While scientists study how nature works, engineers create new things, such as products, websites, environments, and experiences. Because engineers and scientists have different objectives, they follow different processes in their work. Scientists perform experiments using the scientific method; whereas, engineers follow the creativity-based engineering design process.
Both processes can be broken down into a series of steps, as seen in the diagram and table.
12/18/2014 Comparing the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific Method
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Comparing the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific
Method
While scientists study how nature works, engineers create new things, such as products, websites, environments, and
experiences. Because engineers and scientists have different objectives, they follow different processes in their work.
Scientists perform experiments using the scientific method; whereas, engineers follow the creativityÂbased
engineering design process.
Both processes can be broken down into a series of steps, as seen in the diagram and table.
12/18/2014 Comparing the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific Method
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/engineeringÂdesignÂprocess/engineeringÂdesignÂcompareÂscientificÂmethod.shtml 2/4
12/18/2014 Comparing the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific Method
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The Scientific Method The Engineering Design Process
State your question Define the problem
Do background research Do background research
Formulate your hypothesis, identify variables Specify requirements
Design experiment, establish procedure Create alternative solutions, choose the best one and
develop it
Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment Build a prototype
Analyze your results and draw conclusions Test and redesign as necessary
Communicate results Communicate results
Steps of The Scientific Method
(http://www.sciencebuddies.org/scienceÂfairÂ
projects/project_scientific_method.shtml#samples)
Steps of The Engineering Design Process
(http://www.sciencebuddies.org/engineeringÂdesignÂprocess/engineeringÂdesignÂ
processÂsteps.shtml)
Keep in mind that alt