DESIGN PROCESS - Define Goals & Objectives

To begin with, a designer needs to clearly define the problem: what is the goal of the design, and what constraints exist that will provide limits for the design.

Some possible goals for the design of the solar car are:

to make the race-winning model solar car
to make a stylish model solar car
to make a sturdy, robust solar car

Constraints are the limitations that are imposed upon the design by the designer or by the problem itself. In designing a model solar car some constraints imposed by the designer might be:

Materials will cost less than $20 and be easy to find
The car must be constructed in 8 weeks

In addition, there are constraints imposed by the rules, such as:

The car must be powered only by a solar panel and a motor provided in the kit
The car must be within the specified size limits
The solar panel cannot be structural member of the car

Defining the goals and constraints helps focus the designer's time and effort on the most important areas.