Testing and Test Results

Introduction

Figure 1-Site Plan

The final product of the Green Pier Project is a set of working AutoCAD drawings from each team member representing their section of the project.  Throughout their development, these drawings were tested and altered according to the results of each test.  My role of the project is to design a promenade and recreational area for visitors to spend time at on Sandy Hook.  The promenade will be located behind the chapel and attach to two fishing piers located in the Sandy Hook Bay.  This site and promenade, depicted in Figure 1, are being tested.  The actual site is shown in Figure 2.  The finished product will meet all specifications and limitations.  It will be constructed of entirely eco-friendly materials and incorporate only plants native to Sandy Hook.  The promenade will accommodate casual

Figure 2-The Actual Site

visitors and provide seating.  The site will have profits greater than building costs.  The promenade will meet all specifications and building codes as put forth by the National Parks Service and the government of both New Jersey and the United States.  The promenade will pass an inspection to ensure visitors’ safety, and the area will be aestically pleasing.  The testing procedures used were mostly verbally completed.  Since everything is hypothetical, I used testing procedures through communication and feedback.  There was nothing physical to test.  Different people were involved with testing, depending on the individual test.  Tests involved my group members and me, my teachers and mentors, and a green marina specialist and the United States government.

Test Procedures

All testing procedures were carried out in a stationary environment in a classroom-type environment.  They were conducted as meetings are.

Figure 3-Alternate Solution of Promenade

Exploratory Testing-preliminary

• Meet with team members to ensure landscaping design and promenade design coincides with their parts of the project.

1. Meet with team.
2. Explain each solution (one shown in Figure 3).
3. Ensure everything will work together to create one, user-friendly site.

• Before moving forward with anything, check with teachers and mentors to make sure plans are correct and workable.

1. Meet with teachers.
2. Email mentors.
3. Show plans and alternate solutions.
4. Ask for advice.

Assessment Testing-secondary

Figure 4-Chosen Alternate Solution
Site Plan

• Meet with teachers and mentors to ensure preliminary designs are correct and workable.

1. Meet with teachers.
2. Email mentors.
3. Show them choice of final design (Figure 4).
4. Ask for input.

• Finalize a single design idea to create finish final steps such as material lists and procedure.


1. Choose one alternate solution to use for final design.

2. Finalize drawings (Figure 5).




Figure 5-Final AutoCAD
Drawing


3. Research eco-friendly materials.
4. Research the development process.
5. Research guidelines and specifications for promenades and site plans in the state of New Jersey and the United States.
6. Develop a material list and plan of procedures for the final design.

• Meet with the National Parks Service to discuss final stages of development.

1. Talk to teachers to arrange meeting.
2. Explain project to the National Parks Service.
3. Propose our ideas.
4. Ask for feedback and permissions. 

Validation Testing-tertiary

• Review specifications and limitations and make sure the design abides by them.

1. Develop a checklist of specifications and limitations.
2. Design must meet every specification and limitation.

Figure 6-Sample Survey

Comparison Testing-quaternary

• Ensure the new site is more user-friendly to visitors to Sandy Hook.

1. Plan the site.
2. Ensure the site is easy to visit and fish at.
3. Administer surveys (Figure 6).

Testing Process, Observation, and Results

Exploratory Testing-preliminary

• Met with team members and ensured landscaping design and promenade design coincides with their parts of the project.

1. Met with team.
2. Explained each solution.
3. Ensured everything works together to create one, user-friendly site.

When the team first met, we all had completed alternate solutions for our sections of the project.  We talked about each of our solutions with each other and decided which ones would work best with everyone so that all parts of the project would work well together.  I decided to use alternate solution one for my site plan (Figure 4) because it worked the best with the chapel design, as well as the possibility of other events needing space in the site.  I used alternate solution two for my promenade design (Figure 3) because it fit best with the two piers another group member developed.

• Checked with teachers and mentors and made sure plans are correct and workable.

1. Met with teachers.
2. Emailed mentors.
3. Showed plans and alternate solutions.
4. Asked for advice.

My teachers were able to help me with anything specific to Sandy Hook, and my mentors helped me with the general building and development process.  When I asked them if my design was workable, they both agreed and said that I could continue with my work.

Assessment Testing-secondary

• Met with teachers and mentors and ensured preliminary designs were correct and workable.

1. Met with teachers.
2. Emailed mentors.
3. Showed them choice of final design.
4. Asked for input.

Before finalizing any one design, I checked in with mentors and teachers again.  They both looked over my AutoCAD drawings and told me I was on the right track.  They told me to include dimensions on everything possible.

• Finalized a single design idea to create finish final steps such as material lists and procedure.

1. Chose one alternate solution to use for final design.
2. Finalized drawings.
3. Researched eco-friendly materials.
4. Researched the development process.
5. Researched guidelines and specifications for promenades and site plans in the state of New Jersey and the United States.
6. Developed a material list for the final design.

After consulting my teachers and mentors, I finalized one solution which I used in the final design.  I was then able to research materials and how to go about building the promenade.  When deciding on materials, I often spoke with my mentors.  In the beginning, we weren’t sure if our originally planned material-Trex Decking-would work by the water.  After emailing the company, we were told it would be fine.  I also had to decide how much gravel I would need for the parking lot.  When I emailed my mentors, I told them that I needed to fill a 200 foot by 90 foot space, and they told me how much I would need thick.  My mentor also informed me of a mat which I would place under the gravel to prevent oil and runoff from entering the water and soil.  Then, material schedules were produced.  I did not complete a plan of procedures because it was not appropriate for this project.

• Spoke with Mike Danko to discuss final stages of development.

1. Talked to teachers to obtain contact information.
2. Explained project.
3. Proposed our ideas.
4. Asked for feedback and permissions.

Mr. Danko responded over email and told me that my designs were completed well.  He said that we incorporated green design very well, and told me to look into ADA compliance.  I was in compliance with these standards, I just did not have this information documented anywhere.

Validation Testing-tertiary

• Reviewed specifications and limitations and make sure the design abides by them

1. Developed a checklist of specifications and limitations. 

When completing my rationale, I developed a specification check which I used to decide which alternate solution was the best for this project.  I used this again to ensure that everything fits and will work for this project.

Comparison Testing-quaternary

• Ensured the new site is more user-friendly to visitors to Sandy Hook.

1. Planed the site.
2. Ensured the site is easy to visit and fish at.

I planned the site and ensured it was easy to access and our buildings would work.  If we were actually developing this site, we would administer surveys to visitors to get their input on how they liked the site and what we did to change it.

Conclusion

Throughout testing my design, I have found nothing wrong with it.  When we originally met as a team, we all chose to focus on alternate solutions that worked with the other group members’ designs.  When I asked teachers and mentors for advice, they told me what materials may be best and how to go about doing things.  Before I committed to one set idea, I asked my teachers and mentors for help.  They told me that the plans I were choosing were fine.  Once I completed my final design, I started to draw everything and make material schedules.  Now, I am waiting on feedback from Mike Danko, a green marina specialist.  Finally, I developed a check list of specifications and limitations, which my design passed.  I ensured the site was better than before by planning it, and if it was actually being built I would survey visitors.

Specifications