Define success before building
A prototype can look impressive while failing the problem it was meant to address. Start with requirements, constraints and the conditions under which a design must work. Distinguish a necessary property from a preference. In an educational project, a clear explanation of those choices can be as important as the object itself because it reveals the reasoning behind the design.
Test a defined claim
Describe what a test is intended to establish, what you measured and what uncertainty remains. A successful demonstration under one condition does not prove performance under every condition. Keep design versions, observations and failures in a project record. Follow the relevant laboratory rules and supervision requirements; this article is about evaluating learning, not instructions for building a device.
Show how evidence changed the design
A useful final report connects the original problem to alternatives, tests and revisions. Explain a trade-off you accepted and why. Identify remaining limits honestly. When comparing programmes, ask how projects are supervised and assessed, what facilities are available and how individual contributions are evaluated. These details help reveal what a student actually learns through practical work.
