CSE498, Collaborative Design, Spring 2020
Computer Science and Engineering
Michigan State University

Major Milestones

  • Week 2, Thursday, January 16, 2020

    Status Report Presentations
  • Each team gives a 5 minute status report on a variety of things including client contact, client meeting schedules, team meeting schedules, team organization, server systems and software, development systems and software, a brief description of the project, the status of their project plan and the initial identification of risks.

    A PowerPoint template is provided on the Downloads page.

    As with all of these milestones, this date indicates the due date. The PowerPoint slide deck is due by 11:59 p.m. on the night before this date. Submission instructions are included in the slide deck template. In addition to submitting their slide deck to the instructor, each team must submit their slide deck to their project sponsors by the same deadline.

  • Week 4, Tuesday, January 28, 2020

    Project Plan Presentations
  • Each team gives a 14 minute formal presentation about their project including the functional specifications, design specifications, technical specifications, risks and proposed project schedule.

    A PowerPoint template is provided on the Downloads page.

    Each team also submits a completed first draft of their project plan.

    While these presentations are made over the course of two weeks (four meetings), all teams must submit their materials and be be ready to present on this date. The per team schedule of presentations for the two weeks is posted on our All-Hands Meetings page the evening prior to this date.

    The dress code for the members of the presenting team is business casual.

    For examples of project plan presentation slide decks, visit course web sites from previous semesters by following links from the Archives page. Note that requirements may change from semester to semester.

    Corporate clients are invited to attend project plan presentations. If a corporate client is interested in attending, we can work together to schedule it.

    On Project Plan Presentation meeting days, we may begin our meetings approximately 10 minutes early to provide a bit of extra time which we may need in the event that teams experience problems setting up their equipment.

    The PowerPoint slide deck and the Word document are both due by 11:59 p.m. on the night before this date. Submission instructions are included in the slide deck template. In addition to submitting their slide deck and Word document to the instructor, each team must submit their slide deck and Word document to their project sponsors by the same deadline.

  • Week 7, Tuesday, February 18, 2020

    Alpha Presentations
  • Each team gives a a 14 minute formal presentation demonstrating an alpha version of their system. The purpose of the alpha presentation is to demonstrate that the team is capable of completing their project, to specifications and on time. While the software is not expected to be feature complete, all high priority risks should be mitigated.

    A PowerPoint template is provided on the Downloads page.

    While these presentations are made over the course of two weeks (four meetings), all teams must submit their materials and be be ready to present on this date. The per team schedule of presentations for the two weeks is posted on our All-Hands Meetings page the evening prior to this date.

    The dress code for the members of the presenting team is business casual.

    For examples of Alpha Presentation slide decks, visit course web sites from previous semesters by following links from the Archives page. Note that requirements may change from semester to semester.

    Corporate clients are invited to attend alpha presentations. If a corporate client is interested in attending, we can work together to schedule it.

    On Alpha Presentation meeting days, we may begin our meetings approximately 10 minutes early to provide a bit of extra time which we may need in the event that teams experience problems setting up their equipment.

    The PowerPoint slide deck is due by 11:59 p.m. on the night before this date. Submission instructions are included in the slide deck template. In addition to submitting their slide deck to the instructor, each team must submit their slide deck to their project sponsors by the same deadline.

  • Week 12, Tuesday, March 31, 2020

    Beta Presentations
  • Each team gives a 14 minute formal presentation demonstrating a beta version of their system. The purpose of the beta presentation is to demonstrate that the software portion of the project is complete. While the system may not be totally bug free, the software is expected to be feature complete.

    A PowerPoint template is provided on the Downloads page.

    While these presentations are made over the course of two weeks (four meetings), all teams must submit their materials and be be ready to present on this date. The per team schedule of presentations for the two weeks is posted on our All-Hands Meetings page the evening prior to this date.

    The dress code for the members of the presenting team is business casual.

    For examples of Beta Presentation slide decks, visit course web sites from previous semesters by following links from the Archives page. Note that requirements may change from semester to semester.

    Corporate clients are invited to attend beta presentations. If a corporate client is interested in attending, we can work together to schedule it.

    On Beta Presentation meeting days, we may begin our meetings approximately 10 minutes early to provide a bit of extra time which we may need in the event that teams experience problems setting up their equipment.

    The PowerPoint slide deck is due by 11:59 p.m. on the night before this date. Submission instructions are included in the slide deck template. In addition to submitting their slide deck to the instructor, each team must submit their slide deck to their project sponsors by the same deadline.

  • Week 15, Monday, April 20, 2020

    Project Videos
  • As part of the course deliverables, each team creates a demonstration video of their project. All of the videos are due on this date, the Monday of the last week of class. We watch the videos during the meetings of the last week and the exam time.

    For examples of project videos, visit course web sites from previous semesters by following links from the Archives page. Note that requirements may change from semester to semester.

    Teams must submit their project videos on a USB3 device to Dr. Dyksen in his office (3149 Engineering Building). A submission time schedule will be distributed. Teams that miss their submission time slot may lose some or all of their points from their Project Video grade.

  • Week 15, Wednesday, April 22, 2020

    All Deliverables
  • All project deliverables are due on this date.

    Each team must submit all deliverables including all source code (checked out of any repository), the project plan document, all-hands meeting PowerPoint presentations, and the final project video, organized appropriately in folders.

    Teams must submit their deliverables on a USB3 device to Dr. Dyksen in his office (3149 Engineering Building). A submission time schedule will be distributed. Teams that miss their submission time slot may lose some or all of their points from their Project Software & Documentation grade.

  • Week 15, Thursday, April 23, 2020

    Design Day Setup
  • Setup for Design Day (see below) takes place in the Engineering Building on the afternoon of the day before Design Day. All teams and every team member must participate in setup from 3:00 p.m. until the setup is complete.

  • Week 15, Friday, April 24, 2020

    Design Day
  • At the end of each semester, the College of Engineering sponsors Design Day, at which student teams from throughout the college showcase their capstone course projects in the Engineering Building.

    All teams and every team member must participate in Design Day from 6:00 a.m. until the end of the Design Day Awards Ceremony, approximately 2:30 p.m.

    Students who do not participate in Design Day, are late for Design Day, do not attend the Awards Ceremony, or leave the Awards Ceremony before it concludes may lose all their Attendance points as well as lose Team Contribution points, which may have a significant effect on your final grade. (See the course Syllabus.)