Design Specifications Activity

Procedure
Consult with your customer(s) or intended customer(s) and complete the following in your
engineering notebook. Use the information you gather to craft your design specification.

1. Who is the target consumer?

Divide the following list of criteria among your team members. Each team member will
then identify specific requirements necessary for a successful solution related to
each assigned element. Be as specific as possible and include measurable values
where applicable. For example, use “Within one second the device must warn the
vehicle driver and disengage the cruise control when the car attains a distance of
less than 50 ft directly between itself and another vehicle” rather than “The device
must warn the driver and slow the vehicle when the car is too close to an object.” Be
sure to identify the source(s) of the information on which you base each constraint.
Add additional criteria as needed.
● Customer Needs. What does the customer want/need?
According to our survey, 47.1% stated they had too many shoes and would
want to cut down on their collection
● Performance. What must the product be able to do? Be specific.
The product must be able to have a way to change the soles based on the
activity you need them for, as well as not breaking under the forces used with
these activities. This ultimately cuts down on cost of equipment and time spent
between activities.
● Target Cost. What is the anticipated cost to the consumer for this product?
55.8% of the people who took our survey stated that they would spend a
maximum of $100 on this product.
● Size and Weight. What size should the product be, or what restrictions to size
exist? What are the weight restrictions on the product?
Since this is a combination of pre-existing products, the limitations already exist
in the products created. We must ensure that no additional weight or unstable
factors are introduced that would put the wearer at risk of injury or inability to
complete tasks.
● Aesthetics. Are there preferences in the appearance features of the product
(color, surface treatment, shape, material)? If so, describe them.
The upper of the shoe is meant to be similar to that of a sock, so that any sole
you’d require can easily be attached and detached.
● Materials. Is there a specific material or materials that must be used? If yes,
describe it.
For the upper, some form of knitting or canvas will be needed for the shoe
since it allows for breathability and stretching to fit the feet. The soles will be
made of pre-existing soles which are constructed from polymers created in a
lab.
● Safety and Legal Issues. Identify potential safety and legal issues that may
arise from the use of this product.
The durability of the connection method of the sole to the shoe is the biggest
safety and legal factor, because if it breaks there is a chance the company
could be sued for negligent testing of the product. We could face legal issues
 for using pre-existing soles and uppers for the prototype of the shoe.
● Ergonomics. Identify considerations for the ergonomics of the product.
This product is designed to make people more efficient by allowing for the
quick changing of shoes based on the activities you must complete.
● Operating Environment. Identify the environmental conditions relevant to the
manufacture and use of the product (temperature, corrosion potential, dust or
dirt, pressure, humidity, vibration, noise, degree of abuse, etc.).
The use of the shoes create wear on the materials used and will eventually
wear down to the point where a replacement would be needed. All
environmental factors that could be affected are already present in modern day
shoes.
● Global Environment. Will the product include any toxic or dangerous
substances? What is the plan for disposal of the product at the end of its useful
life?
Just like normal shoes, there are processes already in place by companies like
Nike and Adidas to break down old shoes and reuse the materials in new
products. Since this is a re-imagination of a existing product, the same plan
can be put into place.
● Service Life. What is the required service life of the product?
With continuous use, on average, most shoes have a service life of 6 months
to a year, or approximately 500 miles of walking.
● Product Life. What is the anticipated length of time that the product will be
produced before it is replaced by a newer version or alternate product?
This is a shoe that is meant to cut down on the cost of buying new shoes every
year. The upper is meant to last for a year or more, while we plan to produce
new soles based on the need of the customer.
● Durability and Maintenance. Will the product require routine maintenance
during its service life? If yes, answer the following.
o What specific parts of the product must have easy access for
maintenance?
The sole attachment must be easy to work on should something ever
break
o What is the anticipated maintenance schedule?
The maintenance schedule is the same as that of normal everyday
shoes
o Are special tools required? How will they be acquired?
At the moment no special tools will be required
o Will replacement parts be required? How will they be acquired?
Should something break, you could purchase a replacement part
through a store or our online website.
● Additional Criteria

2. As a team prioritize your list of criteria from most important to least important.
2, 5, 1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
3. As a team list applicable constraints that the designer must work within. Be specific.
In other words, listing “time” as a constraint is not acceptable – you must state
specifically how much time is available for the design process.
● With the sole taking 2 weeks to produce, the mesh 3 weeks, and the leather 4
weeks, it is safe to say the total shoe assembly would take an initial 5 weeks
to produce, but as materials become readily available, this time is reduced.
● The sole must be able to attach and detach a sole
● The sole must be able to withstand forces that won’t break the attachment
method
● The shoe must be able to perform in the advertised activity