Experiences in Teaching Senior Design Using Real-World Clients

This paper describes the authors' experiences teaching an industry-based capstone design course during the past ten years. Students in this course are required to work as members of small teams to complete software development projects. These projects proceed from requirements gathering to analysis, design, implementation, and delivery of products to real-world clients. Perhaps one of the best ways to teach the importance of managing project resources is to allow students to manage real world projects with serious development constraints including concrete deadlines. To improve students' verbal and written communications skills and experience in teamwork and cooperative design projects, students are required present frequent written and verbal reports as each project milestone is completed. Student-led discussions of ethics and professional practice concerns are included in this course. A final cumulative written report and oral presentation is required of all teams as is a formal letter of acceptance of the project by the real-world client.