How To Analyse Collaborative Practices of Engineering Students

In this paper we present two pedagogical experiences to analyse and stimulate the collaborative design activities of products as part of the formation programme for future engineers. The first one is a game based on the adaptation of the Delta Design game developed at M.I.T. The principle of the game is to co-imagine an automotive in Lego® blocks with functions and rules assigned for several students. The software used (MLCad) provides for a shared and distributed use of the game. The core objective is to create a situation that brings the students together in a way that encourages them to experiment with different designs by making compromises, overcoming conflicts, and working within the constraints of the game. The second one is a design contest called “24h for Innovation” based on the challenge to design an industrial product in only 24 hours. The underlying theory of these experiences is that by encouraging collaboration among each other when addressing the different obstacles and variables encountered, the students will have a better understanding of their own behaviour and the behaviour of other members.