Project Management in an Interdisciplinary Senior Design Team

Abstract

Innovation in the changing undergraduate engineering curriculum mandates efficient management of interdisciplinary capstone senior design projects. This effort requires collaboration and management by students and faculty from multiple disciplines, and provides students an opportunity to learn from other engineering systems. In addition, this approach will i) emphasize problem solving and creative thinking; ii) provide first-hand experience in generating a management plan; iii) expose students to multiple engineering and management disciplines, and to work in diverse, multi-cultural teams; and iv) prepare students with a keen understanding of the interdisciplinary environment necessary for success. The senior design project (SDP) presented is based on the interdisciplinary collaboration of electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering students and faculty to design an integrated high altitude balloon system that would reach an altitude of 100,000 feet and return safely to earth. This paper presents the modes by which all the above issues in SDP are addressed, results obtained and improvements planned for the next interdisciplinary projects.