Ohio University Mechanical Engineering Sr. Design
 Performance Reviews (PR) to help develop and assess “Professional Skills”
or “Observable Characteristics of Good Engineers”

 

 

 

Team Evaluation and Peer Coaching Form (For ME470, 2009-2010)

 

Self Evaluation and Reflection Form (For ME470, 2009-2010)

 

 

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Professional Skill Expectations – Modeled after Industry-Style Performance Reviews

 

Materials about professional skills or “observable characteristics” of good engineers to review:

> Examples of Performance Reviews from Industry that include Professional Skills - Input (from Advisory Board)

> Article on the DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF AN ENGINEER PROFILE (TIDEE) (See especially Table 6 and Appendix 2)
The Transferable Integrated Design Engineering Education (TIDEE) project focuses on developing and assessing students' capabilities in engineering design. TIDEE materials are based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants 9973034 and 0003291.
> The Making of an Engineer (TIDEE) (See especially page 7 “Profile of a Top Quality Engineer”)

> CDIO Program Syllabus showing critical characteristics in the development of an engineer (See especially sections 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2
 CDIO™ INITIATIVE is an innovative educational framework for producing the next generation of engineers. It provides students with an education stressing engineering fundamentals set in the context of Conceiving — Designing — Implementing — Operating real-world systems and products.

 

> ASEE Article on USING PERFORMANCE REVIEWS IN CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS (See especially Table 2)


> Student reflections on characteristics of a "good engineer" (2005)

 

SrD team assignment:

1) Review the materials about professional skills or “observable characteristics” of good engineers above

2) Develop a professional skills-based performance review form that your team will use this year. 
> Focus on 6-12 “observable characteristics” that are important for your team and that are characteristics that probably need some improvement

> It can be based on the items you think are most important for your team from the review materials, or on your own ideas.  It is important that everyone on the team agrees on the descriptions of the expected behaviors / characteristics.

>  You can either define the team expectation and rate each other relative to it (did not meet expectations, met expectations, exceeded expectations), or you can describe the behaviors that are common for all three categories then equate actual performance to one of the categories.

> You are encouraged to meet with Dr. Kremer after you have read the review materials for additional guidance on constructing your team’s performance review form.

> The team’s form is due by 6th week for approval

 

3) You will use this form as a peer assessment to give helpful feedback and coaching suggestions to help your fellow team members meet or exceed the team expectations. 

> Give examples of things they did well and examples of things they should try in the future to improve their performance relative to team expectations. 

> Suggest one of the areas that you think they should focus on for a skills development project.

> The quality of your feedback and “coaching suggestions” to your teammates will be considered in your own performance review

> These peer assessments are due by 7th week

 

4) You will also use this form to assess your own performance relative to your team’s expectations. 
> This will be an example-based narrative, not a numerical rating. 
> Your goal is to honestly evaluate yourself by describing situations that show you either met the team’s expectations or fell short of them. 
> You must also include some response to the peer assessments you received from your teammates for each of the expectations. 

> You must also include an update on your individual skills development project and your team’s skills development project  which were identified at the end of the first quarter.  You should also select a new skills development project related to one of the items on your team’s performance review form that your teammates thought you should be working on.

> A first draft is due by 8th week. 

> A final draft is due prior to your individual PR meetings which will be scheduled 10th week or exam week  

 

Additional Resourses

> Journal Article on Peer Assessment in Small Groups: A Comparison of Methods (See especially Appendix A and B)

> Advice for young engineers from a Retired Mechanical Engineer Looking back on his career (ASME article)

> ASEE 2008 Presentation on the use Performance Reviews in Capstone Engineering Courses