Senior Design Project Expectations

Introduction

All Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) students take a senior design capstone project as the culminating experience in their undergraduate program. This is a 6 credit hour course taking place in one semester. ISE design projects address the needs of industrial, service or other potential clients in Southeast Ohio. Students are divided into teams of 3-4 and work together to provide the solution to a problem posed by the client or sponsor.

Potential Problems to Solve

Using the skills developed in previous ISE course, such as statistics and data analysis, probability and simulation, operation research and optimization, inventory and manufacturing planning, work design and human factors, six-sigma, lean methods, senior design projects aim to give students the opportunity to practice those skills for a real company and client. In the past, students have worked on problems such as test facility flow analysis, product measurements, product flow efficiency, operator ergonomics, maintenance cost, restaurant customer flow an deficiencies, emergency department analysis, and many others.

Project Methodology

ISE project teams should follow the DMAIC methodology (from Six Sigma). They can use similar methodology for other projects (e.g. simulation and information systems have slightly modified approach). The teams follow a strict timeline and tollgates with Performance Development Review (DPR) report in the middle of the semester and Final Development Report (FDR) at the end of the semester. Weekly reporting to the instructor and client is also required.

Project Scope

The project needs utilize ISE methodologies. Students are expected to dedicate 10-15 hours per week (outside class sessions) to their project. In sum, projects typically take 400-600 hours, combining the work of three members over 14 weeks. 

Project Timeline

The course instructor with gather project concepts from the potential clients at the beginning of the Fall semester. The instructor will survey the students to gauge interest in the potential projects. From there, students will rank their preferred projects and peer collaborators. The instructor decides the teams and assigns them to the projects. By the end of the Fall semester, teams should establish initial contact with client. Therefore, students should be ready to start their project on the first day of Spring. They are expected to complete the work by the end of Spring semester.