CCT406: Capstone Design CourseClass 1: Introduction

Welcome!

A bit about us

A bit about you

Course Structure

Primarily organized around real-life clients and your group work towards understanding/resolving their concerns

Also – importance of learning about and participating in communities of practice relevant to your professional development

Good practice and preparation for freelance consulting and entrepreneurial work – a common first job

Clients

Are being solicited and vetted now – any suggestions?

Are real individuals/organizations with real concerns - you must communicate with them – and learn how to do so on mutual terms

Things to do/not do?

Assignments

Personas and Use Case Scenarios

Networking Assignment

Final Project (Writeup)

Final Project (Presentation)

PM Documentation/Class Participation

Final Exam

Personas/Use Case Scenarios

Understand the problem first – talk to client and learn more about their problems at a relatively deep level, and understand the core people as well

Represent those problems as use cases – e.g., stories of things that are not going to plan – featuring a set of personas (either real or ideal type construction)

One use case scenario per group member (ideally 4-5) – leads to four problems to potentially investigate – also a set of personas/characters relevant to all problems

Tips

DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM YET – potential solutions should not be discussed

Scenarios can be told through a variety of media – text is fine, but storyboards, comics, video, etc. might work – depends on the narrative and the best way to tell it

Ideally run this by client before submission – if not, definitely after – so you know you’ve got the problems/people right.

Change scenarios as required for final project

Networking Assignment

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know, and who knows you.

Most jobs are landed through personal connection, leveraging the strength of weak ties

So get out there and get known… but where? As what? Largely up to you here – so think strategically for your own future (and ask for help!)

Tips

Further tips and deliverables to come

DO NOT just pick events at UTM or Sheridan – weak ties are the goal here.

Where to look? What to do when there? What not to do?

Document everything – take pictures, screenshots of social media/event invite, business cards, etc.

DO THIS EARLY – don’t assume there’s something relevant to go to two days before this is due!

Go with friends if you’d like (but meet different people please.)

Some have done this before (e.g., 460…) - so do it again!

Final Project (Written)

Adapt from problems noted in first assignment

Provide some environmental scan of problem environment – e.g., PEST, SWOT, Blue Ocean

NOW solve the problem

Conceptual prototype is the goal – not necessarily finished product, but could be slices of product – examples?

Should include budget and communication log

Tips

Budget should be feasible and fair to all parties – design is a job, not charity.

Aim to be hired to complete the work – it happens

Communication log should be verifiable – don’t fake this, we can check.

Peer review to ensure equitable group participation – more on group dynamics later

Final Project Presentation

Representing your work to panel of industry experts (similar to Dragon’s Den/Shark Tank)

Quick clear presentation in Ignite format, plus Q&A

Be prepared for all sorts of questions – you should know your project very well at this point!

More to come on this later

Project Management/Participati

on Agile development process – weekly updates (at

minimum!) with specific tasks assigned to group members, progress checks, and restatement of goals as required

Can use any PM tool – will look at a couple like Asana, but even a discussion group in Slate can do this

Not just random texts/FB chat - has to have weekly goal statements and iterative development

Class participation also important – active presence valued here – do *not* plan to miss half this class.

Final Exam

Covering elements of UX design covered in class, Design is a Job, and guest lectures

Specific material to be tested dependent on what transpires in class – schedule is open to change based on guest lecture availability

More information to come later