PD21: Engineering Workplace Skills II: Developing Effective Plans

PD21: Engineering Workplace Skills II: Developing Effective Plans introduces students to the engineering design process, a framework they can use to solve problems and satisfy stakeholders in their workplaces. How do you make sure your project fulfills all of your client’s needs? How do you choose between a handful of viable solutions? Can you create a compelling presentation that convinces everyone you’ve finished the job? Students who take PD21 can answer all of these questions with confidence upon finishing the course.

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What do PD21 students do?

  • Use project management skills to create work breakdown and linear responsibility charts
  • Select valid decision criteria for a decision matrix
  • Use morphological analysis to develop a feasible prototype

Student testimonials

  • "Great, relevant, up-to-date content with relevant examples and assignment problems."
  • "I learned how to critically analyze problems and break down large engineering problems into smaller, manageable subtasks."

Course instructor

Peter Teertstra

peter teertstra

Dr. Teertstra is a continuing lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He completed his undergraduate degree in engineering at Calvin College and his MASc and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Waterloo. He became the director of the Student Design Centre, the home of many of the Faculty of Engineering's student teams, in 2010.

Contact information

You can reach the PD21 course team at pd21@uwaterloo.ca.