Uncertainty is an unavoidable aspect of design. We discovered there are many different types of uncertainty in complex systems, however these can be condensed into a few categories. Significant research exists on epistemic uncertainty, but proper understanding and management of other forms of uncertainty are less thoroughly explored. We investigated previous research in the context of design to assist in better defining and understanding uncertainty. We conducted this research with the intent of designing learning interventions to improve engineering students' ability to understand and manage uncertainty in design. From previous research we learned one of the most significant factors in successfully managing uncertainty is incorporating teamwork. While there is significant research on the topic of design, and to a lesser extent uncertainty, there is virtually no existing research pertaining to the intersection of uncertainty, design, and teamwork. We used the qualitative research methodology of constructivism, and included sampling of a population of engineers that has a broader view of various forms of uncertainty in aerospace design. We combined this methodology with exploration of existing research on the topics of uncertainty, design, and teamwork, and compared to published works on various design methods. We found an existing design methodology outside of the common engineering methodologies that aligns with the experiences of our study participants. We recommend further research to test the impact to students' learning to manage uncertainty in design when employing this particular design methodology.
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