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Before You Build: Need, Success Criteria, and Constraints · Framing an engineering problem by stating the need, success criteria, and constraints before designing · MS-ETS1-1

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Before You Build: Need, Success Criteria, and Constraints

with Atlas

Atlas the guide stands at a cluttered workbench, holding a blank sketchpad and a sticky note labeled NEED, with tools, cardboard, and a tape measure spread out under bright shop lights.

Define the three parts of a framed engineering problem: need, success criteria, and constraints
Identify whether a given statement is a success criterion or a constraint
Distinguish a measurable success criterion from a vague goal
Explain why engineers frame the problem before sketching any design

Key terms

Need: Who has a problem and what they actually require
Success criterion: A measurable goal that shows the design worked
Constraint: A limit the design is not allowed to cross
Framing: Writing the need, criteria, and constraints before designing

Why Framing Comes First

Jumping straight to building feels productive but risks two expensive failures: you might create something clever that nobody actually needs, or something that breaks a rule you forgot. Framing the problem first anchors every later decision to a real user need and a clear set of measurable goals, so your effort stays aimed at the target instead of drifting toward whatever is fun to build at the moment.

Measurable Beats Vague

A success criterion is only useful if you can test it. 'Keeps lunch fresh' cannot be checked objectively, but 'stays below 40 degrees Fahrenheit until noon' can be measured with a thermometer and a clock. Attaching numbers and conditions to your goals turns opinions into evidence, lets two people agree on whether the design succeeded, and tells you exactly how far you still have to go.

Worked examples

A team writes 'build an awesome phone holder.' Rewrite this as a properly framed problem.

Name the need: a commuter needs to view phone directions hands-free while driving.
Add a measurable success criterion: holds the phone steady with no slipping over a 20-minute drive.
Add constraints: costs under $8 and clips to a standard car vent.

Answer: A commuter needs a hands-free phone holder that stays steady for 20 minutes, costs under $8, and clips to a car vent.

Hi, I'm Atlas. Before a single design gets sketched, a good engineer stops and frames the problem. Framing means writing down three things. First, the NEED: who has a problem, and what do they actually need? Not 'build a cool gadget,' but 'students need a way to carry a wet umbrella indoors without dripping on the floor.' Second, the SUCCESS CRITERIA: how will we know the design worked? These are goals we measure, like 'catches at least 90 percent of the drips' or 'a sixth grader can use it in under 10 seconds.' A criterion describes what success looks like. Third, the CONSTRAINTS: the limits we must stay inside, like 'costs under 5 dollars,' 'uses only recycled materials,' or 'fits in a backpack pocket.' A constraint is a boundary you are not allowed to cross. Why do this first? Because if you build before you frame, you might create something clever that nobody needs, or that breaks a rule you forgot. Framing keeps your effort aimed at the real goal. A quick tip if you feel stuck: start by finishing the sentence 'Someone needs a way to ____ because ____.' That single sentence gives you your need, and the criteria and constraints grow from there.

Activity

Sort each card into NEED, SUCCESS CRITERIA, or CONSTRAINT for a backpack rain cover

Practice

Turn 'make a better backpack' into a framed need with one measurable criterion.

Label each item as need, success criterion, or constraint for a desk lamp.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first idea is always bestFirst ideas are rarely tested or optimal and should be compared against measurable criteria before committing.
A vague goal counts as a criterionA criterion must be measurable, because words like awesome or comfy cannot be tested to confirm success.

Check your understanding

Which statement is a SUCCESS CRITERION for a design that keeps lunch cold until noon?

Which of these is a CONSTRAINT, not a success criterion?

Why do engineers frame the problem before they start sketching designs?

A team writes: 'Build an awesome phone holder.' What is missing from a well-framed problem?

Recap

Framing a problem means stating who needs what, defining measurable success criteria, and listing the constraints you cannot cross, all before sketching, so your design effort stays aimed at the real goal and inside the limits.

Reflect

Which is harder for you to write clearly, a measurable criterion or a real need?