Fluids transport competition-an integration of quality management and technical skill

A first year engineering design sequence provides an opportunity to combine technical and team skills to successfully resolve open-ended problems. These problems provide students with a unique opportunity to develop management and communications skills to sell their technical ideas. The purpose of the quality management project is to modify this project-based curriculum with an emphasis on quality management. Quality management encompasses an organization and procedures to provide a product and service that respond to the needs of the customer. A survey of students' perceptions of quality management tied characteristics of educational and student quality to business quality. The benefit was a creative and exciting laboratory which simulated today's decision-making environments.