Management of Transitioning Teams During Design Projects

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noe Vargas Hernandez ◽  
Jose G. Davila Rangel ◽  
Angel E. Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Project Team ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Collaborative Project ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Design Projects

The objective of this paper is to provide ideas on how to better manage a team transition in a design project. Team transitions can be planned or can occur unexpectedly, in either case, disruption can be diminished by taking the appropriate measures. We present an approach on team transitioning and relate it to our experience with undergraduate senior design teams working on a collaborative project that lasts 1 year while the course is limited to 1 semester. Our observations and recommendations include where to start, damage containment measures, how to retrieve the project’s knowledge, what to look for in a replacement team, and how to improve the odds in the event of an unexpected transition.

A Case Study of the Effects of Design Project Length on Team Collaboration and Leadership in Senior Mechanical Engineering Projects

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Righter ◽  
Andy Blanton ◽  
Hallie Stidham ◽  
Doug Chickarello ◽  
Joshua D. Summers
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Team Collaboration ◽  
Project Completion ◽  
Communication Structures ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Engineering Projects

This paper describes exploratory research regarding leadership and communication within undergraduate engineering design teams. The case study was performed on student design projects of one and two semester duration to begin to assess the impact of project length on leadership and communication within the design teams. Data was collected using a survey that was given to the participants in three capstone design projects in Clemson University’s senior design course. The survey was administered within one month of course and project completion. While there were differences in the communication and leadership patterns between the teams, there were other possible influences beyond the project length such as team size and organization, organizational and geographic distribution, and the nature of the product. As a result, further research is proposed to study leadership and communication structures within undergraduate teams and multi-team systems (MTS).

A Web-Based Online Collaboration Tool for Formulating Senior Design Projects

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sainath Varikuti ◽  
Jitesh H. Panchal ◽  
John M. Starkey
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Online Collaboration ◽  
Team Cohesiveness ◽  
Faculty Mentor ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Project Outcome ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
The Impact

A well formed senior design project is known to have significant benefits in terms of project outcome, student motivation, team cohesiveness, engagement, and student learning. Defining a good problem statement, forming a team of compatible and appropriately skilled students, and selecting an appropriate faculty mentor are critical aspects of project formation. Therefore, students in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University are encouraged to suggest project ideas, form teams, and have them approved by the course coordinator before the semester starts. While there is significant literature on senior design projects, most of the existing work is focused on activities after the problem is defined and the teams are formed. There is a lack of mechanisms and tools to guide the project formation phase in senior design projects, which makes it challenging for students and faculty to collaboratively develop and refine project ideas and to establish appropriate teams. To address this challenge, we have implemented an online collaboration tool to share, discuss and obtain feedback on project ideas, and to facilitate collaboration among students and faculty prior to the start of the semester. Through an online survey and questionnaire to students, we are exploring the impact of the collaboration tool on the senior design project formation process. In this paper we present the design of the tool and the results from our ongoing study in the senior design class at Purdue Mechanical Engineering.

scholarly journals Direct and Indirect Benefits of an International Service-Learning Design Project: Educational Effects on Project Members and Their Peers

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30
Author(s):  
Peter E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Educational Benefits ◽  
International Service Learning ◽  
International Service ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
Direct And Indirect Benefits

It has been well documented that international service-learning design projects in engineering provide many educational benefits to the students involved in these projects. This article addresses the question of whether or not the benefits gained from international service-learning design projects extend to those students who are not directly involved with these projects but are peers of those who are. To answer this question, graduates of the senior design projects course at Valparaiso University from 2003 to 2008 were surveyed on the course learning objectives, their desire to participate in service-related activities, and their social and cultural awareness. The responses from this survey show that peers of students who experienced an international service-learning design project developed a stronger desire to participate in service-related activities than those alumni who experienced the course when an international service-learning design project was not offered. The responses also show that these same peers felt they were more aware of societal issues and other cultures as well. This article discusses the senior design course, the international service-learning design project, the survey, the results of this survey, and suggested improvements that will extend the benefits of an international service-learning design project beyond those students with direct involvement to their peers.

Asteroids, e-mail, and senior design projects

2007 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 700-701
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Liner
Keyword(s):  
Senior Design ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
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