1. Types of Projects

2. Types of Projects Student-proposed projects (that need my approval)
Competitions (that need my approval)
Approved projects from:
other departments/majors (ECE, MAE, BME, …)
Florida Tech faculty
outside Florida Tech

3. Approval for Projects Proposal Template Submit as soon as possible
cs.fit.edu/~pkc/classes/seniorProjects/opportunities
More later
Submit as soon as possible
Usually multiple rounds of revision before approval
Approval by the first day of classes

4. Team size CSE-only teams CSE + X… teams 2-4 students
1-4 CSE students + students from other majors

5. Generating Ideas for Senior Projects

6. Objectives Identify opportunities
Generate ideas for an interesting senior project

7. Imagine Cup A competition for college students organized by Microsoft
Would like to come up with an idea and use your senior project to design and build a prototype
Prizes + a trip to participate in the final competition
Imaginecup.com

8. Identifying Opportunities: Case Studies

9. Google: Identifying Opportunities
Google.com
Early 2000s via
Why is it interesting/useful to you? What is the value?
Took advantage of what opportunities?
Trends (existing or new ones)
Pains
Inefficiencies/gaps

10. Raise.me: Identifying Opportunities
Why is it interesting/useful to you? What is the value?
Took advantage of what opportunities?
Trends (existing or new ones)
Pains
Inefficiencies/gaps

11. Your Favorite System: Identifying Opportunities
Choose an existing system/service/software/… that is
most interesting/useful/… to you
Why is it interesting/useful to you? What is the value?
Took advantage of what opportunities?
Trends (existing or new ones)
Pains
Inefficiencies/gaps

12. Your Favorite System: Identifying Opportunities
Choose an existing system/service/software/… that is
most interesting/useful/… to you
Why is it interesting/useful to you? What is the value?
Took advantage of what opportunities?
Trends (existing or new ones)
Pains
Inefficiencies/gaps
Group discussion: additional opportunities? [~4 students]

13. Reports from Groups Each group Decides the system that
took advantage of the most interesting/clever/… opportunities
Picks a representative to discuss:
the system/software/service/…
created value
interesting/clever/… opportunities (trends, pains, inefficiencies)

14. Switching to Your Project

15. 1. Identify Opportunities--Homework
Trends (existing or new ones),
Pains, and/or
Inefficiencies/gaps
Ask 3 users if they feel similar pains…

16. 2. Generating Ideas--Homework
Identify opportunities:
Trends (existing or new ones),
Pains, and/or
Inefficiencies/gaps
Ask 3 users if they feel similar pains…
Generate ideas to create value
Ask 3 users if the proposed ideas help
[Other competitions:
cs.fit.edu/~pkc/classes/seniorProjects/opportunities ]

17. 3. Preparing Slides--Homework
What are the opportunities/pains? [at least 1 slide]
Do 3 users feel similar pains? [1 slide per user]
What are your main ideas to improve & create value? [at least 1 slide]
Do 3 users think your ideas create value?
If not, what are other ideas? [brainstorming with users]
[1 slide per idea with feedback from 3 users]

18. Design Thinking Process
Stanford U.

19. Design Thinking Process (Stanford)
EMPATHIZE: 
Work to fully understand the experience of the user for whom you are designing.
Do this through observation, interaction, and immersing yourself in their experiences.

20. Design Thinking Process (Stanford)
EMPATHIZE: 
Work to fully understand the experience of the user for whom you are designing.
Do this through observation, interaction, and immersing yourself in their experiences.
DEFINE: 
Process and synthesize the findings from your empathy work in order to form a user point of view that you will address with your design.

21. Design Thinking Process (Stanford)
EMPATHIZE: 
Work to fully understand the experience of the user for whom you are designing.
Do this through observation, interaction, and immersing yourself in their experiences.
DEFINE: 
Process and synthesize the findings from your empathy work in order to form a user point of view that you will address with your design.
IDEATE: 
Explore a wide variety of possible solutions through generating a large quantity of diverse possible solutions, allowing you to step beyond the obvious and explore a range of ideas.

22. Design Thinking Process (Stanford)
EMPATHIZE: 
Work to fully understand the experience of the user for whom you are designing.
Do this through observation, interaction, and immersing yourself in their experiences.
DEFINE: 
Process and synthesize the findings from your empathy work in order to form a user point of view that you will address with your design.
IDEATE: 
Explore a wide variety of possible solutions through generating a large quantity of diverse possible solutions, allowing you to step beyond the obvious and explore a range of ideas.
Prototype and Test

23. Feedback and Refinement of IDEAS
Day 2
Feedback and Refinement of IDEAS

24. Feedback and Refinement—Group Discussion (~4 students, ie, ~3 additional users)
What are the opportunities/pains? [at least 1 slide]
Do 3 users feel similar pains? [1 slide per user]
What are your main ideas to improve & create value? [at least 1 slide]
Do 3 users think your ideas create value?
If not, what are other ideas? [brainstorming with users]
[1 slide per idea with feedback from 3 users]

25. Reports from Groups Each group
selects the project that has the most potential
presents the project to the class
More feedback and refinement