Applying a Structured Development Process to an Entrepreneurial-Based Capstone Design Course

In the fall of 2010 the capstone course in the Electronics Engineering Technology program at Pittsburg State University was renovated.The basic premise of the course, an entrepreneurial backdrop, did not drastically change, though the focus was sharpened.The framework of the course was altered in order to improve student performance in the course.The renovation included the implementation of a structured product development process.Particularly, the structured process utilized is a form of a stage-gate process.The concept of stage-gate processes are widely utilized in industry settings.This is especially true for companies that develop and launch new products on a regular basis.This paper reports on how the stage-gate process was implemented into the course sequence.The paper will also cover the lessons learned after the first cycle of the course sequence and the future direction of the capstone course at Pittsburg State.