THI: Lesson - Processes

Processes

When you think of the word process, what comes to mind? Perhaps a project you completed for a different class, a real-world scenario, or maybe what it will take for you to experience your meaning of success in life. Whether the imagined example is school related or from the pages of your life, we understand that a process describes the necessary steps and/or instructions that must be followed in order to achieve success.

The image shows a person contemplating a flow chart.

Application

Let’s apply this definition to your life.

  • Are you a video gamer? Is there a process that one should follow to win or move on to the next level?
  • Are you interested in working in culinary arts? Is there a process to follow when cooking or ensuring one’s safety in that environment?
  • How about making your bed…brushing your teeth…preparing for the school day?

Processes are involved in our daily living activities and are beneficial in accomplishing so many desired goals.

Engineering Design Process

Let's look at one example of a process: the Engineering Design Process. The presentation and delivery of the Engineering Design Process includes 5-7 elements/components.  The model we will reference has seven elements:

  • Step 1: Identify the problem or challenge
  • Step 2: Brainstorm
  • Step 3: Plan and Design
  • Step 4: Build and Create
  • Step 5: Test and Analyze
  • Step 6: Reflect and Improve
  • Step 7: Communicate

We'll explore a few other processes in this course, but you'll notice that the first step is always going to be identifying a problem. Remember this as the key to these processes - you are looking for ways to solve problems.

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