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2.14 Break Project Idea into Components

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Assignment Deliverables

  1. A list of the main different components of your project concept at this time. Each item should have a sentence or two description of what it is and how it fits into the project. (.docx, .pdf)
    • Label file YYYYMMDD Lastname Firstname Break Project Into Components

Overview

We have initial thoughts and ideas for electronics arts projects. These will likely change and get refined over time.

In most large projects it is helpful to break the whole into smaller components. That way each piece can be considered and troubleshooted individually without holding up progress. Impossible items can be found and modified quickly before it is too late to change.

Choose one or more of your ideas and break it into smaller actions, sequences and components. For example, a plane doesn’t just fly from Airport A to Airport B. It takes off, climbs in altitude, cruises, descends for landing, and lands. This doesn’t include many other things such as fueling, passengers boarding, safety demonstrations, moving the jetbridge. The operations of a plane are complex but as the whole procedure is broken into smaller components, each smaller bit becomes more understandable on its own.

Toaster Example

For example, if you wanted to make a toaster you might break it up into the following list:

  • Get electricity to device? How much?
  • Make way to heat toast
  • Design place for toast to sit
  • Add clock or timer
  • Add sensor to determine if toast is done
  • Design mechanism to eject toast
  • Determine distribution of heat
  • Have user input to decide on “doneness”

There will be many parts of your project you might have no idea how to do. No problem. Do your best to describe each thing that must happen for your project to work. Then each part can be investigated and experimented with individually.

Requirements

The final projects must at a minimum:

  • Have user input
  • Connect to something via wireless communication
  • Make light
  • Make sound
  • Sense the environment
  • Do something based on this information