IED Unit 4 • Lesson 4.18

Prototype Testing and Data Collection

Focus question: How can engineers collect useful data from a prototype test?

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Mission Briefing

Today’s Plan

Use this page with the lesson presentation, your engineering notebook, and the tools or evidence assigned for Run Prototype Tests and Collect Data.

Learning Targets

Follow the testing protocol consistently.
Record measurements, observations, and test conditions clearly.
Identify problems or unexpected behavior during testing.

Success Looks Like

You can run a planned prototype test and collect consistent data and observations.

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Opening Prompt

How can engineers collect useful data from a prototype test?

Connect your response to the decision, evidence, or quality standard required for Run Prototype Tests and Collect Data.

Reveal: useful engineering move

This lesson is ready to move forward when the evidence meets this standard: The data set is complete, traceable to the protocol, and does not omit unsuccessful trials.

Core Skill

What We Are Practicing

Key Idea 1

Data are only useful if the test procedure is consistent.

Key Idea 2

Observations help explain the numbers and identify failure points.

Key Idea 3

Unexpected behavior should be recorded, not ignored.

Your Task

Run Prototype Tests and Collect Data

Follow the approved protocol, record every trial, and document observations without changing the procedure mid-test.

Complete the pre-test safety and setup check.
Run the planned number of trials.
Record measurements, units, and qualitative observations immediately.
Flag anomalies and document any unavoidable procedural change.

Quality check: The data set is complete, traceable to the protocol, and does not omit unsuccessful trials.

Lesson Interactive

Audit a Prototype Data Table

Identify evidence-quality problems before using the results to make a design claim.

Trial	Voltage	Load	Deployment time
1	6.0 V	200 g	1.8
2	6.0 V	250 g	1.9
3	6.0 V	200 g	1.7

Select every data-quality problem

Deployment time has no unit Load changes between trials Too few repeated trials for a reliable mean Trial values are not identical

Good data keeps controlled variables constant, includes units, and uses enough trials to evaluate variation.

What You Will Submit

Prototype Test Results

The completed test-data table.
One photo or observation log from the test.

Submission standard: The data set is complete, traceable to the protocol, and does not omit unsuccessful trials.

Resources

Lesson Resources

Presentation

Lesson 4.18 PowerPoint

Use the lesson slides for guided practice, interactive checks, and the exit ticket.

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