Framework For Organization And Control Of Capstone Design/Build Projects

Senior design capstone projects frequently require team members to self-organize for a project and then execute the design/build portion with limited resources. This is challenging for inexperienced students who struggle with technical as well as program management and team building issues. This paper outlines a general framework that can be used by students and faculty advisors to outline goals and objectives and to facilitate communication among team members. It outlines how students set the team goal and organize the project to ensure team members fully understand their contributions and major performance objectives. Once performance objectives and individual responsibilities are fixed, team members can use the framework as a guide to design and build the project. Since each team member has a vested interest in the overall project, program management is aided. Faculty advisors can also use the framework to mentor students and evaluate student performance for grade assignment. A case study for a large multi-discipline project that spanned a two-year design/build period is provided.