Capstone design projects, the project value map and the many eyes process: Balancing process and product to deliver measurable value to student and client

This paper presents a model for coaching students through open-ended capstone design projects. The model contains two novel elements: a Project Value Map for guiding, judging and benchmarking value throughout a project; and a formative feedback process called the Many Eyes Process. The Project Value Map is a teaching tool that provides a common language for describing, discussing and comparing the value of project work across many varied projects and stakeholders; and the Many Eyes Process generates feedback from multiple perspectives to guide the team in project decision-making. The Many Eyes Process is informed by four key stakeholder perspectives: self-evaluation, a ‘shadow’ perspective, a teaching assistant (TA) perspective and a client perspective. The Many Eyes Process is run during three Project Audit Weeks, spaced throughout the 12-week semester. The output from the Many Eyes Process provides both quantitative and qualitative feedback to the team and its stakeholders. The combination of the Project Value Map with the Many Eyes Process helps align all stakeholder expectations over the duration of the project and provides formative feedback information to enable teams to reliably benchmark a final team grade for themselves. This suggests that an emphasis on a formal, constructive, and qualitative formative feedback processes during capstone design projects helps students deliver value in their project.