A Student Bidding Process Applied To Industrially Sponsored Senior Capstone Design Projects

Since ABET 2000, numerous engineering programs have initiated industrially-sponsored Senior Capstone courses designed to better prepare students for the practice of engineering. Brigham Young University initiated an industrially sponsored Capstone program in 1990. Since 1990, BYU student teams have completed more than 500 of these projects. Project teams in Capstone courses have been formed using a variety of methods. At BYU, student test results from the Herrmann Brain Dominance, FIRO B, and other tests have been used to form teams. The intent has been to create diversity of thinking among team members to provide a better learning experience for the students and better project results than would be obtained if diversity in team formation was not sought. After team formation, each team has been assigned an industriallysponsored project. Beginning in 2008, teams were formed in a way similar to previous semesters and then invited to take part in a 'bidding' process for the 27 industrially sponsored projects. This bidding process was initiated as an experiment in an effort to foster increased ownership for project success among team members and as an initial exercise to foster familiarity between team members and to start working together immediately. This paper presents preliminary results of this new approach, including survey results from Capstone students who were involved in the bidding process and those from alumni currently pursuing graduate degrees at Brigham Young University who in previous years had their Capstone projects assigned without being involved in bidding. Comparisons are drawn between the two groups. Advantages and disadvantages are noted and recommendations are given.