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GTU ENGINEERING, ALL BRANCHES, SEMESTERS 3 TO 6

GTU Design Engineering Canvases, Report & Viva Guide

Free printable canvas templates, filled examples, report formatting rules, and viva answers for GTU Design Engineering DE-1A, DE-1B, DE-2A, and DE-2B.

4 Core CanvasesDE-1A to DE-2B SyllabusReport ChecklistTop 20 Viva QuestionsStudent FAQs
4Blank Canvases
Sem 3 to 6Full Coverage
20Viva Questions
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Official GTU Design Engineering Canvases

Download clean printable vector templates for your project. You can print them on A3 or A4 paper, stick post-it notes, and review the filled sample examples below.

Step 1: Field ObservationDE-1A / DE-1B

1. AEIOU Summary Canvas

Use this canvas in Semester 3 (DE-1A) to record field observations. You group your notes into 5 areas: what people are doing (Activities), where they work (Environments), how they interact (Interactions), what tools they use (Objects), and who is involved (Users).

GTU AEIOU Summary Canvas Printable Template
Download Blank Canvas (SVG)Print Preview
View Sample Filled Example: Hospital Patient Flow Management
  • Activities (A): Patient token registration, triage status checks, prescription verification, waiting outside OPD rooms.
  • Environments (E): Noisy OPD waiting halls, dim emergency signage, crowded corridors, fluctuating room temperatures.
  • Interactions (I): Patients asking receptionists about waiting times, doctors explaining lab reports, nurses calling token numbers.
  • Objects (O): Paper OPD forms, manual token display boards, wheelchairs, medicine bottles, billing computers.
  • Users (U): Rural elderly patients (primary users), duty nurses (secondary users), hospital administrators (stakeholders).
Step 2: User ResearchDE-1A / DE-2A

2. Empathy Mapping Canvas

Before jumping into engineering, use this canvas to understand the person who will use your solution. You map their background, who influences them, their daily routine, and storyboard their biggest frustrations (pains) and moments of relief (gains).

GTU Empathy Mapping Canvas Printable Template
Download Blank Canvas (SVG)Print Preview
View Sample Filled Example: Perishable Crop Farmers
  • User Persona: Ramesh Patel, 48-year-old tomato farmer in Anand district with basic Gujarati smartphone literacy.
  • Stakeholders: Local APMC mandi traders, cold storage managers, transport truck drivers.
  • Happy Experiences (Gains): Transparent crate rates on mobile, quick payment clearance, zero damage during transport.
  • Sad Experiences (Pains): Spoilage caused by transit traffic delays, lack of small cold room slots, unpredictable mandi commission fees.
Step 3: Solution BrainstormingDE-1A / DE-1B

3. Ideation Canvas

Use this canvas in Semester 3 or 4 to brainstorm ideas. You list your target users, their tasks, and the setting, then develop 3 types of solutions: out-of-the-box wild ideas, practical engineering fixes, and your shortlisted final concept.

GTU Ideation Canvas Printable Template
Download Blank Canvas (SVG)Print Preview
View Sample Filled Example: Electric Scooter Safety
  • Wild Idea: Built-in roll cage with automated drone dispatch on road accidents.
  • Practical Idea: Accelerometer on the helmet strap sending GPS coordinates over SMS during a sudden tilt greater than 65 degrees.
  • Shortlisted Concept: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Smart Helmet Interlock. The vehicle motor will not arm unless the chin-strap sensor is latched and the alcohol sensor detects zero breath alcohol.
Step 4: Architecture & TestingDE-2A / DE-2B

4. Product Development Canvas (PDC)

The main canvas for Semesters 5 and 6 (DE-2A and DE-2B). Here you turn your concept into technical engineering: listing exact sensors, microcontrollers, software tools, customer revalidation tests, and decisions on what features to Reject, Redesign, or Retain.

GTU Product Development Canvas Printable Template
Download Blank Canvas (SVG)Print Preview
View Sample Filled Example: Solar Powered Drip Irrigation Controller
  • Purpose: Cut irrigation water waste by 40% and stop root rot in cotton crops.
  • Components: ESP32 microcontroller, capacitive soil moisture sensor, 12V DC solenoid valve, 10W solar panel with battery.
  • Customer Revalidation: Farmers found Wi-Fi configuration too complicated in open fields. They requested missed-call and SMS control instead.
  • Reject: Dropped 2.4GHz Wi-Fi module because of zero network range on farms.
  • Redesign: Switched to GSM SIM800L module for simple phone call and SMS commands.
  • Retain: Solar charging circuit and IP65 waterproof housing.
SYLLABUS AND TIMELINE

GTU Design Engineering Roadmap: Semesters 3 to 6

Each semester covers a distinct phase of the product development lifecycle. Here is the syllabus progression across all four semesters.

Semester 3

DE-1A (Subject Code: 3130008)

Observation, Empathy and Problem Definition: Select an engineering domain (agriculture, healthcare, traffic, manufacturing). Visit the field, complete your AEIOU framework, interview users for the Empathy Canvas, and brainstorm ideas on the Ideation Canvas.

AEIOU CanvasEmpathy CanvasIdeation CanvasWeekly Logbook
Semester 4

DE-1B (Subject Code: 3140005)

Reverse Engineering and Dirty Mockups: Disassemble an existing commercial product to analyze its internal parts, materials, and weak points. Build early low-cost mockups using cardboard, foam, or digital wireframes to test your initial layout.

Disassembly SheetCardboard MockupPDC Initial Draft
Semester 5

DE-2A (Subject Code: 3150001)

Architecture and User Testing: Complete your full Product Development Canvas (PDC). Build a working proof-of-concept prototype, run test trials with real users, and document what to Reject, Redesign, or Retain based on user feedback.

Completed PDCWorking PrototypeUser Test Data
Semester 6

DE-2B (Subject Code: 3160001)

Patent Prior Art Search and Final Demo Day: Search Indian patent records (IPIndia) and Google Patents to ensure your design is novel. Demonstrate your finished working project during college Demo Day and submit the final spiral-bound project report.

Patent Search (PAS)Finished Working ModelFinal Bound Report
SUBMISSION GUIDE

Official GTU Project Report Structure

Assemble your final spiral-bound project report in this standard order required by GTU external examiners:

  1. 1. Cover Page and Title Page: Project title, team member names, enrollment numbers, branch, semester, guide name, and GTU logo.
  2. 2. College Certificate: Signed by your internal faculty guide and Head of Department (HOD) with the official college stamp.
  3. 3. Student Declaration and Acknowledgement: Written declaration confirming original team work, thanking mentors and domain experts.
  4. 4. Executive Summary: A concise 250-word summary explaining the problem, your design approach, and the final result.
  5. 5. Chapter 1: Introduction and Domain Selection: Background of the chosen problem area and preliminary secondary research.
  6. 6. Chapter 2: Field Observations (AEIOU): Field photographs, user observation summary, and completed AEIOU canvas.
  7. 7. Chapter 3: User Need Identification (Empathy): User personas, daily routine workflows, and completed Empathy canvas.
  8. 8. Chapter 4: Brainstorming (Ideation): Problem definition statement, mind maps, and completed Ideation canvas.
  9. 9. Chapter 5: Product Architecture (PDC): Features list, component bill of materials (BOM), and completed Product Development Canvas.
  10. 10. Chapter 6: Prototype and Patent Search: Clear photographs of your working model, test performance, and Prior Art Search results.
  11. 11. Chapter 7: Conclusion and Future Scope: Project takeaways, cost analysis, and how the design can be scaled up.
  12. 12. References and Logbook Copies: Bibliography and photocopies of weekly signed faculty logbook pages.
EXTERNAL VIVA PREPARATION

Top 20 External Viva Questions & Model Answers

These are the most common questions asked by GTU external examiners during end-semester viva examinations:

Q1

What is the main goal of Design Engineering in GTU?

To train students in the Design Thinking process, making sure we solve real human problems by understanding user needs first, rather than building theoretical projects that have no practical use.

Q2

What are the 5 stages of the Design Thinking framework?

1. Empathize: Understand user needs through interviews and field visits.
2. Define: Clearly state the exact problem to be solved.
3. Ideate: Brainstorm a wide range of solution ideas without initial restrictions.
4. Prototype: Build rough and functional models.
5. Test: Put the model in front of real users to collect feedback.

Q3

What is the difference between an Activity and an Interaction in the AEIOU canvas?

An Activity is a broader task or process (such as dispensing medicine). An Interaction is the specific contact between a person and another person or machine (such as a pharmacist reading a handwritten doctor prescription or scanning a barcode).

Q4

Why must you complete an Empathy Canvas before an Ideation Canvas?

If you jump straight to Ideation without Empathy, you risk solving the wrong problem. Empathy mapping uncovers genuine pain points and emotional bottlenecks. Without this foundation, your ideas might not address the user's real needs.

Q5

What is Reverse Engineering in DE-1B and why is it important?

Reverse Engineering involves taking apart an existing product on the market to examine its components, materials, manufacturing tolerances, and failure points. It shows you how professionals solve related challenges and highlights where you can improve.

Q6

What does 'Reject, Redesign, Retain' mean in the Product Development Canvas?

It records decisions made after testing your prototype with users: Reject features that users found unnecessary or expensive, Redesign features that had usability or mechanical flaws, and Retain features that worked effectively.

Q7

What is the difference between a rough mockup and a working prototype?

A rough mockup (dirty prototype) is built using cardboard, thermocol, or UI wireframes in a few hours to test basic dimensions and ergonomics. A working prototype uses actual electrical circuits, software code, or mechanical parts to test function and reliability.

Q8

What is Prior Art Search (PAS) and how did your team conduct it?

Prior Art Search is a patent check. In DE-2B, we searched public patent platforms like Google Patents and the Indian Patent Office (IPIndia) using keywords related to our mechanism to confirm that our project does not copy an existing registered patent.

Q9

What is the Learning Needs Matrix (LNM)?

LNM is a table tracking the technical knowledge, tools, or software your team lacked at the start of the project (such as PCB design, microcontrollers, or cloud APIs) and the specific resources (tutorials, documentation, faculty guidance) used to learn them.

Q10

Why is the weekly faculty signature in your logbook required?

The logbook serves as continuous chronological proof of your team's work across all 14 weeks of the semester. External examiners review it to confirm that individual students contributed consistently rather than rushing the project in the final week.

Q11

How did your team select your project domain?

Explain your team's real field visit: mention why you visited a local hospital, farm, factory, or public transport hub, the initial bottlenecks you observed, and why your team felt an engineering solution was necessary.

Q12

How many users did your team interview for the Empathy Canvas?

State the actual number of people you spoke with (for example: 6 farmers, 2 cold storage operators, and 3 mandi brokers). Detail their key pain points and how their direct feedback changed your design.

Q13

What is the difference between primary users and secondary stakeholders?

A primary user interacts with your product directly every day (for example, a patient using a health monitor). A secondary stakeholder does not use the product directly but benefits from it, maintains it, or pays for it (such as a hospital doctor, technician, or insurer).

Q14

Can a purely software app or website be a valid Design Engineering project?

Yes. Computer and IT engineering teams can build web apps, mobile apps, or cloud platforms as long as they follow the complete Design Thinking process: user empathy interviews, UI wireframing, user feedback testing, and architectural refinement on the PDC.

Q15

Why did your team include wild or crazy ideas on the Ideation Canvas?

Design Thinking encourages unconstrained ideas early on to prevent teams from settling for obvious, conventional answers. Often, an unconventional idea contains a creative mechanism that can be adapted into a practical, low-cost engineering feature.

Q16

What tools or software did you use to design your prototype?

Name your actual tools clearly (for example: AutoCAD or SolidWorks for mechanical frames, EasyEDA for circuit schematics, VS Code and Arduino IDE for firmware, or Figma for UI wireframes).

Q17

What feedback did real users give when testing your prototype?

Give an honest example of user testing feedback. Explain what users liked, what they struggled with (such as buttons being too small or setup being confusing), and the specific engineering adjustment your team made.

Q18

How did you calculate your product cost estimation?

Explain your bill of materials (BOM): component procurement costs, fabrication expenses, assembly time, and how unit manufacturing costs would decrease under mass production.

Q19

What are the safety and environmental considerations of your project?

Detail thermal protection, electrical grounding, water resistance (IP ratings), biodegradable material choices, battery disposal, or secure user data encryption depending on your branch.

Q20

What is the future commercialization scope of your design?

Explain how this prototype can transition into your 7th and 8th semester Major Project (Capstone Project), qualify for student startup grants like SSIP (Student Startup and Innovation Policy), or be deployed as a field product.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Design Engineering FAQs

Quick answers to common questions about GTU canvases, exams, and team guidelines.

What are the passing marks for Design Engineering in GTU?+

In GTU, Design Engineering has a strict 50% passing rule for practical and viva exams. For a 50-mark external viva, you must score at least 25 marks to pass. For a 100-mark evaluation (50 internal + 50 external), you must score at least 50 marks overall. Unlike 70-mark theory exams where passing is 23 marks (33%), Design Engineering requires 50%.

Should GTU Design Engineering canvases be printed on A3 or A4 paper?+

GTU guidelines recommend printing final canvases on A3 size sheets. During college presentations and external viva, examiners prefer A3 sheets because they provide enough room for team members to write notes, draw sketches, and attach post-it notes. A4 size is acceptable for rough working drafts and spiral report attachments.

Can we download blank GTU Design Engineering canvas PDFs for free?+

Yes. You can download clean, high-resolution printable vector templates for all 4 official GTU canvases right on this page: AEIOU Summary Canvas, Empathy Mapping Canvas, Ideation Canvas, and Product Development Canvas (PDC). They are 100% free and format-ready for A3 or A4 printing.

What are the 4 mandatory canvases in GTU Design Engineering?+

The 4 core canvases required by GTU are: 1) AEIOU Summary Canvas (used for field observation in Sem 3), 2) Empathy Mapping Canvas (used to understand user pain points and gains in Sem 3), 3) Ideation Canvas (used to brainstorm practical and wild solutions in Sem 3/4), and 4) Product Development Canvas or PDC (used to define components, features, and user testing in Sem 5/6).

How many students can be in a GTU Design Engineering team?+

GTU permits teams of 4 to 5 students. In special cases, teams of 3 or 6 may be permitted with written approval from your Head of Department (HOD). Students can belong to the same engineering branch or form interdisciplinary teams depending on college guidelines.

Can we change our Design Engineering project topic between semesters?+

Yes, but with faculty guide approval. GTU allows teams to refine or pivot their problem statement between DE-1A (Semester 3) and DE-1B (Semester 4) if field observations showed that the initial idea was impractical. However, from Semester 5 (DE-2A) onwards, teams should stick to one problem statement to build a functional prototype.

Is the Design Engineering external viva compulsory to clear GTU degree?+

Yes. Design Engineering (subject codes 3130008, 3140005, 3150001, and 3160001) is a credit-earning course. If you miss the external viva or score below 50%, you will receive a backlog (FF grade) and must re-appear during GTU remedial viva exams.

What is Prior Art Search (PAS) in GTU DE-2B?+

Prior Art Search is a patent check conducted in Semester 6 (DE-2B). Teams search public patent databases like Google Patents, Indian Patent Office (IPIndia), and WIPO to verify that their engineering mechanism or software architecture does not copy an existing registered patent.