Question

identify the characteristics of the best solution
one design may not perform the best across all tests, so identifying the best - performing characteristics of the designs can help design the best solution to the problem. this is an important step in optimizing the solution for any engineering problem.
a raincoat designer wants to make raincoats that teenagers would like. the companys engineers tested three different designs that performed well in three different tests. however, no design performed the best in all the tests. the design criteria are identified as follows:

• it must be as lightweight as possible
• it must to be easy to close and open
• it must be as water resistant as possible
• it must be made of fabrics with fashionable designs and colors
• it must have pockets.

weight (g)	closure	fabric water resistance (minutes of exposure)
raincoat b	410	zipper: easy to use	27
raincoat c	500	zipper: easy to use	>60

the three criteria identified as the most important for a successful design were: being lightweight, being easy to close, and having high water resistance. engineers chose to test a design that combined the best features of each raincoat. the redesign had the weight range of raincoat a, the water - resistant fabric of raincoat c, and the zipper of raincoats b and c. the redesigned raincoat was then tested. tests showed that the most water - resistant fabric worked in the new design, although it was a little heavier because of the heavier fabric.

1. imagine you are in charge of further optimizing the raincoat design. what next steps you would take in the optimization process?

Explanation:

To further optimize the raincoat design, focus on reducing weight while maintaining water - resistance and ease of closure. This could involve researching lighter but still water - resistant fabrics, or improving the manufacturing process to make the current fabric lighter. Also, user feedback on fashion aspects and pocket functionality could be gathered to make additional improvements.

Answer:

Research lighter water - resistant fabrics, gather user feedback on fashion and pocket functionality, and explore manufacturing process improvements to reduce weight.