Having trouble keeping your engineering community active and engaged? Community challenges are a proven way to spark interaction, foster learning, and build team spirit. Use these ready-to-go challenge templates to inspire participation and make your group more lively than ever.
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Community challenges tap into our natural desire for achievement and belonging. By inviting members to try something new or friendly competition, you create a sense of shared purpose and fun. This playful approach lowers barriers and encourages even less-active members to participate, as tasks are accessible and often collaborative.
Engineering-specific challenges are especially effective because they appeal to problem-solving instincts and creativity. When members share their progress or solutions, they not only build confidence but also learn from each other. Offering small rewards and recognition further boosts motivation, turning participation into a habit and strengthening community bonds.
One-day build: Create something useful from recycled materials and share your results.
💡 Example: "One-day build: Create something useful from recycled materials and share your results."
Reverse engineering challenge: Dismantle a household gadget and explain how it works.
💡 Example: "Reverse engineering challenge: Dismantle an old toaster and explain how it works."
Can you draw your favorite engineering principle without words? Post your drawing below.
💡 Example: "Can you draw your favorite engineering principle without words? Post your drawing below."
30-minute code sprint: Write the most efficient sorting algorithm you can. Share your code.
💡 Example: "30-minute code sprint: Write the most efficient sorting algorithm you can. Share your code."
Build a bridge out of only paper and tape. How much weight did yours hold?
💡 Example: "Build a bridge out of only paper and tape. How much weight did yours hold?"
Share a photo of your current workspace or lab setup.
💡 Example: "Share a photo of your current workspace or lab setup."
Try explaining a complex engineering concept using only simple words. Who can make it the clearest?
💡 Example: "Try explaining a complex engineering concept using only simple words. Who can make it the clearest?"
Post your go-to engineering meme or joke for a laugh break.
💡 Example: "Post your go-to engineering meme or joke for a laugh break."
Weekly design puzzle: Solve this riddle and share your answer in the thread.
💡 Example: "Weekly design puzzle: Solve this riddle and share your answer in the thread."
What is the most innovative material you have used? Tell us your story.
💡 Example: "What is the most innovative material you have used? Tell us your story."
Quick poll: Which engineering field do you want to learn about next?
💡 Example: "Quick poll: Which engineering field do you want to learn about next?"
Redesign a common object to make it more efficient. Share your sketch or idea.
💡 Example: "Redesign a common object to make it more efficient. Share your sketch or idea."
Can you spot the error? Find the mistake in this circuit diagram and explain it.
💡 Example: "Can you spot the error? Find the mistake in this circuit diagram and explain it."
Flash challenge: Fix a bug or error in your recent project and share what you learned.
💡 Example: "Flash challenge: Fix a bug or error in your recent project and share what you learned."
Share your favorite engineering podcast or YouTube channel.
💡 Example: "Share your favorite engineering podcast or YouTube channel."
Emoji reaction challenge: React with an emoji that best describes your current project.
💡 Example: "Emoji reaction challenge: React with an emoji that best describes your current project."
Who can design the tallest freestanding tower using only spaghetti and marshmallows?
💡 Example: "Who can design the tallest freestanding tower using only spaghetti and marshmallows?"
Share your best tip for staying organized in your engineering projects.
💡 Example: "Share your best tip for staying organized in your engineering projects."
Show us a before-and-after photo of a project you improved.
💡 Example: "Show us a before-and-after photo of a project you improved."
Can you explain an engineering concept using only emojis? Give it a try.
💡 Example: "Can you explain an engineering concept using only emojis? Give it a try."
Flashback: Share a childhood toy that inspired your love for engineering.
💡 Example: "Flashback: Share a childhood toy that inspired your love for engineering."
Make a Rube Goldberg machine with household items and post a short video.
💡 Example: "Make a Rube Goldberg machine with household items and post a short video."
Share a photo of a real-world engineering fail you have seen.
💡 Example: "Share a photo of a real-world engineering fail you have seen."
Who can build a functioning catapult out of popsicle sticks? Show your launch distance.
💡 Example: "Who can build a functioning catapult out of popsicle sticks? Show your launch distance."
Post a question you have always wanted to ask another engineer.
💡 Example: "Post a question you have always wanted to ask another engineer."
Challenge: Use a new CAD tool for 15 minutes and share what you like or dislike.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Use a new CAD tool for 15 minutes and share what you like or dislike."
Quick challenge: List three engineering skills you want to learn this year.
💡 Example: "Quick challenge: List three engineering skills you want to learn this year."
Try to design a device that solves a daily annoyance. Share your sketch or concept.
💡 Example: "Try to design a device that solves a daily annoyance. Share your sketch or concept."
Who can make the best paper airplane? Post your flight distance or video.
💡 Example: "Who can make the best paper airplane? Post your flight distance or video."
Flash challenge: Improve an everyday tool and explain your changes.
💡 Example: "Flash challenge: Improve an everyday tool and explain your changes."
Share a photo of your favorite engineering book or resource.
💡 Example: "Share a photo of your favorite engineering book or resource."
Solve this week's logic puzzle and post your answer.
💡 Example: "Solve this week's logic puzzle and post your answer."
Can you build a simple machine using only items in your kitchen? Share a photo.
💡 Example: "Can you build a simple machine using only items in your kitchen? Share a photo."
What is your favorite open-source engineering project? Share a link.
💡 Example: "What is your favorite open-source engineering project? Share a link."
Quick vote: Analog or digital? Share your preference and why.
💡 Example: "Quick vote: Analog or digital? Share your preference and why."
Post a story where teamwork made your engineering project better.
💡 Example: "Post a story where teamwork made your engineering project better."
Can you create a chain-reaction device with five or more steps? Share your video.
💡 Example: "Can you create a chain-reaction device with five or more steps? Share your video."
Share a design sketch that did not work as planned and what you learned.
💡 Example: "Share a design sketch that did not work as planned and what you learned."
Flash poll: Which engineering software do you use most often?
💡 Example: "Flash poll: Which engineering software do you use most often?"
Show us a photo of an inspiring engineering structure in your city.
💡 Example: "Show us a photo of an inspiring engineering structure in your city."
Can you improve the classic mousetrap design? Share your upgraded concept.
💡 Example: "Can you improve the classic mousetrap design? Share your upgraded concept."
Share a fun engineering fact that most people do not know.
💡 Example: "Share a fun engineering fact that most people do not know."
To implement these templates, select a challenge that fits your community's interests and skill levels. Announce it with clear instructions and a motivating introduction. Encourage members to post their process, results, or reflections, and recognize participants with shoutouts, badges, or small rewards. Rotate challenges weekly or monthly for ongoing engagement. Adapt templates to suit your platform's format and your group's culture.
On any platform, use pinned posts or announcements to keep the challenge visible. Make use of hashtags or threads to organize submissions. Encourage members to comment on each other's posts to foster interaction. If possible, use polls or reaction features for low-barrier entry points.
To prompt engineers to discuss real-world design trade-offs, use templates that present a scenario (e.g., choosing materials for a bridge) and ask members to justify their decision based on specific criteria such as cost, strength, durability, and manufacturability. Encourage members to reference relevant standards (like ASTM, ISO) and provide supporting calculations where possible.
Frame challenges around real or hypothetical failure scenarios. For example, present images or case studies of a fatigued component and ask members to diagnose root causes using engineering principles (like S-N curves or thermal analysis). Encourage sharing of diagnostic methods (e.g., FMEA, RCA) and mitigation strategies relevant to the discipline.
Create templates that require input from multiple engineering disciplines, such as a robotics challenge involving both motion control (mechanical) and circuit design (electrical). Ask members to outline how they would approach subsystem integration, signal integrity, or mechanical-electrical interfacing, fostering cross-disciplinary discussion.
Absolutely. Use challenge templates that prompt members to upload CAD files or schematics and invite others to review for DFM (Design for Manufacturability), DFT (Design for Testability), or compliance with engineering standards. Encourage reviewers to provide constructive feedback on tolerances, part selection, and potential points of failure.
Develop challenge posts that simulate exam scenarios or ask members to solve sample problems aligned with certification body requirements. For example, present a statics problem for FE prep or a process optimization case for Six Sigma. Encourage discussion of solution strategies and reference to official handbooks or codes.
Craft challenge scenarios where adherence to specific standards or regulatory codes is required—for instance, designing a pressure vessel to ASME BPVC specifications or ensuring electrical safety per IEEE guidelines. Ask members to cite relevant clauses, perform compliance checks, and debate interpretations to deepen collective understanding.
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