INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVICE ENGINEERING DESIGNERS' CONSIDERATION OF CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

Abstract Engineering designers are encouraged to consider relevant contextual factors throughout their design processes. However, specific practices for incorporating context into processes lacking in the existing literature, and curricula related use of during is limited. As a preliminary step toward characterizing novice engineering designers' factors, we qualitatively coded 10 mechanical capstone reports factors; half projects had domestic sponsors with varying themes, other international global health theme. Our findings showed that teams considered technological institutional most frequently; were less frequently. Global themed more than non-global teams. There was considerable variability among considered, as well stages which they considered. These outcomes have potential inform development pedagogical tools support acquisition skills formally addressing