ECE 405 Design Report Format

The following format is meant as a loose outline. Your actual report may vary in specific format, but all the information should be included in an organized, logical manner. The format best suited to a particular design problem will depend on the exact problem. The paper should be about 10 to 25 pages (double-spaced), plus appendices. Use your own creativity and judgement in laying out your paper. Remember, your design is only good if you can get your boss, or the bank, to back it. Therefore, effectively communicating your design ideas is of primary importance.

Format Outline

1. Title page (title, names, date, etc.)

2. Table of contents with page numbers for: different sections, figures, schematics, appendices, etc.

3. Introduction/Statement of problem, specifications for design. Optional - important features of your design.

4. The design - presented in a top-down, hierarchical manner with supporting analysis, block diagrams, graphs, figures, etc. Discuss any difficulties encountered in building and getting it to work - did you solve them? how? If not, why not? This section will need to be broken down into more subsections.

5. Alternative designs - design alternatives/modifications which were considered are presented along with reasons for rejection (this may be optional or may belong in an apppendix).

6. Conclusions - summary to clearly show why the design recommended is the best.

7. Appendices - cost analysis, parts list, data sheets, background information, theory, references, etc.

General: reports should be typed, double spaced, page numbers in upper right hand corner. DO NOT put in plastic folder, simply staple in upper left hand corner.