NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
ROBERT F. WAGNER GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE
CAPSTONE: CAP-GP.3401 (005) 2015/2016
Melanie Raoul, mel@mgmtlab.com. Office hours are by appointment
Sessions are on Mondays from 6:45pm to 8:25pm in TISC Room LC6
A reminder about Capstone LEARNING OBJECTIVES
A. CONTENT
Students should:
 understand the broader management and/or policy context for their project;
 be familiar with specialized vocabularies required to perform the project successfully;
 be aware of critical research related to their content area;
 be capable of positioning and evaluating their project within its broader policy and/or
management context.
B. PROCESS
 Overall, students should demonstrate a capacity for flexibility, resilience and reflection.
This means adapting to changing and complex circumstances, balancing competing
demands, accepting uncertainty and lack of clarity when necessary and showing a
commitment to learning and growth, both individually and as a team.
1. Project Management
Students should demonstrate the ability to:
 assess the client organization and its environment;
 frame and refine the problem presented by the client;
 develop a work agreement with the client for the project;
 develop an internal project workplan with timelines and deliverables;
 monitor their progress against the work agreement and workplan;
 revise the workplan as necessary;
 develop well supported and realistic recommendations.
2. Client Management
Students should demonstrate the ability to:
 develop and sustain their relationship with the client;
 negotiate a work agreement with timelines and deliverables;
 maintain regular and productive contact with the client;
 solicit and integrate feedback on progress against the contract and modify as
necessary;
 deliver final product to client’s satisfaction.
3. Team Management
Students should demonstrate the ability to:
 understand group formation and development;
 understand the importance of interpersonal dynamics and team norms and culture;






create and periodically review team charter;
develop clear role descriptions for team members;
manage team assignments and accountability;
advocate points of view and negotiate differences of opinion;
solicit and offer feedback;
appreciate and learn from your differences.
C. RESEARCH
Students should demonstrate the ability to:
 identify appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative data gathering and analysis methods
for their particular project;
 follow established sampling procedures to create appropriate samples for their particular
project;
 carry out data collection methods appropriate for their particular project, potentially
including surveys and questionnaires, individual interviews, focus groups, and access to
already existing datasets and other material;
 situate their findings in the broader related literature;
 draw conclusions based on their findings;
 effectively communicate their work both orally and in writing.
A reminder about Capstone COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Course requirements include:
o enrollment in both semesters;
o attendance and participation in class activities, discussions and team meetings;
o completion of assignments on time;
o participation in field work;
o participation in meetings with clients;
o participation in preparation and presentation of findings.
A reminder about Capstone EVALUATION and GRADING
Students receivee two credits for the fall semester in the form of an “IP” (Incomplete Pass)
grade. This reflects the “work in progress” nature of the yearlong project. Final grades will be
assigned at the end of the second semester.
Grades will be allotted to individuals, not to the team as a whole. This means team members
may receive different grades if I feel it is warranted. I will make this judgment based both on my
assessment of students’ contribution and learning and on the assessments you give each other as
part of the evaluation process at the end of the first and second semesters.
Students will be graded on both the products they deliver to their clients and evidence of
progressive learning throughout the course, based on the Learning Objectives. Fifty percent
(50%) of your final grade is based on work products identified in the milestones as well as any
interim deliverables to the client or assigned by me. Fifty percent (50%) is based on evidence of
the individual student’s learning during the course through participation in the team’s work and
class activities, his/her ability to act on peer and my feedback; individual and team preparation
2
for and performance at client meetings; and my end-of-semester, peer and self evaluations.
A reminder about Capstone COURSE MILESTONES
Please remember that these milestones for both activities and products serve as interim
deliverables to keep you and your team on track. The approximate timeframes in parentheses are
suggestions and may vary depending on the specific situation of each team and client.
Milestones include:
 Individual learning goals and preference/information forms (September/October);
 “Entry conference” with client and faculty to explain the process of the course; establish
relationship, assess the client organization, and gather data in order to clarify the
presenting problem or issue and client’s initial vision of a successful project
(September/October);
 Summary by team of first meeting with client and clear statement of the problem
(October);
 Team charter (October/November);
 Preliminary client-team work agreement; presentation to class for feedback prior to client
presentation (October/November);
 Meeting(s) with client to negotiate work agreement (October/November);
 Final, signed client-team work agreement and detailed team workplan (November);
 End-of-first semester self, team/peer, and course evaluations; discussion of team process
and progress; refine individual learning goals (December);
 First draft of final project report submitted to me (February/March);
 Second draft of final project report submitted to me (March);
 Oral presentation of final report to class for feedback before presentation to client
(March/April);
 Final report and presentation to client (April);
 Final project report submitted to me (May);
 End-of-course self, team /peer, client and course evaluations (May);
 Presentation for Capstone Expo (May).
CLASS SCHEDULE: SECOND SEMESTER
During this semester, much of the time will be set aside for teams to meet on their own or with
me. The main emphasis is on time spent working with teams and final deliverables. I will be
flexible about the need for formal class meeting times as the semester progresses. However, as
needed, we will schedule problem-solving or skill-building sessions, so you must be available
every Monday evening during class time. Also, for planning purposes, I’ve posted some potential
deadlines, but these are preliminary and could change.
Week 1: Jan. 25, 2016
Class meeting: Discuss schedule for spring semester, cross-learning groups, check-ins and team
meetings (if time permits).
3
 Read Flawless Consulting, ch. 13 for Feb. 1
Week 2: Feb. 1, 2016
Class meeting: Discussion of final presentations and final reports. Possible visit from former
Capstone student.
Week 3: Feb. 8, 2016
Team meeting time. There will be no class meeting this week.
 First draft of final report due Feb. 22. Send as word doc.
Week 4: Feb. 15, 2016. No class (Washington’s Birthday)
Week 5: Feb. 22, 2016 (First draft of final reports due)
Class meeting: Check-ins, cross team learning; team meeting time
 Second draft of the final report due March 7. Send as word doc.
 Note: All teams must do a final presentation rehearsal in front of the class on either April
4th or April 11th before the final presentation for the client. Draft slides are due one
week before the rehearsal.
Week 6: Feb. 29, 2016 Attend Capstone workshop on presentation skills (we will not meet as a
class)
Week 7: March 7, 2016 (Second draft of final reports due)
Team meeting or class meeting, TBD
 Read Flawless Consulting, ch. 14 for class on March 21
Week 8: March 14, 2016 Spring Break. No class.
Week 9: March 21, 2016
Class meeting: Discuss managing the client meeting and ch. 14 Flawless Consulting; check-ins.
 Each team should schedule their final presentations to the clients during the period
between April 12 – April 22. I must be present at this meeting.
 If your final presentation rehersal is on Week 11 (April 4) draft slides are due by email
on Week 10: March 28
Week 10: March 28, 2016
Team meeting or class meeting, TBD
 If your final presentation rehersal is on Week 12 (April 11) draft slides are due by email
on Week 11: April 4
Week 11: April 4, 2016
4
Class meeting: Team rehearsals of final presentations
Week 12: April 11, 2016
Class meeting: Team rehearsals of final presentations
Week 13: April 18, 2016
Team meeting or class meeting, TBD
Week 14: April 25, 2016
Class meeting: Report back on client response to final presentations and necessary changes to
final report. Discuss preparation for Capstone Expo.
 Final Project Report (To be completed for Week 15: May 2)
Week 15: May 2 (Final Project Report Due)
Team meeting or class meeting, TBD
 Final Evaluation (To be completed by Week 16: May 9)
Week 16: May 9 (Final Evaluation due)
Take a step back and reflect on the year’s work. Celebrate!
Capstone Expo Tuesday, May 10, 2016
5