VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.
Product Development and Engineering Design
Last Updated: 2026-06-05 00:17:35
Abstract
"Project based Course" (PBE). The course introduces students to the product development process. In a team, you will explore the early phases of conceptual development and product design, from ideation and concept generation through to hands-on prototyping. This is an opportunity to gain product development experience and improve your skills in prototyping and presenting your product ideas.
Objective
The course introduces you to the product development process and methods in engineering design for: product planning, user-centered design, creating product specifications, ideation including concept generation and selection methods, material selection methods and prototyping. Further topics include design for manufacture and design for additive manufacture. You will actively apply the process and methods learned throughout the semester in a team on a product development project including prototyping.
Content
Weekly topics accompanying the product development project include: 1 Introduction to Product Development and Engineering Design 2 Product Planning and Social-Economic-Technology (SET) Factors 3 User-Centered Design and Product Specifications 4 Concept Generation and Selection Methods 5 System Design and Embodiment Design 6 Prototyping and Prototype Planning 7 Material Selection in Engineering Design 8 Design for Manufacture and Design for Additive Manufacture
Resources
Lecture Notes
available on Moodle
Literature
Ulrich, Eppinger, and Yang, Product Design and Development. 7th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2020. Cagan and Vogel, Creating Breakthrough Products: Revealing the Secrets that Drive Global Innovation, 2nd Edition, Pearson Education, 2013.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Registration & Places
- Max Places
- 60
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Product Development and Engineering Design |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
-
-
-
-
Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing (Focus Coordinator: Prof. Dennis Kochmann To achieve the required 20 credit points for the Focus Specialization Design, Mechanics and Manufacturing, all of the courses listed can be selected. If required, one course from another focus specialization or from the electives of the ME Bachelor program can be selected. For recommended courses and further information, please visit the MAVT website for Focus Specialization ( ).)
-
-
-
-
-
Electives (In the ‘electives’ subcategory, at least two course units must be successfully completed.)
-
-
-
Core Courses (The Core Courses in the Master’s program Mechanical Engineering listed below are indicative and include courses designed by the Department at the Master's level. With the approval of the tutor, students may also select Master's-level courses offered by other departments at ETH. These courses will be marked as non-regular in the LAG, but their categorization as Core Courses is possible if included in the approved LAG.)
-
-
-
Electives (In the ‘electives’ subcategory, at least two course units must be successfully completed. All courses listed as core courses (not electives) for one of the following ETH MSc programmes, MSc Statistics, MSc Physics, MSc Computer Science, MSc (Applied) Mathematics, MSc Neural Systems and Computation, MSc Robotics, Systems, and Control, MSc Data Science, MSc Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, can be taken as an elective course in the MSc CSE without prior permission.)
-