Real World Design Challenge

High school students in grades 9-12 work in teams to solve real-world engineering problems using professional software, submitting design solutions in an Engineering Design Notebook. The competition is hosted by the Real World Design Challenge Team and is free to enter.

The Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) is an annual global competition organized by the Real World Design Challenge Team that engages high school students in grades 9-12 to solve real-world engineering problems faced by leading industries. Students work in teams using professional engineering software to develop design solutions and submit them as an Engineering Design Notebook. The competition promotes STEM education by providing practical, industry-relevant experience and offers scholarships to outstanding teams.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Teams are judged primarily on their Engineering Design Notebook submission evaluated against a detailed scoring rubric. Key criteria include creativity, engineering design quality, technical accuracy, problem analysis, proposed solution, solution justification, and presentation quality. Judging occurs in rounds beginning at the state level. State champions progress to national/international levels where judges assess notebook quality and live presentations to select winners. The scoring rubric is provided to teams at the competition start to guide their work.