SENIOR DESIGN OVERVIEW

It should come as no surprise that the students on the student project team are expected to organize, execute, manage, and be the primary operators in the Project Work. There will generally be 3-5 students on a team who will be assigned in the Project Selection process. These team members may all be from the same or multiple disciplines depending on the needs of the project as assessed by the Capstone Committee. 

While students will all be in the senior year of their program, they are certain to be varied in terms of experience, perspective, interests, and specialization. This diversity is a valuable characteristic of the teams as it presents both opportunities and challenges in communication, organization, and execution that mirror what students will likely face in future careers. 

The project advisor is a full-time or adjunct faculty member of the university who is formally assigned to a project team. This is an individual who will have qualifications in the applicable field of study to the project such that they can provide feedback and guidance to the team. 

Students should be prepared for the possibility that project advisors may be far less instructional than in other courses. More than in other classes, the students of the senior design program are responsible for collecting new knowledge, executing tasks, and setting schedules without clear instruction from the instructor.

The project advisor's primary roles are guidance and evaluation of the team:

Guidance: 

The project advisor is generally intended to provide feedback, support, review, and editing for the elements of the project in-line with the outcomes of the course. This may vary greatly in strategy and method between project advisors and between projects in the same way that two instructors may teach a course in different ways. While one project advisor may provide guidance similar to how a high-level manager or executive/partner at a company would, another may involve themselves similarly to an research advisor or auditor in private or public research, and another may behave more like a peer with senior experience on the same team. 

Evaluation:

The project advisor is the instructor for the course and is responsible for evaluation of the students on the project and subsequent assignment of grades. 

Despite having authority over the grades, it is exceedingly rare that a project advisor will choose to make this evaluation completely on their own. Throughout the program, project advisors are provided a great deal of feedback and elective assessment from other members of the team and outside parties. With this in mind, students should always be mindful of their behavior regardless of if the project advisor is present or not.

While the strategies of project advisors will be as diverse as the faculty and projects involved, all parties are expected to respect the project advisor as the instructor of the section in the same way one would for any other class. 

A Design Advisory Board member is a formally recognized volunteer member of the program who generally provides guidance, advice, and increased diversity of perspective to the students. The exact involvement of a Design Advisory Board member will vary for each team as a result of different availability, project type/scope, assistance requested by the students, and guidance of the project advisor. In some circumstances, a team may have multiple Design Advisory Board members assigned to them or may reach out to another team's Design Advisory Board member for specialized feedback.

Design Advisory Board members are generally selected for their character, experience, and qualifications in their field along with their ability and willingness to participate in the events of the program and team meetings. 

Design Advisory Board members may also be asked for their evaluations of the students and the program by project advisors or the administration of the university.

Sponsors are a vital part of the senior project program, providing valuable resources, expertise, and the projects themselves from various industries. While sponsors generally act as customers for the work performed, the nature of their interactions with students can vary widely depending on the project's goals and needs. 

Some sponsors may integrate student teams into their organization, while others maintain a more independent contractor relationship. The exact nature of these interactions will depend on the goals of the project and the needs of the sponsor, but, in all cases, students can expect to benefit from exposure to real-world experience, exposure to new challenges, and valuable professional connections that prepare them for successful careers.

Sponsors are expected to provide a liaison who regularly interacts with the team and manages requirements for the project. This liaison is typically a technical representative who can provide feedback and support to students in achieving project objectives. Depending on the project, the liaison may even work alongside the team to tackle challenging tasks. 

It's important for students to maintain a professional relationship and show respect for the liaison as they would with any other professional contact. Learning how to communicate and work productively with customer representatives is a critical skill for students to develop.