task, so students also learn about group dynamics, team roles and management, consensus building, and the value of communication.
Each year the teams work on projects unified by a common theme. At the end of the class teams present their work to an audience of approximately 100 practicing product designers and entrepreneurs.
