Student Name: ________________________ PSU ID: __________

Introduction

The purpose of this final assignment is to expose students to the potential issues with data collection, data processing, modeling, interpretation, and improvement for design solution.

You are encouraged to fully utilize statistical knowledge and skills you have learned through the class to approach the given situation.

For best outcome, you should elaborate your responses to the all questions with clearly demonstrated process and correct application of statistical methods.

You will use the data collected in a group for the lab. 2 assignment. Note this is an individual assignment. You have to create a report that reflects your own thoughts.

Therefore, you are not allowed to copy & paste any other sources in your report.

Overview

You plan to start a company, called Paper Airplane Inc., which manufactures paper airplanes that have extraordinarily longer air-time compared to the known designs.

Figures in the Appendix illustrate 15 existing designs.

As a founder, you are challenged to create a unique design that have significantly longer air-time.

The following sets of questions are intended to help you come up with a new design based on the data.

Procedure

(Phase 1 [20%] Define) By reviewing the existent designs of paper plane, make a list of common design features that are likely to influence air time, prioritize them hypothetically with respect to contribution to air time, and select the three (hypothetically) most important features with clearly defined metrics.

Note:

(1) First generate an extensive list of design features, then refine them.

Your work in this phase will be evaluated based on the quality of defining for critical design features.

What qualifies as "good" definition - they can be objectively measured (and expressed in numbers), with details of how to measure it, and little overlapping among features

(2) your priorities for the critical features are hypothetical, not necessarily correct.

It is a definite plus to support your hypotheses by referencing reliable sources, established theories, or expert opinions.

(3) Metrics are specified for the three most important features such that they are measured consistently over repetition.

(Phase 2 [20%] Measurement) Under the goal of applying the definition to the existing planes, you will use the three airplane designs from the lab.2 assignment, and measure the three

(hypothetically) most important features of the three planes using the metrics defined at Phase 1, respectively. Note that all measurements involve variability, and discuss the variability of the current measurement.

Also, discuss the variability of your group's previous measurement on air time for the three planes. Are they good, or bad?

Note:

(1) Your work at this phase will be evaluated by the depth of your discussion about the variability. In discussion, try to evaluate variability using statistical analyses.

(2) Prior to discussion, you attach all data (design features and air-time) for the three planes.
(Phase 3 [45%] Analysis) The goal of analysis is not only to determine the critical factors to air time, but also to quantify their relative contribution.

You can utilize statistical tools and methods covered in class, including estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis to answer the following questions:

Q1: As a preliminary step to analysis, effectively summarize your sample data using descriptive statistics and visual charts.

Q2: Can you conclude that the three airplane designs are different in their air time?

Q3: Build a statistical model that establishes relationships between the three (hypothetically) important design features and air time, and interpret the model outcome.

Note:

(1) Your work at this phase will be evaluated by the correctness of using your statistical tools.

(2) Show the process and results of using statistical tools. If you use the software package, paste the screen-capture of your process, and analytic outcomes.

(3) Specifying all the assumptions and discussing limitations in your tools is definitely a plus.
(Phase 4 [15%] Improvement)

The goal at this phase is to come up with a design strategy to modify the design feature based on the statistical model at Phase 3.

Q3, to improve air time. Provide a design template for the modified design.

Note:

(1) The key point of evaluation is to justify your design improvement based on a statistical model.

An arbitrary modification without regard to rationale (model) does not count.

(2) Two outcomes are expected to be attached at this phase - a list of design strategies reflecting the statistical model, and a modified design template for your improvement.

(2) When modifying the critical features, you should be mindful of unintended coupled-changes due to interactions among design features.

Demonstrated efforts to keep other features relatively unchanged is a plus.

Also, discuss the assumptions and limitations of your design strategy.

Submission Guidelines

Format: PDF/ solutions directly written on this template/ File name "lastname_firstname_FINALREPORT.pdf" (-2% on format violation)

Make sure to deliver all requirements at each phase.

APPENDIX - Existing Plane Designs

Figure 1 Arrow
Figure 2 Delta
Figure 3 Classic-Dart
Figure 4 Condor
Figure 5 Dragonfly
Figure 6 Canard
Figure 7 Bullet
Figure 8 Raptor
Figure 9 Spade
Figure 10 Interceptor
Figure 11 Bulldog
Figure 12 Trap-glider
Figure 13 Stealth-wing
Figure 14 Helicopter
Figure 15 Flying-ring0F1