The main purpose of the design lab is to get senior level students used to working in an atmosphere that is similar to that in industry. There are four cubicles set up inside the lab labeled Alpha through Delta. These design cubicles are located in the area behind the class room setup. These cubicles are equipped with three IBM Intellistations. These PCs are connected to the school s main network so that word processing and the internet can be utilized for design applications .
Teamwork is the most important principle to get accustomed to and it is often difficult.
The student has spent most of his academic career working on homework and tests where only his grade is dependent on his effort alone. In design classes, only four grades are given out per design review. In a world where different people have different work ethics and different goals, the team members must learn to lead, motivate, and tolerate where necessary. As this can not be taught in the classroom, the students learn through exposure and walk out of the design classes with experience that will be invaluable in an engineering environment. Of course, drawing is a big part of the design process.