UNIT 5: A SPECIALIST ENGINEERING PROJECT
Unit 5: A Specialist Engineering Project
Level: 3
Unit type: Internal
Guided learning hours: 60
Unit in brief
Learners apply project-management principles to undertake a 30-hour individual project and will
produce a product, system or process relevant to their specialist area of study.
Unit introduction
Project management, and understanding the project life cycle, is a fundamental part of all
engineering disciplines, from aerospace and computing – which may involve the development
of new products and services – to the manufacturing sector, which may involve refurbishing or
installing equipment. The output from a project is varied and could be a product/service, system
or process that is relevant to your specialist area of study.
There are many approaches to project management, and in this unit you will understand and apply
one project-management approach over the life cycle of a project to solve an engineering-based
problem on a given theme or idea. This will involve you researching an engineering-based problem
and using your creative skills to generate a range of solutions to the problem. You will produce a
feasibility study to select the most appropriate solution given the known constraints. Over the life
cycle of the project you will make use of project-management processes, such as monitoring
progress and managing risks, to design and develop a solution that is fit for audience and purpose.
You will demonstrate high-standard behaviours during the development of your solution and will
present your solution in a portfolio of evidence. In this unit, you will draw on your learning from
across your programme to complete assessment tasks.
The purpose of the specialist engineering project is for you to consolidate and build on the
knowledge and skills gained throughout your BTEC National programme of study. The completion
of this unit will help you to progress to employment as an engineering technician, or to an
apprenticeship or higher education.
Learning aims
In this unit you will:
A Investigate an engineering project in a relevant specialist area
B Develop project-management processes and a design solution for the specialist
engineering project as undertaken in industry
C Undertake the solution for a specialist engineering project and present the solution
as undertaken in industry.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas in Engineering – 89
Specification – Issue 7 – September 2019 © Pearson Education Limited 2019
, UNIT 5: A SPECIALIST ENGINEERING PROJECT
Summary of unit
Learning aim Key content areas Recommended
assessment approach
A Investigate an engineering A1 Project life cycle Research evidence,
project in a relevant specialist A2 Project idea generation investigating an initial idea and
area and solution possible solutions, scoping out
development alternative technical solutions
and completing a feasibility
A3 Feasibility study of
study report of the possible
solutions
solutions.
B Develop project-management B1 Planning and monitoring Evidence of applying
processes and a design project-management project-management
solution for the specialist processes processes, such as planning
engineering project as B2 Risk and issue project- during the design of a solution.
management processes Also, the development of a
undertaken in industry
technical specification that may
B3 Technical specification
include design documentation,
B4 Design documentation such as orthographic
projections of the chosen
solution.
C Undertake the solution for a C1 Undertake and test the Evidence of applying
specialist engineering project solution to the problem project-management
and present the solution as C2 Demonstrate relevant processes, such as project
undertaken in industry behaviours monitoring, and applying
relevant behaviours during
C3 Present a solution to the
the development and testing
problem
of a solution.
A portfolio of evidence
generated while completing the
specialist project, reviewing
the processes and reflecting
on own performance.
90 Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas in Engineering –
Specification – Issue 7 – September 2019 © Pearson Education Limited 2019
Unit 5: A Specialist Engineering Project
Level: 3
Unit type: Internal
Guided learning hours: 60
Unit in brief
Learners apply project-management principles to undertake a 30-hour individual project and will
produce a product, system or process relevant to their specialist area of study.
Unit introduction
Project management, and understanding the project life cycle, is a fundamental part of all
engineering disciplines, from aerospace and computing – which may involve the development
of new products and services – to the manufacturing sector, which may involve refurbishing or
installing equipment. The output from a project is varied and could be a product/service, system
or process that is relevant to your specialist area of study.
There are many approaches to project management, and in this unit you will understand and apply
one project-management approach over the life cycle of a project to solve an engineering-based
problem on a given theme or idea. This will involve you researching an engineering-based problem
and using your creative skills to generate a range of solutions to the problem. You will produce a
feasibility study to select the most appropriate solution given the known constraints. Over the life
cycle of the project you will make use of project-management processes, such as monitoring
progress and managing risks, to design and develop a solution that is fit for audience and purpose.
You will demonstrate high-standard behaviours during the development of your solution and will
present your solution in a portfolio of evidence. In this unit, you will draw on your learning from
across your programme to complete assessment tasks.
The purpose of the specialist engineering project is for you to consolidate and build on the
knowledge and skills gained throughout your BTEC National programme of study. The completion
of this unit will help you to progress to employment as an engineering technician, or to an
apprenticeship or higher education.
Learning aims
In this unit you will:
A Investigate an engineering project in a relevant specialist area
B Develop project-management processes and a design solution for the specialist
engineering project as undertaken in industry
C Undertake the solution for a specialist engineering project and present the solution
as undertaken in industry.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas in Engineering – 89
Specification – Issue 7 – September 2019 © Pearson Education Limited 2019
, UNIT 5: A SPECIALIST ENGINEERING PROJECT
Summary of unit
Learning aim Key content areas Recommended
assessment approach
A Investigate an engineering A1 Project life cycle Research evidence,
project in a relevant specialist A2 Project idea generation investigating an initial idea and
area and solution possible solutions, scoping out
development alternative technical solutions
and completing a feasibility
A3 Feasibility study of
study report of the possible
solutions
solutions.
B Develop project-management B1 Planning and monitoring Evidence of applying
processes and a design project-management project-management
solution for the specialist processes processes, such as planning
engineering project as B2 Risk and issue project- during the design of a solution.
management processes Also, the development of a
undertaken in industry
technical specification that may
B3 Technical specification
include design documentation,
B4 Design documentation such as orthographic
projections of the chosen
solution.
C Undertake the solution for a C1 Undertake and test the Evidence of applying
specialist engineering project solution to the problem project-management
and present the solution as C2 Demonstrate relevant processes, such as project
undertaken in industry behaviours monitoring, and applying
relevant behaviours during
C3 Present a solution to the
the development and testing
problem
of a solution.
A portfolio of evidence
generated while completing the
specialist project, reviewing
the processes and reflecting
on own performance.
90 Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas in Engineering –
Specification – Issue 7 – September 2019 © Pearson Education Limited 2019
