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Assessing and Improving a Capstone Design Sequence with Industrial Project Management Techniques

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Conference

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Vancouver, BC

Publication Date

June 26, 2011

Start Date

June 26, 2011

End Date

June 29, 2011

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Capstone Design III

Tagged Division

Design in Engineering Education

Page Count

12

Page Numbers

22.230.1 - 22.230.12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--17511

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/17511

Download Count

377

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Paper Authors

biography

Stacy S. Wilson Western Kentucky University

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Stacy S. Wilson is a professor in the Electrical Engineering Program at Western Kentucky University. Her research interests include controls, system identification, and wavelets. She is actively involved in the assessment process.

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Mark E. Cambron Western Kentucky University

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Michael L. McIntyre Western Kentucky University

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Abstract

Assessing and Improving a Capstone Design Sequence with Industrial Project Management TechniquesSeveral years ago, project management techniques were incorporated in the capstone designsequence in the Electrical Engineering Program at . The objective of thecapstone sequence is primarily focused on the design and execution of an applied research orindustrial project. The decision was made to use these techniques because the faculty hadassessed that students struggle with elements of project execution such as planning and meetingintermediate deadlines.The new additions to the sequence included a score card rating system and the inclusion ofproject management techniques and strategies. Student teams presented the current state of theirwork during design reviews to faculty. A score card rating was been implemented in thesedesign reviews to establish go/no go guidelines and immediate feedback for the students.Students were instructed in project management techniques and the structuring of the sequenceto pattern these techniques has been implemented.In this paper, the assessment of these new strategies will be discussed. This assessment includesstudent self assessment and faculty assessment of student performance. Also, the improvementsto the industrial project management techniques and the results of the improvements will bepresented. Required items were removed and other items were added to the documentation toaid student planning and execution of their project. Also, the score card system was modified toprovide more accurate feedback to the students. Assessment results of student performance whohave used the improved strategies will be compared to the performance of students who used theoriginal strategies. A comparison of assessment results of students who completed the capstoneproject sequence prior to the implementation of these techniques will also be presented.

Wilson, S. S., & Cambron, M. E., & McIntyre, M. L. (2011, June), Assessing and Improving a Capstone Design Sequence with Industrial Project Management Techniques Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17511

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