Testing in Engineering Design: What Are We Teaching

Abstract

Although testing is critical in industries, the general approaches of testing in engineering design are under-represented in academia. This research investigates the current state of testing based on design textbooks. The findings suggest there is no clear definition of testing. Testing appears in different design stages with adjacent concepts such as prototyping, experimentation, verification, and validation. The processes of testing and its role within engineering design are ambiguous. Recommendations to design educators are provided, and the limitations of the study are discussed.