Course Overview

CIS 400 is the beginning of a two-course "capstone" to your undergraduate Computer Science education in which you will have the opportunity to identify, plan, design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to a real-world problem.

In completing this course and the subsequent follow-on course (CIS 401), you will gain experience in:

• working in a team, including division of labor and responsibilities, integration of work, interpersonal communication, etc.
• identifying a computing-related problem and potential solutions, and exploring and evaluating different solutions' benefits and drawbacks
• designing and implementing a computing artifact in such a manner that it can be worked on by a team, is easy to modify, is easy to test, etc.
• assessing the effectiveness of a computing solution, i.e. the extent to which it addresses the problem it is trying to solve
• considering the legal, ethical, and financial implications of decisions in a computing-related project
• communicating the high-level goals and low-level details of a computing solution via written documents and oral presentations

Instructor

Project Logistics

In order to achieve the educational objectives listed above, you will work on a group project during the Fall and Spring semesters. The focus of the Fall semester is on identifying and scoping out a problem to address, designing and refining a solution, implementing a prototype, and improving teamwork and communication skills.

Each project team should consist of 4-5 students who are currently registered for CIS 400. Smaller teams will not be permitted without supporting documentation from a CIS faculty member and approval of the CIS 400 instruction staff.

Each team must be advised by a CIS faculty member. Students are expected to meet with their advisor at least four times during the semester, and are responsible for scheduling meetings and keeping their advisor up to date.