How Engineers Define Success and Evaluate Solutions

Crash Course Kids

This engaging video from Crash Course Kids introduces students to a critical step in the engineering design process: defining success. Host Sabrina Cruz shifts the focus from identifying problems to evaluating solutions, explaining that a solution is only "successful" if it meets specific criteria relative to the problem. Using a mix of historical examples like the telephone and lightbulb, alongside a humorous hypothetical scenario involving a canyon and a tent, the video makes abstract engineering concepts concrete and relatable. The content explores the concept of 'criteria'—the specific standards a solution must meet. Through the narrative of trying to cross a deep canyon, students learn how to create a checklist of requirements: safety (getting across alive), accessibility (using available resources), and reusability. The video contrasts a fantasy solution (Superman) with a practical one (a hang glider made from a tent) to demonstrate how engineers must work within constraints rather than relying on impossible fixes. For educators, this video serves as an excellent launchpad for STEM challenges and design thinking units. It provides a clear framework for students to judge their own designs, moving them beyond just "building something cool" to building something that actually solves the defined problem within given constraints. It effectively bridges the gap between brainstorming and prototyping by introducing the necessary step of evaluating potential solutions against a rubric of needs.