What is the primary purpose of a design matrix in this course?

• A. To evaluate ideas against weighted objectives
• B. To select the most expensive option
• C. To create the bill of materials
• D. To determine manufacturing methods

Answer: (A)

The design matrix provides a quantitative way to compare design ideas by evaluating them against a set of weighted criteria. You list criteria that matter for the project, assign a weight to reflect each criterion’s importance, and score each concept against each criterion. By multiplying each score by its criterion weight and summing, you get a single overall score per concept that makes the trade-offs explicit. This helps you choose the best-balanced option, not just the cheapest or the most expensive, and it clarifies how different factors like cost, performance, risk, and feasibility influence the decision. It’s not about creating a bill of materials or choosing manufacturing methods; those are separate tasks, while the matrix focuses on comparing concepts to guide selection.