Technical Memo Requirements

The technical memo should address and demonstrate your experience in transfer or implementation of a design solution. The memo should describe the project, including the project goals and a brief description of the prototype/solution. Then the memo should describe in detail two of the following steps that have been taken with this project and your role in creating/completing those steps. In an appendix include additional documentation with supporting evidence of the two steps (e.g. patent application, charts/graphs of testing, user manuals, etc.). It should be clear that this is not an additional assignment or task, but a documentation of tasks that were completed and evaluated as part of a class or internship. Clarifying questions should be directed to Dr. Hunter at hunterd@rice.edu. Submitted materials will be reviewed by the EDES Minor faculty advisory board who will make the decision for substitution approval.

1. Testing (description of the test design, test results, and analysis)

2. Cost analysis or economics for manufacture (bill of materials, quotes for manufacture/assembly)

3. Intellectual property analysis (compelling feature, patent search, provisional patent application, invention disclosure)

4. Refined Design for Manufacture (technical drawings, spec sheet, assembly instructions)

5. Safety & Failure analysis (safety manual, regulations/standards, hazard analysis)

6. Manuals (user, maintenance, etc.)