General Information
(the information is currently under revision)
Course Description
- The ELEC/COEN 490 project is intended as a capstone course for students at Concordia University.
- It provides students with a significant design experience and integration of knowledge from several courses.
- It also provides students with a means to practice project management, technical writing, and technical presentation skills.
- Students are expected to gain industrial design experience as much as possible.
- Students are required to work together in teams and to learn new material.
Registration Requirements
- Minimum of 75 credits in your BEng program or permission of the Department.
- Students can't register until a graduation audit is done.
- The student must be a potential graduate for the next convocation.
- No registration without prerequisites.
- FNS, DEF, INC, PEND do not satisfy prerequisite requirements.
- Prerequisites:
- Computer Engineering: ENGR 371, COEN 352, COEN 390; ELEC 311 or SOEN 341
- Electrical Engineering: ENGR 371, COEN 311, ELEC 361, ELEC 390
- Readmitted students must repeat Ds and replace them with Cs for 490 prerequisites.
- No 200 level course can be taken while taking 490.
- No special approvals or exceptions.
General Work Schedule
- Students should keep an engineering log book of their activity during all phases of the project.
- Each student is expected to spend some 8 to 12 hours per week on the project.
- The project is divided into three phases:
Phase 1
- Design Specification
- Define the project requirements
- Breakdown project into manageable tasks
- Allocate tasks to individual group members
- Budget
- Prepare schedule
Phase 2
- Design/Implementation
- Carry out the design work scheduled in Phase 1
- Prepare for Design Review
- Update schedule and plan (final deliverables evaluated against the revised plan)
Phase 3
- Design/Implementation
- Complete the design and implementation work as scheduled in Phase 1
- Carry out verification and testing if necessary
- Prepare for Final Design Review
Course Requirements
- Students are to organize themselves into groups & select from the list of available projects.
- There is no required text for the course. However students are encouraged to purchase the following textbook on Project Management: Project Management & Teamwork, by Karl Smith
Deliverables
Phase 1
Group Report (10-15 pages)
- Objectives/Requirements/Specifications (numerical). Use Guidelines to Profesional Practice (OIQ): 3.1.1.-3.1.3., 3.2.2., 3.2.7.
- Task Description/Allocation for each group member ("Guidelines": 4.1., 4.4.)
- Tools required
- Project planning ("Guidelines": Chapter 4)
- Team formation ("Guidelines": 4.1.)
- Communication plan
- Contingency plan
Presentation (total time: 20 minutes per group)
Based on Phase 1 report
Phase 2
This phase is organized by the supervisor. The form of presentation may vary from group to group. Below is only a general guideline.
Group Report (15-20 pages)
- Present a design review (go over what has been done up to this point)
- List considered alternatives
- Clearly describe trade-offs
- Justify your choice (use numbers!)
- Discuss and justify any deviation from the initial task allocation/schedule
- Update schedule/plan if necessary
- Each student submits 1-2 page summary of his/her contributions
Presentation ( total time of 35 minutes per group)
Based on Phase 2 report
Phase 3
Group Report (length and content is to be decided by your supervisor(s))
- Present a description of the design, and test results
- Consider this a sales pitch of the design
- Describe what you have done and discuss the reasons for any deviations from the initial schedule submitted in Phase 1.
- Write technical manual of the project
- Write user manual of the device/software you produced
- Presentation (poster/demo session)
- All reports must follow Concordia’s Form & Style Guide (copy of guide will be made available on the project form page).
- All presentations should allow for a 5-10 minute question and answer session.
- Each student is required to make at least one presentation for Phase 1 or Phase 2 work.
Contacts
1. Academic inquiries, project assignment
2. Resources and technical questions
3. General questions, schedules, presentation times, special events
Grading Scheme
Not available now.
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