Cover Sheet
SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS ASSESSMENT
Stakeholder Needs
Solution Concept Value Proposition
Solution Specifications
Team Name
Student Names
Course Number
Initials Used
Section
Term/Year
Instructor Name
Informed Consent
This assignment is being conducted in conjunction with a grant from the National Science Foundation. This is a
collaborative effort among the following institutions: Washington State University, University of Idaho, Seattle
University, and Tuskegee University. The purpose of the study is to develop rigorous classroom assessments that
can be used in senior engineering design capstone courses. The assessments are being pilot tested at a variety of
institutions and departments to determine their applicability across the nation. After assignments have been
completed, you students will be asked to provide brief feedback on the format and quality of the assessment.
After completion of the assignment, your work may be graded for course purposes (instructor clarifies this point).
After meeting any course requirements your assessments may be used as part of the aforementioned project to
improve capstone engineering design course assessments. Any information used in this project will be kept
anonymous. If you choose not to have your work included in the study, please see the instructor.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the Washington State University Institutional Review Board. If you
have any questions or concerns regarding this study you may call Mike Trevisan at (509) 335-7063. Should you
have questions or concerns regarding your rights as participants, you may call the WSU IRB at (509) 335-9661.
I have read this statement.
Student Signature
Date
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Solution Requirements Assessment (parts 1 and 2)
Purpose
Design solutions must satisfy a broad set of stakeholders to be successful. The best solutions satisfy users,
manufacturers, investors, technical specialists, and society at large. The purpose of this assessment is to
clarify and express your understanding of solution requirements to ensure that you will target the most
important needs as you create your design solution. This assessment provides you and others an
opportunity to check and refine your understanding of solution requirements for the best solution.
Overview of “Stakeholder Needs” and “Solution Concept Value Proposition”
In these two exercises, you will define the most important needs of different stakeholders that ought to be
satisfied by your design solution. You will identify key stakeholders, list their needs, and synthesize a
statement that communicates your understanding of value (benefits) resulting from the envisioned
solution.
Performance Criteria
You can judge your performance in these exercises by using the criteria presented below.
Criterion
REPRESENTATION OF
STAKEHOLDER GROUP
UNDERSTANDING OF MOST
IMPORTANT NEEDS
Criterion
AUDIENCE RELEVANCE
COMMUNICATION IMPACT
Amateur
Data not representative of
key stakeholder groups;
major omissions evident
Stakeholder Needs
Capable
Data fairly representative of
key stakeholder groups;
possible bias or voids
Expert
Data represents most
important groups; good
sampling and breadth
Some key needs identified;
several serious omissions;
wording very vague
Most important needs
identified; minor omissions;
wording generally good
All vital needs clearly
identified; wording shows
understanding of needs
Solution Concept Value Proposition
Amateur
Capable
Expert
Does not connect well with
Connects with all four
Connects very well with all
stakeholders; ignores values groups, but less well with at
four key stakeholder
of more than one key group least one key group’s values
groups’ values
Writing has little impact on
reader; not likely to
motivate project team
Writing has moderate
impact on reader; probably
will motivate project team
Writing makes compelling
case; highly motivating to
team & key stakeholders
Identifying your work
 Please do not write your names on your Solution Requirements worksheets. Instead, provide
your personal information (names, student IDs, etc.) on the cover sheet; on your worksheets
place only team name and your team members’ initials.
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Members’ Initials:
Team:
Date:
Stakeholder Needs
Instructions
Identify the most important needs to be satisfied by your project solution. For each stakeholder group:
(a) Describe your sources of information to represent the designated stakeholder group, and
(b) State the needs this group sees as most important to the success of your project.
Example Stakeholder: Ten potential users of the proposed product, varied ages, equal numbers of men and women
The solution must: (1) Perform better than existing products of similar function; (2) Be assembled with common tools
Customer or User:
The solution must:




Investor:
The solution must:




Technical Specialist:
The solution must:




Society at Large:
The solution must:




Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Members’ Initials:
Team:
Date:
Solution Concept Value Proposition
Instructions
Consider the mindset and values of each primary stakeholder group for your project. Strategize how to
communicate the value of your envisioned design solution concisely and compellingly to the broad set of
stakeholders you serve.
In the space provided below, write a one-paragraph concept value proposition that describes the problem
being addressed, the solution concept envisioned, and the most compelling benefits offered to
stakeholders by your intended solution.
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Solution Requirements Assessment (part 3)
Purpose
Design requirements must be defined with specificity and clarity that guide design efforts toward the best
solution. These requirements stem from needs of stakeholders, but they must clearly communicate needed
information to the design team. The purpose of this exercise is to sort, synthesize, and translate
stakeholder needs into clear, measurable “solution specifications.” After these are validated together with
stakeholders, refined over time, and used to make design decisions, the final design solutions will meet or
exceed expectations of everyone involved.
Overview of “Solution Specifications”
In this exercise, you will create a list of measurable design specifications (or, specs) that represents input
from all key stakeholder groups. This set of specifications will establish targets to be achieved in a highvalue design solution.
Performance Criteria
You can judge your performance in this exercise by using the criteria presented below.
Amateur
Specs vaguely written; unclear
definition of desired solution
state
Solution Specifications
Capable
Specs understandable &
focused on need; targets
moderately clear
Expert
Specs define targets with
clarity; everyone understands
requirements for success
VOICE OF
CUSTOMER
Addresses only most obvious
customer/user needs
Addresses most important
customer/user needs
Addresses all vital needs for
customer/user satisfaction
VOICE OF
BUSINESS
Cursory attention to financial
stakeholders interests
Addresses obvious financial
stakeholder interests
Addresses vital financial
stakeholder desires, concerns
VOICE OF
TECHNOLOGY
Allusion to technology-driven
limitations or barriers
Addresses obvious limitations
and barriers for the technology
Addresses strategic technical
challenges & opportunities
VOICE OF
SOCIETY
Cursory attention to ethical,
social or professional issues
Addresses obvious ethical,
social, professional issues
Addresses all key societal
issues, impacts, opportunities
Criterion
USEFULNESS OF
SPECIFICATIONS
Identifying your work
 Please do not write your names on your Solution Requirements worksheets. Instead, provide
your team’s personal information (names, student IDs, etc.) on the cover sheet; on your
worksheet place only your team name and your team members’ initials.
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Members’ Initials:
Team:
Date:
Solution Specifications
Instructions
Define the most important technical, business, regulatory, ethical, or other requirements or specifications
for your project solution. Be as specific as you can, defining the targeted states or conditions that must be
achieved for success (e.g., standards, codes). Be sure to include specifications that address needs of users,
investors, technical personnel, and society at large.
For each specification:
(a) Give a brief definition or description of the specification,
(b) Specify a desired condition (state or value) for achieving the specification, and
(c) State the importance of satisfying this requirement for you to achieve a successful solution.
Description of Specification
Targeted State
Import*
Example 1: Positioning accuracy for the reader head relative to reference
Example 2: Deformation (dent size) on enclosure after a 3-ft drop
Example 3: Outcome of review by Acme Safety Inspection Laboratories
+/- 0.02 mm
<10 sq. in.
Approval level 1
H
M
M
* Importance of this specification to the project’s success: E = essential, H = high, M = moderate, L = low
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Scoring Sheet: Solution Requirements Assessment (parts 1 and 2)
Members’ Initials:
Team:
Date:
Stakeholder Needs Scoring
Assign one score (integer or decimal between 1 and 5) based on the scale presented below for the
Stakeholder Needs worksheet. Use comments to highlight strengths or to suggest ways to make
improvements in this area of performance.
Criterion
REPRESENTATION OF
STAKEHOLDER GROUP
UNDERSTANDING OF MOST
IMPORTANT NEEDS
Score = 1
Data not representative of
key stakeholder groups;
major omissions evident
Stakeholder Needs
Score = 3
Data fairly representative of
key stakeholder groups;
possible bias or voids
Score = 5
Data represents most
important groups; good
sampling and breadth
Some key needs identified;
several serious omissions;
wording very vague
Most important needs
identified; minor omissions;
wording generally good
All vital needs clearly
identified; wording shows
understanding of needs
Stakeholder Needs Score: ______
Comments:
Solution Concept Value Proposition Scoring
Assign one score based on the scale below for the Solution Concept Value Proposition paragraph. Use
comments to highlight strengths or to suggest ways to make improvements in this area of performance.
Criterion
AUDIENCE RELEVANCE
COMMUNICATION IMPACT
Solution Concept Value Proposition
Score = 1
Score = 3
Score = 5
Does not connect well with
Connects with all four
Connects very well with all
stakeholders; ignores values groups, but less well with at
four key stakeholder
of more than one key group least one key group’s values
groups’ values
Writing has little impact on
reader; not likely to
motivate project team
Writing has moderate
impact on reader; probably
will motivate project team
Writing makes compelling
case; highly motivating to
team & key stakeholders
Solution Concept Value Proposition Score: ______
Comments:
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)
Scoring Sheet: Solution Requirements Assessment (parts 1 and 2)
Members’ Initials:
Team:
Date:
Solution Specifications Scoring
Assign one score (integer or decimal between 1 and 5) based on the scale presented below for the Solution
Specifications worksheet. Use comments to highlight strengths or to suggest ways to make improvements
in this area of performance.
Score = 1
Specs vaguely written; unclear
definition of desired solution
state
Solution Specifications
Score = 3
Specs understandable &
focused on need; targets
moderately clear
Score = 5
Specs define targets with
clarity; everyone understands
requirements for success
VOICE OF
CUSTOMER
Addresses only most obvious
customer/user needs
Addresses most important
customer/user needs
Addresses all vital needs for
customer/user satisfaction
VOICE OF
BUSINESS
Cursory attention to financial
stakeholders interests
Addresses obvious financial
stakeholder interests
Addresses vital financial
stakeholder desires, concerns
VOICE OF
TECHNOLOGY
Allusion to technology-driven
limitations or barriers
Addresses obvious limitations
and barriers for the technology
Addresses strategic technical
challenges & opportunities
VOICE OF
SOCIETY
Cursory attention to ethical,
social or professional issues
Addresses obvious ethical,
social, professional issues
Addresses all key societal
issues, impacts, opportunities
Criterion
USEFULNESS OF
SPECIFICATIONS
Solution Specifications Score: ______
Comments:
Solution Requirements Assessment for Capstone Design—Stakeholder Needs, Solution Concept Value Proposition, Solution Specifications
Copyright © Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE)