Integrating Project Management, Product Design with Industry Sponsored Projects provides Stimulating Senior Capstone Experiences

Authors

  • Phillip A. Sanger Western Carolina University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v1i2.1682

Keywords:

capstone projects, industry, product design, project management

Abstract


Abstract ¾ Many students are uncomfortable with real world engineering problems where needs and requirements must be concretely defined and the selection of design solutions is not black and white. This paper describes a two semester, multi-disciplinary senior capstone project for students from three Engineering and Technology Department programs (electrical engineering, electrical and computer engineering technology, and engineering technology) that brings together the tools of project management and the creative product development process into industry sponsored projects.  The projects are fully integrated with the Center for Rapid Product Realization with its dual goals of economic development and enhanced learning.  The stage/gate development process is used with six formal reviews covering the development of the proposal through to the fabrication and testing of the project’s output.  Over the past four years thirty five (35) projects have been undertaken with students getting an exciting authentic life experience and introducing them to the real world of engineering.

Author Biography

Phillip A. Sanger, Western Carolina University

P. A. Sanger is an Associate Professor in the Engineering and Technology Department as well as the Director of Center for Rapid Product Realization at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA 28723 (email: sanger@wcu.edu ).

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Published

2011-05-24

How to Cite

Sanger, P. A. (2011). Integrating Project Management, Product Design with Industry Sponsored Projects provides Stimulating Senior Capstone Experiences. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP), 1(2), pp. 13–18. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v1i2.1682

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Papers

License

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