Types of uncertainty and collaborative uncertainty management strategies evidenced during the engineering design process

Abstract

Decision-making is an essential part of design thinking. One important factor that plays crucial role in design decision-making is uncertainty. The type of uncertainties faced and the ways in which they are handled can influence the decisions made. Prior work suggests that in order to engage young students effectively with the decision-making process we need to provide adequate scaffolding that helps them deal with various uncertainties that they may face, and prepare them for handling the uncertainties. Currently not much research exists on this topic. In our study, we hope to address this gap by looking at two aspects of uncertainty; (a) types of uncertainty and (b) uncertainty management strategies. The study was conducted with elementary school students working collaboratively in teams on a design problem. We developed an analytical framework that lists and explains the types of uncertainty faced and uncertainty management strategies implemented by learners while generating solutions for the design problem. Preliminary analysis done using the framework has also been discussed.