SHIFT Learning by Design Child Development Department swag

This paragraph appears in search results and previews for this page. In three to five sentences, summarize the whole project from background to result: what you designed, for whom, where and when, why it matters, and how it turned out. Write this last. It should make sense to someone who has never heard of your project, your client, or Humboldt County.

Describe the background of the project, covering who, what, when, why, and where: the client, the site, the course (Engr205 Introduction to Design at Cal Poly Humboldt), the semester, and your team. This page will be read by people around the world and in the future, so give enough context that a stranger understands it. Refer to your images in the text, e.g., Figure 1 shows the site before the project.

Images uploaded to Appropedia must be free to share and uniquely named. Start each file name with your project name, e.g., CCAT_compost_bin_background.jpg. Use File:Default.png as a placeholder until you have the real image. Give every image alt text (alt=) that describes it for readers using screen readers; the caption is what everyone reads, the alt text is what the image shows.

The objective of this project is to design, build, and test a... Write this so that a reader would know when the project is complete. You will refine this statement throughout the semester.

In this section, we will discuss analysis of our project and how it relates to our design considerations. We will start by going over specifications and considerations before showing a weighted design criterion chart. Finally, we will go over how our products will be used, as well as quantity information.

The specifications for this project come from what is required from the client, as well as the limits imposed by our budget and course design. The specifications for this project include:

• the client and client liaison
• Necessary department information
• The maximum budget and where that budget comes from
• A minimum number of each product
• Text must be legible on each product
• Cal Poly Humboldt branding must go on each product

The considerations for this project include:

• Tool/machine availability, including 3D printers, CNC machines, and laser engravers.
• How long it takes each machine to produce one unit of each product.
• The recipients of the swag and how they will interact with the designs
• How easily reproducible each design will be for future use.

The following table will list the most important criteria that we considered while planning the production of our products. Because we are working with several products, for each criterion we may have different constraints for each product. The weights are chosen based off of both the clients needs and our abilities as engineering students.

Table 2: Criteria and constraints for SHIFT Learning By Design Child Development Department Swag Designs.

Criterion	Constraint	Weight (0–10, 10 highest)
Project Cost	Maximum of $625.00	10
Production Cost	Maximum of $5.00 per life-span spinner. Maximum of $1.00 per bookmark. Maximum of $3.00 per brain keychain. Maximum of $2.00 per neuron.	9
Mass Producibility	Minimum of 20 life-span spinners. Minimum of 50 bookmarks. Minimum of 20 brain keychains. Minimum of 50 neurons.	8
Durability	At least a month of constant use before breaking.	7
Feel/Sensory	Sizes of products must be reasonable in hand and use.	6
Usability	Must be operable or readable by audience.	6

These products will be handed out at conventions or events by the childhood development department for the purposes of recruitment. For this reason, a mass quantity must be produced. The objective is that the products will last at least a month so that their advertisement will take effect. It would be optimal if our designs allow the department to continue production in the future.

This literature review is an annotated bibliography. Introduce it in one to two sentences that name the topics covered and why they matter for this project. Group entries under topic headings (Client first, then 4-12 topics relevant to your design, such as materials, similar projects, local climate, or user needs).

Minimum sources per team member: one peer-reviewed journal article, one book, and two credible web sources, plus the client sources your team needs. More credible sources are welcome.

Each entry has three parts:

1. The citation in ASCE format. Either place it inside a named footnote, as in the examples below, so it appears under References and can be reused elsewhere on the page with <ref name="Smith2020" />, or write it out in full at the start of the entry. Pick one approach and use it for the whole page.
2. Summary (two to three sentences): what the source is and what it says. Write it in your own words.
3. Relevance (one to two sentences): how it informs this design, e.g., a criterion, a constraint, an alternative, or a decision.

Aim for 75-150 words per entry. No plagiarism: summarize, do not copy. Quote sparingly and always in quotation marks with a citation.

The client is the Cal Poly Humboldt Child Development Department and they are looking for products to hand out at recruitment events. They are looking for small, easily producible, high quantity knick-knacks that will convey information about who/what they are. It is important that the item catches peoples attention and adequately describes the departments mission and values. It is also important that the products we create can be reproduced in some capacity after our initial supply of products to the department. Lastly, it is important to our client that the cost of production is not exorbitant.

Client interview^[1]

Summary: Our group interviewed Dr. Meenal Rana, who is the Advisor of the Child Development Association at Cal Poly Humboldt, and Lauren Parker, the Administrative Support Coordinator at Cal Poly Humboldt. During the interview, Dr. Rana discussed the general expectations of our products and how they might be used in the future. Lauren Parker added to Dr. Rana's discussion, making clear the requirements for using university logo's and branding.

Relevance: From this interview, the criteria of quantity and school branding, the constraint of cost, and the consideration of different designs all came from this interview. All of these parameters will be relevant to the research, design, and production of our products.

Interview

Client website^[2]

Summary: The Department of Child Development website is an all encompassing department overview that first describes the department concisely. They have further information on their child development lab, as well as descriptions and information on their program options. These include, a bachelors in child development and relationships, as well as a bachelors in child development elementary education. the major programs are accompanied by four different minors. The website then goes into their educational directives which include being community driven, led by research, and place an emphasis on learning through their child development lab. Finally, the website showcases post-graduation career options, featured alumni, and achievements from the department, most of which being led by Dr. Meenal Rana.

Relevance: This website is relevant to our project because it gives us a very solid understanding of the values, objectives, and accomplishments of the program we are advertising. This website will inform us of what information is pertinent to our design considerations. Lastly, this website is where we want to primarily drive people towards with our branded products.

Web

It is important to have an understand of material properties and costs when deciding what to use for an engineering project

Modeller's Guide to Mould Making and Resin Casting^[3]

Summary: Modeller’s Guide to Mould Making and Resin Casting is a book that goes over methods for creating and utilizing molds to for resin casting. It discussed what materials and tools are necessary as well as techniques for for finishing.

Relevance: This book is relevant to our project because if we want to do any sort of a resin casting it is necessary for us to have a good understand of how to do so in an adequate manner. Additionally, this book gives us a great background for figuring out what is necessary to set up the apparatus for mass resin production.

book

Review of improvement of machinability and surface integrity in machining on aluminum alloys^[4]

Summary: This peer-reviewed journal article discussed methods for improved machinability of aluminum alloys as well as best practices for reducing wear on machine parts when working on aluminum. It begins by discussing different material properties of aluminum alloys before continuing on to discuss machining parameters. Continuing on, the article talks about how to best improve machinability and the integrity of the surface of the material.

Relevance: This article is relevant to our project because if we ever wish to work with CNC machines to produce our products, it’s imperative we have a good understanding of the materials we are working with, aluminum being one of them. Furthermore, for mass production applications, small improvements in machine durability get compounded to have great benefits.

Peer-reviewed journal

Groover, Mikell, Fundamental of Modern Manufacturing: Materials, Processes, and Systems, 4th ed.^[5]

Summary: This book is a comprehensive overview of engineering manufacturing science. It covers engineering materials, manufacturing processes, and production systems.

Relevance: In the first stage of design, we weren’t sure if we wanted to take the route of molding and casting. Chapter 10, “Fundamentals of Metal Casting” of this text was very helpful and applies the most to this project. It gives a good overview on the processes, costs, and materials to give us a better understanding of what we’re getting into if we decide to settle on a design that involves casting. Chapter 11 continues this, going over the several methods. With a solid understanding of the steps and complexities of molding, we were able to better weigh out the pros and cons of different materials and methods. Book

Flexible Microstructured Capacitive Pressure Sensors Using Laser Engraving and Graphitization from Natural Wood^[6]

Summary: This article discussed a pressure sensor made by laser‑engraving natural wood to create laser‑induced graphene electrodes and microstructured molds. By combining these wood‑derived graphene layers with TPU, the authors achieve a highly sensitive, durable sensor capable of detecting pressures from a few pascals up to over a megapascal. The work demonstrates a low‑cost, scalable fabrication method with strong potential for wearable and robotic sensing applications.

Relevance: This article is relevant to our project because of the discussion of flame-retardant solution treatment. The possible use of this fire-retardant solution when using wood in a laser engraver may be crucial to mass-production of some of our products. This information is beneficial for safety reasons in further mass-production applications of laser engraving wood.

Peer-reviewed journal

The Ultimate Guide to Wood Engraving Laser: Techniques, Benefits, and Best Practices^[7]

Summary: The article explains how laser engraving works by using a focused beam to vaporize a thin layer of wood, producing precise, permanent markings. It compares CO2, diode, and fiber lasers, outlines which woods engrave the best, and highlights key practices such as testing speed/power settings, maintaining proper focus, cleaning the wood surface, and using air assist to reduce scorching. It also warns about woods that produce poor results or toxic fumes, and lists common mistakes like overpowering, ignoring grain direction, or failing to secure the material.

Relevance: This article is relevant tour project because of the wood bookmarks that will be produced. Since the bookmarks need to be small and thin while also providing information on them, the articles emphasis on precision, material choice, and avoiding over-burning is especially important.

Reputable Web Reference

Sangjin Jung, “Is Additive Manufacturing an Environmentally and Economically Preferred Alternative for Mass Production?”^[8]

Summary: This peer-reviewed article dives into the advantages and disadvantages between additive manufacturing and mass production, exploring economics, time-consumption, waste, and emissions.

Relevance: Although our project may not be to the scale the article discusses, our project revolves around the same ideas of producing large amounts of products. We must think like a manufacturer and take these constraints and economics into account. The article also compares the ease of process and cost of materials between additive manufacturing and mass production. Peer-reviewed journal

Go-To-Market Uncovered : How to Successfully Launch a Product and Drive Sustainable, Long-Term Revenue Growth.^[9]

Summary: Chapter 7 of this book discusses methods for gathering customer feedback and analyzing customer behavior and preferences. The chapter teaches how to turn customer input into actionable insights that directly shape a marketing strategy. It highlights behavioral patterns, preference signals, usage trends, and decision drivers. It also discusses what kinds of questions or doubts a user might have about a product, along with where they could experience friction with the product.

Relevance: This chapter of this book is relevant to our project because of how we could gain an understanding of what the audience would be interested in. It may help us know what to expect in doing research on our audience and how to go about that research to find preferences and motivations of the audience. These findings would then become a starting point for shaping our products and product messages to the audience.

Book

CommonWealth Commerce Center, “The Psychology Behind Effective Event Swag: Making an Emotional Connection”^[10]

Summary: This blog went over the psychological and cultural impacts of “swag” at events and why it works to build an identity to a brand or department. Good swag creates an emotional connection between the customer, brand loyalty, and spreads the word especially if there’s some sort of “wow” factor to the swag.

Relevance: As designers we do more than what a manufacturer does. We work alongside the client rather than for the client. Because of this we take on more than just production and manufacturing and go into more of the design and psychology. It’s important for us to understand why the products we’re designing work the way they do, so we can then adapt our merchandise to stand out the most and make the most impact on people.

Reputable Web-Reference

Humboldt's Brand: Visual Identity^[11]

Summary: This website is Cal Poly Humboldt's page that describes the procedures for utilizing the trademarked brand of CPH. It goes over in detail how to properly design using the CPH brand and regulations prescribed for such use.

Relevance: This is relevant to our project because in order to design products under the Cal Poly Humboldt brand we must follow the regulations imposed by the institution. We will have to use this website during our design process to insure we are able to produce products for the department.

Short title of the source

Summary: ...

Relevance: ...

In three to six bullets, synthesize what the literature means for your design. Cite the entries above, e.g., <ref name="Author2020" />.

• Takeaway that shaped a criterion or constraint.
• Takeaway that shaped an alternative or the final decision.

This section shows a selection of ideas which came up during our brainstorming, but decided to not use because of either cost, feasibility, time constraints or just client preferences.

Introduce this section in one to two sentences specific to your project.

Define each criterion from Table 1 as it is used to judge the alternatives. These are definitions, not constraints. For example, the constraint on cost is the budget, but cost might be defined as the cost of materials only, or as materials plus operation and maintenance. If your criteria changed, update Table 1 so the two match.

Cost

Definition...

Taste

Definition...

Explain the decision process your team used (e.g., decision matrix, Pugh chart). First person is appropriate here. Refer to the table, e.g., Table 2 summarizes the decision matrix.

Table 2: Decision matrix. Scores are 0-10; weighted totals are the sum of weight × score.

Criterion	Weight	Alternative A	Alternative B	Alternative C
Cost	10	7	5	9
Taste	7	8	9	4
Weighted total		126	113	118

Name the chosen solution and justify it with reference to the criteria and Table 2.

Show your most impactful prototypes from earliest to final. Include at least one prototype for function (does it work? e.g., testing a mechanism, material, or dimension) and at least one prototype for desire (will people want to use it? e.g., a mockup shown to the client or users for feedback). Each caption should say what the prototype is, whether it tested function or desire, and what you learned from it. Early sketches, failed attempts, and photos of materials and hands at work all help tell the story.

• 
  Prototype for desire: cardboard mockup of ... shown to the client. We learned that ...
• 
  Prototype for function: test of ... We learned that ...

Describe the final design, starting with the big picture and then going into detail. Use labeled images and refer to them in the text. This is usually a big section.

• 
  CAD drawing of ... by Yourname1.
• 
  Drawing of ... by Yourname2.

Give a complete description of how the final design is built, with lots of images, so someone else could replicate it. Use one {{Step}} per step. This is much easier to write as descriptive (what you did) instead of prescriptive (what another person should do), but you can take either approach.

The following table is the proposed timeline for completing our project. It shows the tasks that we need to complete per week and the progress of each task. This timeline will be updated as tasks are done until the project is complete.

Table 3: Project timeline.

Date	Description	Status
Week 1	Contact client and create initial CAD designs for products. Post the project background and problem statement.	Complete
Week 2	Further develop CAD designs and research methods of production and materials to use. Post the literature review.	Complete
Week 3	Continue to research materials and methods of production. Continue to develop designs.	In Progress
Week 4	Finalize CAD designs and cost evaluations. Begin ordering ubiquitous materials for the first produced products/prototypes.	Not Started
Week 5	Meet with client to present prototypes to get approval for designs and materials. Contact marketing team to get approval for using university branding.	Not Started
Week 6	Begin fabricating final designs with the initial purchased materials.	Not Started
Week 7	Meet with client and contact the marketing team to get final approval on the proposed products. Purchase the rest of the required materials.	Not Started
Week 8 - 11	Mass produce the final products. Create project videos for reproduction of the products.	Not Started
Dec. 6, 2026	Deliver final products to the client. Present project videos.	Not Started

Introduce the three kinds of cost below in one to two sentences.

Show the total human hours your team spent outside of class, grouped into categories (e.g., research, brainstorming, prototyping, construction, documentation). Three teammates working for one hour is three human hours.

Introduce the costs to build the design, including donations and reused materials. Note whether costs are actual or proposed. If replication would cost a different amount, say so.

Item	Amount	Cost per unit	Total
Thing - from the thing store — Purchased	3	USD 5.75	USD 17.25
Another thing - 3' x 2', yellow — Donated by ...	1	USD 0.00	USD 0.00
PrintGrand total			USD 17.25EUR 14.84 <br />GBP 12.59 <br />CAD 21.39 <br />MXN 359.66 <br />INR 1,291.16 <br />

Introduce the ongoing costs in time and money, usually per year.

Table 4: Yearly maintenance cost.

Task	Frequency	Time per year (hours)	Cost per year (USD)
Example task	Monthly	2	0.00
Total		2	0.00

Introduce how to use the design, then give step-by-step instructions with labeled images. Use {{Step}} if the process has more than a few steps. A short video is a great addition:

Introduce this maintenance section. Answer these questions:

• Are there any needed actions for maintenance?
• How often?
• Who should perform maintenance?

This is when to maintain what. Please keep the format the same as it can be used to auto-populate maintenance tables.

Daily

• A daily task
• A daily task

Weekly

• a weekly task
• a weekly task

Monthly

• a monthly task
• a monthly task

Yearly

• a yearly task
• a yearly task

Every __ years

• task
• task

Give step-by-step maintenance instructions, using {{Step}} if helpful.

Describe how you tested the final design and what the results were. Compare the results to your criteria, e.g., in a table like Table 5.

Table 5: Final design performance against criteria.

Criterion	Constraint	Result	Met?
Cost	Less than or equal to $3 per ounce	$2.50 per ounce	Yes

Discuss what the testing results mean.

Discuss what your team learned and what you would do differently next time.

Discuss next steps for the project as it goes on into the future.

Cover basic operating problems only. For complex issues, the suggestion might be to contact ________.

Problem	Suggestion
Example issue	Example solution or suggestion
Does not turn on	Make sure it is plugged in.
Another issue	Etc.

Include an inspirational video for sharing.

Introduce the team and semester, e.g., This project was completed in SEMESTER YEAR by Team TEAMNAME:

• Lonny Grafman
• Emilio Velis
• One bullet for each team member, in the format [[User:Username|Full Name]].