Create Value (EM Strategy)

Implementation and Timing: The WHEN, WHERE, and HOW

Encouraging students to create value can be done throughout a project or with a single assignment. Creating value and the entrepreneurial mindset can be applied in a wide range of approaches, including simply introducing a topic to more advanced technical skill development [4]. 

Creating value is a relative concept, but it means that students are considering the social, societal, personal (and economic) value that is created in their ideas, solutions, and designs. This kind of customer or user focus, much like human-centered design, has been shown to ‘lead to more effective designs as well as providing students with an opportunity to learn about the community and the context’ [5, p. 156].

Even first-year engineering courses can have moderate coverage of potential value evaluation for a project [4]. Embedding and creating value in a class can be done at any time of the semester and across modalities, including in-person and online courses. It can even be done with out-of-class learning opportunities and experiences. A few ideas to implement are below.

Ideas for Implementation

• Think critically about societal impact. Faculty can encourage students to think critically about the societal impact of their designs by leading class discussions. This should also be an opportunity to challenge their assumptions and think creatively. Students can consider questions such as [2]:
• Use real-world examples. Show students examples of projects that have successfully created value for their customers, stakeholders, or society. This will help students understand the practical applications of creating value in their field. Using real-world examples can be implemented in lectures, discussions, assignments, or additional learning materials provided (e.g., articles, case studies).
• Integrate ethical considerations into assignments. This could include asking students to reflect on ethical implications, including the environmental, social, safety, or privacy considerations of their design. A few examples:
  • Ethics and individual project report by Ryan Meuth (Dropbox): In this report, students reflect on their project contributions and describe the value personally created for their customers, in economic, social, and/or environmental context. An ethics slide deck is also included.
  • PESTLE analysis. This considers many non-engineering factors that can impact the success of a product or solution for implementation. PESTLE is a framework to consider the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors or data in their design.
• Integrate creating value in projects. Provide students with the opportunity to communicate how their design or project creates value. This can be through reflection assignments, class presentations, or discussions with group members. A few examples:
  • 200-level course assignment about Capstone Design Project by Michael Goryll (Dropbox): This assignment allows students to address why the project is needed, state a clear and concise mapping between design choices and proposed values, and make changes based on stakeholder feedback.
  • Value Propositions and Business Model Canvas. While business is in the title, the Business Model Canvas (BMC) applies to any social or nonprofit ideas, as well. It is a tool to help engineers consider 9 building blocks of feasibility, desirability, and viability. One building block is the Value Proposition which considers a specific customer segment and the kinds of value that an engineering solution creates. Check out the “How does my idea fit into a business model canvas?” resources from J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute.
• Encourage experiential experiences. There are several co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities for Fulton students to get hands-on, real-world experiences designing engineering solutions that create value. Faculty can help students navigate the best Fulton Difference Program that is right for them depending on the student’s academic level, time commitments, and modality preferences. Students can engage in programs that range from semester-long research opportunities to weekend design experiences. Experiential experiences provide engineering students the opportunity to apply theories, develop technical skill sets, design for a customer, and gain exposure to different disciplines.