Project Achievements

                One of the primary project achievements was client satisfaction. The group members were particularly happy that the client was satisfied with the project. The client appreciated the thought we put into the project and that our final proposal reflected some of their values- enhancing child development through an obstacle course.

Another significant achievement was producing a detailed design. Google SketchUp was used to produce a detailed three-dimensional drawing of the proposed obstacle course. This will help the client better understand what is required of the project and how to implement it. Below are a few snapshots of the three-dimensional drawing:

Moreover, the group managed to design a very cost effective design that ensured safety was not compromised in any case. Safety was of prime importance during the design process as children are in context. The group managed to incorporate safety extremely well by designing the obstacle course at a reasonable distance from the tree and concrete pavement to minimize injury in case of fall, have sufficient space between logs to easily jump over without posing a risk of feet getting stuck between logs and apply a non-slip coating on the logs to prevent accidents during wet conditions.

Last but not least, the group produced a detailed report that entails all information – dimensions, materials, procedures, implementation – necessary for the project. This will aid significantly in the building of the obstacle course with precision and accuracy.

Contributions

Options Community Services is a non-profit society and registered charity dedicated to making a difference. Options is committed to empowering individuals, supporting families and promoting community health. By just working with Options, the group is implementing their mission and serving the community as well.

More so, the obstacle course is designed to enhance children motor skills and encourage communication between one another. Since children are the future, by enhancing children skills, we are actually helping enhance the future. We are making a difference by fostering an environment that will engage children, their families and communities alike.

Lessons Learned

Over all, the Community Based Experiential Learning Project was very enlightening as the group learned instrumental skills in professional Engineering. Below are a few of the many skills learned:

i) Communication: The group soon realised that communication was key in the project. This includes communication amongst group members and with the client as well. The client was usually out of town which made it difficult to schedule meetings. The group nonetheless managed to resolve this by conducting Skype calls and communication with other members of Options instead. Amongst group members, we communicated using social media and made it a rule to respond to posts within 36 hours of posting which significantly helped ease communication.

ii) Delegation: The group realized that each member had a distinct skill and strength which could be put to good use. It was therefore decided that roles will be delegated to members in accordance with their strengths. Not only did this result in higher efficiency, but in also higher quality of work.

iii) Planning: Planning is key in any project. Initially, the group lacked planning but this was soon changed and more organisation was done. This included pre-scheduling meetings with the client much in advance to ensure there were not any last minute cancellations.

iv) Presentation Skills: The group managed to produced a detailed poster using graphics such as pictures and incorporating a tablet which was used to display the poster title and more information. Each group member presented on the project which helped members exercise and improve their presentation skills. Also, the importance of preparation was emphasised and was seen to be vital for good presentation.