Abstract
Product Realization Experiences in Capstone Design CoursesProduct realization is usually the main objective of most engineering processes.While the concept of realization is mostly limited to the physical build of aproduct the root of any realization starts at the conceptual level of the individualor engineering teams. Considering that engineering capstone design courses areusually centered on open- ended design projects, to provide students with teamwork and realistic design experience, it is imperative that both the concept ofrealization and the product development process be well understood whendesigning or teaching these courses.In most engineering settings the boundaries between design, problem solving, andresearch are not defined or existing due to the overlap and interconnectednessbetween all these three activities. In capstone design courses it is important tounderstand the three activities and when the transition from one to another hasoccurred. In this paper, the concept of realization is revisited to differentiate therole of design from problem solving and research and identify when one activityturns into another. Also, to improve the realization experience in the context ofengineering capstone design courses the product design and developmentprocesses are studied. Clear understanding of these processes and their relation torealization is the key for having realistic expectations and achieving the courseoutcomes. To illustrate the concepts and processes discussed several examples arepresented.