After you’ve identified the problem and done your research, the next step is defining requirements and constraints. This step turns your understanding of the problem into clear, actionable guidelines for your design.
Requirements are the must-haves—what your solution needs to do to actually solve the problem. For example, if you’re designing a water filter for a rural community, requirements might include filtering a certain amount of water per day, meeting safety standards, or being easy to use. These requirements come directly from the problem you identified in Step 1—they make sure your solution actually addresses the real issue.
The requirements for your Senior Design project will depend on your department and problem/need you are trying to address. If you are unsure what is required for your project, reach out to your advisor. You can also find Department Specific Guidelines on the Senior Design Resources webpage.
Constraints are the limits you have to work within, like budget, available materials, size, time, or environmental rules. These often come from both the problem itself and the research you’ve done, and they help you figure out what’s realistic.
Defining requirements and constraints gives you a roadmap for your design. It keeps your ideas focused and practical, making sure the solution you create actually solves the problem and fits within the real-world limits. In short, this step bridges knowing what the problem is with knowing what a workable solution needs to look like.
You may find that you have many constraints during the development of your thesis such as funding limitations or time constraints due to balancing other course work or your personal life. Give yourself grace if you miss personal deadlines and factor in 'cushioning' so you can mitigate feeling overwhelmed. Cushioning is defined here as planing extra time around deadlines to compensate for unforeseen set backs.