Capstone Timeline

If you have not yet taken INFO 380, a section of the class will be offered in Winter 2010. You will be unable to take INFO 380 and Capstone concurrently, without the approval of the capstone instructor and the program chair.

Refine Ideas for your Capstone Project
Narrow down your choice of possible capstone projects to 2 or 3, and settle on a team. Most capstone projects will have teams of 3-4 students. Firm up your client’s willingness to participate.

Suggested Preliminary Discussion (Optional)
As you begin to formulate your capstone project, we suggest you chat informally about your ideas with one of the instructors of the capstone course. This is a good time to get feedback on the scope of your proposed project, etc.

1. Project Code Name. This is a memorable word or short phrase denoting your project.
2. Project Title. As your work develops over the quarter, this is likely to change.
3. List of Team Members. Please include names, email addresses, and phone numbers.
4. Preferred Quarter. State your preferred quarter to complete the capstone. Please justify your choice by addressing these and similar questions: Have each of your team members completed all the prerequisite courses? Do you wish to work on a project within the Environmental Sustainability theme? Do any of your team members have requirements to graduate in the Winter quarter? Do you have an interest in working with a particular instructor?
5. Abstract (a 1-2 paragraph description of the proposed capstone project). The abstract should explain (a) What the problem is, (b) Why it matters, and (c) How you will solve the problem. To answer these key questions, you should consider such questions as: (a) Who are the clients and stakeholders, (b) How will you engage them, (c) What data will you use or collect, (d) How will you define the scope of your project so it is neither too narrow nor too broad, (f) If you plan to build a system, what tools will you use, and (e) How will you assess the outcome of your project. Different capstones may emphasize these elements to different extents.
6. Plan of Work (1 paragraph). Describe the research/design methods that you plan to use. You might, for example, plan to create a questionnaire, interview people, create a conceptual database model, implement a prototype, and evaluate it. Or you might create a survey, pilot the survey on a small group, revise it, deploy it on a large scale, analyze the results, and draw conclusions. Use this section to describe your approach.
7. Related Work. Using a consistent style, list 2 – 3 key papers, books, or authoritative web resources related to your project. These references will help set an intellectual foundation for your project.
8. Resources. List any special software, hardware or other resources that you need in order to complete your project (the school may be able to acquire these resources for you).
9. Intellectual Property Issues. If you have questions or concerns about IP, use this section to raise them.
10. Client Information. If you will be working with a client, include the client’s contact information.
11. Letter of Support from Client. If you will be working with a client, attach a brief letter from the client stating his or her intention to be accessible to and work with you during the quarter of the capstone.