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Senior Design Discussion. March 26 & 27, 2008. Outline. How It Works Course Objectives Project Requirements Challenges Project Pre-Proposal Your Next Steps Summer Schedule. How It Works. Engineering design experience You (team of 5-6 ISyE students) Find & execute an IE project
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Senior Design Discussion March 26 & 27, 2008
Outline • How It Works • Course Objectives • Project Requirements • Challenges • Project Pre-Proposal • Your Next Steps • Summer Schedule
How It Works • Engineering design experience • You (team of 5-6 ISyE students) • Find & execute an IE project • Guidance is available • Faculty advisor for each team • Evaluation (i.e., grading) at the end • Senior design coordinator
Senior Design Objectives • Experience IE professional practice • Define problem • Collect, analyze and validate data • Develop and implement strategy • Demonstrate value to client • Learn to work in a team environment • Dr. Blake Cherrington (ILE) • Enhance communication skills • Workforce Communication Lab • Feedback and practice on presenting and writing
Project Requirements • Must be a challenge • Must apply IE methods • Must add value • Must contain significant design components • Design (or redesign) a system • Not just “design” a simulation, optimization, etc. Advice: One of two most important decisions you will make! Don’t settle; stretch!
Challenges • Design Challenges • Problem not clearly defined • Data unavailable or hard to obtain • Strategy not apparent (even to your advisor) • Course Challenges • Time • Compressed schedule • LARGE commitment necessary… • …but not sufficient (grades based on quality & value) • Group dynamics/conflict • No dying whales, please!
Challenges • Professional Challenges • Emulate workplace setting, not classroom setting • Deadlines are real • “Mandatory” means mandatory • Anything hard is your responsibility • Communications must be: • Correct (spelling, grammar, accuracy, etc.) • Respectful and appropriate (language, content, and amount) • Faculty/client time has greater value than student time • Feedback may be blunt and negative • High stakes + high pressure • Ethical decisions required • NO DROPS ALLOWED (unless approved by Associate Chair for Undergraduate Programs)
Project Pre-Proposal • Convince me this project is appropriate • Significant IE design content • Significant difficulty • Significant value You will ONLY be admitted into senior design if your pre-proposal is APPROVED by the senior design coordinator.
Project Pre-Proposal • Cover page with contact information • Designate team leader for contact purposes • Indicate Fall ’08 graduating seniors • Extensive project description about • Company • Problem • Design • Value • Site visit required • Due Date: June 26 (summer!)
Your Next Steps • Two sections (MWF 12-2 & 6-8, or TR 12-3 & 6-9) • Form team of 5 or 6 in same section • Prerequisites • ISyE 3044, 3133, 3232; LCC 3401 • Appropriate elective(s) for your project • Find potential clients • Company postings on ISyE website • Past senior design teams • Internships and co-ops • Cold-calling
Project Tips • Find a company or organization you’re interested in • Find something to do – don’t just ask for something • Bad: What does the client say they want? • Good: What is really useful/what do they really need? • Good: What might they not realize is useful/needed until you tell them?
Your Next Steps (Con’t) • Select excellent project and company • Accessibility • Cooperation • Disclosure • Reports and presentations are public • GT policy: Only students can sign non-disclosure agreement • Prepare high-quality pre-proposal for review • Submit pre-proposal draft June 26, 4pm • Turn in hard copy (outside Dr. Sokol’s office) • Email copy to Dr. Sokol (jsokol@isye.gatech.edu) • Label file “Name_of_Company Pre-Proposal.doc” Take initiative and be professional
Summer Schedule • Evaluation by senior design coordinator • Project and proposal accepted or rejected • Consultation with senior design coordinator • Sign up for time slot July 1-3 • Be available for possible subsequent meeting(s) • Revision or new pre-proposal due August 4 (Mon) • Be available for possible meeting August 5-7 • Notification of permit by August 8 (Fri)
Summer FAQs • Do I have to show up for summer meetings? • Yes, unless you live/work outside of driving distance. • What if I live/work far away? • You’re still expected to contribute to the project-finding and pre-proposal effort. Shirkers will be penalized. • What should we bring to meetings? • Be prepared: come with your best work and focused questions. “Here’s a bad draft; read it and tell us what to do” is NOT acceptable. “Is this good?” is NOT acceptable. • Will you have summer office hours? • Yes, periodically; I’ll announce them in advance.
Project Pre-proposal Warning You will ONLY be admitted into senior design if your pre-proposal is APPROVED by the senior design coordinator.
Questions? • Contact information • Dr. Joel Sokoljsokol@isye.gatech.eduRm 418 Groseclose 404-894-6484 • Resources: www.isye.gatech.edu/~jsokol/seniordesign • Do NOT contact other faculty without prior approval from senior design coordinator