This module is where I showcase my ability to demonstrate practical applications of generic skills in engineering, whilst relating them to professional settings in order to establish a professional mindset.
Contents
Use of Relevant Materials, Tools, Processes and Products
> Arduino IDE
To be able to use my Arduino, I have coded in C++ using Arduino IDE; a free program that allows me to write code, verify it, and upload it to the Arduino.
If IDE finds any errors in the code, it tells me what the error is, where the error is, and how to rectify it (as demonstrated below). This acts as a second pair of eyes and helps me to analyse my code.
I am able to learn to code and get advice on code by using Arduino’s website. Arduino’s website has a lot of forums that help me to solve problems that I may come across, as well as tutorials for finite problems.
For example, my code needed to include instructions for a 16×2 LCD screen. However, unlike code emulators such as FlowCode, I needed to download the library; files which provide my code (aka sketch) with extra functionality. The library was freely available on their website.
I was also able to learn how to embed code into this website, which you can see on DE503.
> Use of Arduino IDE for Function Analysis
Whilst working on any code using Arduino IDE, I find the Serial Monitor to be an incredibly useful tool. It allows me to keep a close eye on the data being sent between my microcontroller and other components in my circuit. I can see any inconsistencies that might arise
This way, I can make adjustments to my code to make sure that my readings are always consistent and accurate. In regards to the GROWfessor, I can tell whether the probes are being kept still, or if they are moving, if the value between two times changes drastically.
a clip from the video showing off the first prototype. you can see me using IDE’s serial monitor to track resistance readings.
The serial monitor is an essential part of my workflow for analyzing and troubleshooting any issues that might arise.
> The pJr Website & Web Dev Skills
As mentioned in DE501, this website has undergone a major redesign, which helped the website feel a lot cleaner, by editing the navigation bar, colour scheme, and page layouts.
I also captioned all new images and all existing videos, giving them all a description, so viewers knew what they were looking at.
By following the suggestions listed on the Design Engineering Blog, I was encouraged to learn to use tools such as hyperlinks, embedding, and captioning. This allowed me to present my work in a more aesthetically pleasing and clearer manner to those who will look at this portfolio.
Below you can find the new Website Structure Diagram, which Nulab defines as “a pictorial sitemap that provides a breakdown of all the pages and navigational paths within the website.”
This site map was created using LucidChart, and uses the same lime green, white, and black colour scheme as the website.
> Video Editing
A part of my portfolio involves a video log, where I show updates and videos of content ranging from exploratory design to a soldering project. Most videos involve voice-over commentary, images and subtitles, which enhance the video’s quality.
I use DaVinci Resolve to edit my videos, and I use Audacity to record audio. Above you can see a video timeline of the moisture tester kit video, where you can see the audio clips in green, videos and images in blue, and captions and subtitles in brown. Videos are recorded by myself, usually using one of two phones that I own, as well as my webcam. Voiceovers are recorded using a microphone on my PC and is then edited in Audacity. Depending on the recorded raw footage, editing videos can take anywhere from 30 mins to two days.
My editing style is quite similar to that of Mark Rober – an ex-NASA engineer with a YouTube channel with over 23 million subscribers. His videos mainly pander to preteens and students, but uphold a professional and slick editing style, which comes across as both entertaining and captivating. By using Mark Rober as an inspiration, I used a lot of similar tonalities which he uses in his videos in my voice-overs, as well as some of the same music and sound effects.
In conclusion, video editing is a very useful asset that I hold and I am glad that I was able to use it in this project.
Development of Professional Skills
> Gantt Chart(s)
Below you can find a Gantt Chart, which tells you my plan for the year ahead, as well as what I’ve done so far. You can click on the images of the Gantt Charts to view them in full screen.
Version 1
This first Gantt Chart was made using a template on Microsoft Excel. I found this template quite hard to use, and I struggled to use the calculation in Excel. It can be viewed online by clicking here.
However I managed to barely make a plan with it, but it still wasn’t all that clear. The Excel sheet was also very wide and difficult to navigate when it was embedded in the website before it was replaced with a hyperlinked screenshot.
Version 2
This new and improved Gantt Chart allows me to have the full-year plan on one screen. I can also add a note into the square, where I can summarise my action for the week.
This Gantt Chart is a modernised (and revised) version of the first iteration and was designed using LucidChart. This chart can be viewed by clicking here.
Version 2.1
This is an updated version of the Gantt Chart above. I have pushed development for one more week so that I can do some experiments using the second prototype. I have also edited the end date for the launch of the product, from the Week Beginning May 15th to the Week Beginning May 8th (to finish on Friday, May 12th).
> Notion Scheduling
As well as Gantt charts, I also plan my weeks if I have a lot on my plate. This is usually done in Notion. I mix my personal and academic goals for the week together and plan my goals the night before each day.
For example, below you can see a plan for the Week Beginning March 13th.
As you can tell by the personal tone, this plan is for personal use only and is “translated” professionally in the Gantt charts above.
Planning my week helps me to keep a level head, and spread out larger tasks across multiple days. It also helps me to keep on top of my spiritual health i.e. my relationship with God, which sets a precedent for how I approach everything else during the week.
The full page can be viewed on Notion by clicking here.
> SWOT Analysis
MindTools defines a SWOT Analysis as “a framework for analyzing your strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats that you face.” SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Below is a SWOT Analysis that I completed for myself.
As you can see, my SWOT analysis helps me to focus on my strengths, minimize my weaknesses, and take the greatest possible advantage of opportunities available to me. For example, I have stated that I have experience in video and audio editing; and I have used these skills in my own work in various videos that I have produced in my portfolio.
I have also addressed some of my weaknesses; specifically, the problem I had with sharing some problems that I may come across in my projects. I have approached this by attending Action Learning Sets (ALS) with my peers, where I detail my progress and challenges faced from the preceding week. This has allowed me to be open and honest, and receive and receive feedback and advice from other people.
In conclusion, the SWOT analysis has really helped me to consider the weaknesses that I must address, and opportunities that I can take with the strengths that I have.
> Progress Report Presentation
This is a presentation on an update given to my peers about the progress that I’ve made within florensics. This involves things considering all four aspects of my development as a design engineer, including design, professional practice, maths, science and analysis, and wider contexts.
This presentation was given in front of peers and lecturers and involved a life demonstration of my prototype working, a walkthrough of my code, a review of my PDS, and some future plans.
This allowed me to develop professional skills like creating and delivering presentations, as well as using IT and collating work and information in a presentable manner.
The full presentation can be viewed of Prezi by clicking here.
> Work in Progress Show
The Work in Progress Show was an event run by the School of Architecture, Technology, and Engineering. This is where students that study Product Design and Design Engineering could show any projects that they were in the process of completing.
I had the chance to display my prototype of the GROWfessor, and speak to people who were interested in what I was developing. I received feedback ranging from praise to recommendations; like this product being used in places such as offices, airports and even hospitals, where plants need care, but nobody has the time to care for them.
But most importantly, what this showed me, was that there was a gap in the market, and a demand from people who wanted to look after plants, but never had the intention to invest time into it; this is the barrier that florensics is looking to break through. By using technology as a mediator to solve the problem of dying plants and forgetful plant owners around the world.
> CV Progression
A CV, which stands for curriculum vitae, is a cover letter used when applying for jobs. It includes a summary of my skills, education, and experience, helping to sell my abilities to employers. In the USA and Canada CVs are known as résumés.
Here I will show you the progression of my CV, and how I improved each version. You can click each image to take you to the full version of each CV.
In this CV, I have managed to put break down my things into sections, like a personal statement, key skills, employment, and education. I also included hobbies and interests, as well as some references.
In this version, I rewrote my personal statement to be more industry-focused, by including appropriate words and phrases, such as “quality assurance” and “mechanical design”.
I also added all relevant current and past education, such as college qualifications and current university modules.
Adittinonaly, I expanded upon some of my hobbies and interests, including what I do for pleasure, and my faith.
In the current version of my CV, I added more information about my development at university. I spoke about projects where I have used creativity and skills such as poster making, CAD, and teamwork.
I reduced the education section by only including the core GCSEs; English, Science, and Maths.
I updated my employment history and moved key skills and achievements further down, following the CV guidance given to me by the XE421 Example CV.
As well as updating the face of my profile, I also attempted some LinkedIn Skills Assessments, which LinkedIn says, “allows you to demonstrate your knowledge of the skills you’ve added on your profile by completing assessments specific to those skills.
A typical assessment consists of 15 multiple-choice questions; each question tests at least one concept or subskill. The questions are timed and must be completed in one session.”
I took an exam for SolidWorks and passed on the second attempt, and took one for PowerPoint, and passed on the first attempt.
I believe that these actions are essential in establishing a professional online presence and showcasing my skills and knowledge in the industry.
As I continue to develop my skills, I plan to leverage LinkedIn and other professional networks to expand my network and gain insights into my field.
Codes of Practice
> BS8888
As part of my product development, I used BS8888, a British standard for technical product documentation, to create technical drawings. The standard provides guidance on the format and presentation of technical information to ensure clarity, consistency, and accuracy in communication.
By applying the guidelines set out in BS 8888, I was able to create technical drawings that were clear, accurate, and easy to understand. For example, I followed the standard’s guidelines for dimensioning, notation, and layout, which helped to ensure that my drawings were consistent with industry best practices and easy to interpret by others.
By following this standard, I was able to produce high-quality technical documentation that meets industry standards and can be easily understood and interpreted by others in my field.
Collaborative Team Working
> Team Roles Test
This team roles test is inspired by ideas on team roles theories, generalized competency frameworks, and knowledge of the Big Five personality theory.
Below are my results of a team roles test.
The full test can be viewed here.
My top two roles were the innovator and the executive.
The innovator is defined as the creative generator of a team. They have a strong imagination and a desire to be original.
The executive is defined as someone who is generally disciplined and eager to get the job done. They are efficient, practical, and systematic.
My lowest two roles are the completer and the chairperson.
The completer is defined as conscientious and someone who feels responsible for the team’s achievements. They are also known as the finisher because they are most effectively used at the end of a task, to polish and scrutinize the work for errors.
The chairperson is defined as someone who has a strong coordinating role. With an emphasis on procedures, the chairperson will try to bring and keep the team together.
With this knowledge, with any group projects that will come up, I will aim to take roles where I can elevate my skills by being a completer, rather than someone at the helm of creativity.
This test was very helpful in allowing me to be aware of any skills or roles that are my strengths or weaknesses.
> 01/12/2022 – CISC x UOB Design Engineering
A few peers and I had the privilege to be able to visit the Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre (CISC for short). They are located at the University of Sussex.
We were presented with a “portable MRI scanner”, as seen below. This low-field MRI scanner is considered a revolution that could change the healthcare field forever.
Due to its portability and relatively low weight compared to its high-field counterpart, it is considered to be much more accessible in places where such technology is available, nor funded; such as LDCs.
However, as a group of design engineers, we were presented with a few problems that we, as a team, had the responsibility of coming up with some solutions. The problems we approached were:
- The ineffective of wheels being used as the medium of mobility.
- Excessive sound emission from radio waves and magnetic fields
- Alternative casts and moulds for smaller body parts, such as the skull or the knee.
After being presented with these problems, we got to work and designated ourselves some roles and responsibilities, with my classmate Emily at the helm of it all. Emily was our elected team leader, and was the middleman between our team and CISC; she started us off by creating a shared point of collaboration using OneNote, which can be accessed by clicking the animation below.
We also made an effort to meet on Microsoft Teams, to discuss preliminary ideas, and share any updates. You can see the minutes for these meetings below.
My responsibility was creating the brochure that we would present to CISC, which compiled all of my peers’ ideas together. I created this threefold brochure on Canva and included all of our ideas, notes, and contact information.
This brochure can be viewed on Canva by clicking here.
As we continue to meet and generate ideas, the brochure will continue to be updated, and eventually be presented to the staff at CISC.
> Action Learning Sets
Action Learning Sets (ALS) are weekly sessions where I detail my progress and challenges faced from the preceding week. This has allowed me to be open and honest, and receive and receive feedback and advice from other people.
These sessions have also given me a chance to develop as a professional, by taking opportunities to improve notation and dictation.
Every week someone is responsible for taking note of everyone’s progress and next steps. I volunteered to do this the first week that this responsibility was presented. Below you will find minutes that I have taken during an ALS, that I distributed amongst my peers after the session via e-mail and WhatsApp.
Taking this responsibility upon myself, as well as making sure I attend these sessions as much as possible, ensures that I am becoming more comfortable and familiar with meeting environments.
It also gives me the opportunity to edify my skills in listening and taking minutes, which could prove to be useful skills in the industry.
Action Learning Sets are in no doubt, an integral part of how I have developed professionally as a design engineer.