The capstone design project seminar serves two major roles. As an introduction to the capstone design project it reinforces an understanding of the design process and the skills needed to do independent research in the investigation of project topics. As an introduction to the engineering and computer science professions it provides information about professional ethics and the links to the historical and societal context of electrical and computer systems.
Objectives and Outcomes:
Students should demonstrate
| Week | Topics - Tuesday | Topics - Thursday |
| 1 | Course overview and objectives, choosing project topics, expectations and rewards | Orientation and advice, different types of projects.
Student Panel |
| 2 | Project Ideas | Project Ideas |
| 3 | Introduction to professional practice and ethics | Project selection, discussion of issues of self, profession and society |
| 4 | How to do a literature review - case study | Professional practice and Ethics |
| 5 | Technical writing - survey papers | Professional practice and Ethics - Case Studies |
| 6 | Background research paper critiques | Ethics - Professional and practical |
| 7 | Writing
critiques, Overview of design process,
The development of project requirements |
Ethics - Case Study |
| 8 | Design requirements - behavior vs design and implementation. Quantifying design requirements Critiques of design requirements | 2002 Capstone Design Project Presentations |
| 9 | Oral presentation skills | Short oral presentations - practice |
| 10 | Short oral presentations - practice | Web-based project documentation Future steps - design proposal, implementation, report |