TME 4025 - Product Design and Development
Conceive. Design. Prototype.
Product Design and Development (TME 4025) is a full-year course (fall/winter) that may be taken in place of the senior design course/final-year capstone design project in most engineering programs.
Projects are self-selected based on students identifying a technology-centric business opportunity that aligns with their engineering discipline.
Students, working in teams of four, apply modern design tools and entrepreneurship practices to:
- Identify a real-world problem,
- Conceive a design that addresses that problem, and
- Build a prototype that implements the design.
Design a technically feasible and commercially viable product
The curriculum supports students to systematically explore and mature their idea through a process that guides them to:
- Better understand the potential users from their point of view,
- Identify market opportunities via performing extensive research, and
- Testing the ideas with members of their target market.
We are looking for change makers
TME 4025 focuses on students who are passionate in making the world a better place.
- Students who want to take charge and create their own future
- Students with strong technical skills who want to apply your skills in a way that brings meaning to their life
- Students who are "coachable"
TME 4025 only takes up to five teams per year. Each team must have four students.
Check the list of companies supported by the J Herbert Smith Centre through its many programs, including TME 4025.
Support and resources
TME 4025 students have access to additional resources in comparison to ENG 4000:
- Business mentors
- Designer-in-residence
- Executive-in-residence
- Engineer-in-residence
- Up to $10,000 for prototype development through the Technology Commercialization Program (TCP)
- Potential travel funds through the Merrithew-de Grandpre TME Travel and Commercialization Fund
The process
- Fill out and submit the TME 4025 - Senior Design Interest Form. This will indicate to us that you are interested in being considered for TME 4025;
- Students should still register for the senior design course that is offered by their engineering department (check the final step);
- Form a four student team and brainstorm ideas that resonate with this team;
- Choose one idea and prepare a five minute pitch presentation (introducing the team, the problem you want to solve and why it is important, the initial product idea, and the technical skills the team possesses to build the product within the timeframe of the course);
- Present the pitch to the TME panel in early September (teams will be informed of all the details in advance);
- If accepted*, the team needs to fill out a Permission Form that will be signed by the students, the Academic/Department Advisor, and the TME Chair/Instructor – this will essentially move their registration from the students’ engineering department senior design course to TME 4025.
*Students should hear back from the TME panel 2-3 business days after their presentation.
Most disciplines can opt to take TME 4025 instead of their department specific senior design course (i.e. ENGG 4000 or Other), however, some departments have specific guidelines and rules to be considered. Also, students need to have met the prerequisites for the senior design course in their engineering program.
Contact us
If you have any questions, reach out to us at tme@unb.ca.
