Design And Development Of The Data Synchronization Case Study

The Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education (LITEE) at Auburn University has been developing case studies that engage students in cross-disciplinary learning and require engineering and business and students of other disciplines to work together in order to solve a common problem. The Data Synchronization case study is one of the latest case studies from LITEE, which focuses on how a construction company solved the problem of synchronizing data forms between remote sites and the headquarters. Unlike other case studies that handle hypothetical or past events, the Data Synchronization case study focuses on a current real-world problem that existed in this company. A graduate student from Auburn University worked directly with the company while living in India during summer 2007 in order to develop this case study. The Data Synchronization case study was made using steps for creating case studies, which involve identifying a company’s problem, having students work with the company, writing the case study, and many stages of refinement in order to create the finished product for the classroom. This paper describes this case study and its creation process further.