ENGR 499
Engineering Capstone Design Project
Course Syllabus and Handbook
Course Coordinator:
Dr. Kenneth Chau, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Dr. Alon Eisenstein, Ph.D., M.Ed.
kenneth.chau@ubc.ca EME 4231
alon.eisenstein@ubc.ca EME 3283
Course TA’s:
Leslie Saca lesliesaca15@gmail.com
The School of Engineering acknowledges that the land on which we are
situated is the unceded territory of the Syilx (Okanagan) People
School of Engineering – 2023-2024
Table of Contents
1
COURSE SYLLABUS............................................................................................................................................1
1.1
ACADEMIC CALENDAR ENTRY ......................................................................................................................................1
1.2
COURSE FORMAT .............................................................................................................................................................1
1.3
COURSE OVERVIEW, CONTENT, AND OBJECTIVES.....................................................................................................1
1.4
LEARNING OUTCOMES ....................................................................................................................................................1
1.5
ADDITIONAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................2
1.6
EVALUATION CRITERIA AND GRADING .......................................................................................................................3
1.7
ASSESSMENT TOOLS .......................................................................................................................................................4
1.7.1
Reports.......................................................................................................................................................................4
1.7.2
Presentations ..........................................................................................................................................................4
1.7.3
Engineering Professionalism ...........................................................................................................................4
1.8
POLICIES AND RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................5
1.8.1
Academic Integrity ...............................................................................................................................................5
1.8.2
UBC Okanagan Disability Resource Centre ................................................................................................7
1.8.3
UBC Okanagan Equity and Inclusion Office ...............................................................................................7
1.8.4
Health & Wellness .................................................................................................................................................8
1.8.5
Safewalk ....................................................................................................................................................................8
2
COURSE HANDBOOK ........................................................................................................................................9
2.1
DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLES ..................................................................................................................................9
2.1.1
Project Definition Report ...................................................................................................................................9
2.1.2
Conceptual Design Presentation ................................................................................................................. 10
2.1.3
Poster and Oral Presentation ....................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.4
Final Design Report........................................................................................................................................... 12
2.2
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY .......................................................................................................................................... 12
2.2.1
Industry-Sponsored Capstone Projects ..................................................................................................... 12
2.2.2
Internally-Sourced Capstone Projects ....................................................................................................... 13
2.3
I-PEER EVALUATIONS.................................................................................................................................................. 13
2.4
REFLECTION .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
2.5
GRADING STANDARDS ................................................................................................................................................. 16
2.6
TEAM CONTRACT.......................................................................................................................................................... 17
2.7
PROJECT EXPENSE GUIDELINES ................................................................................................................................. 19
2.8
BUDGET .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22
2.9
EGBC’S CODE OF ETHICS ........................................................................................................................................... 23
2.10
CANADIAN ENGINEERING GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES .............................................................................................. 25
1 Course Syllabus
1.1 Academic Calendar Entry
ENGR 499 (2-3-0; 0-6-0) Engineering Capstone Design Project
A capstone design project is a project in response to an actual engineering problem. The project
can be multidisciplinary or in a specialized area of engineering. Students are required to submit
a comprehensive project report and deliver a formal presentation. [2-3-0; 0-6-0]
Prerequisite: Fourth-year standing.
1.2 Course Format
ENGR 499 is a two-term six-credit course during which students work as a team to prepare a
detailed design report in response to an actual engineering problem. The students work as a
team under the guidance and supervision of a faculty advisor. Students can consult with any
professor and use all resources at their disposal. The course consists of weekly lectures (term 1)
and self-directed study (terms 1 and 2).
1.3 Course Overview, Content, and Objectives
The course is designed to allow students to use knowledge gained from engineering courses
taken throughout their program, including those in design and engineering communication, to
successfully conduct self-guided engineering design for a specific project of their choice with the
assistance of a faculty advisor. The course is designed to have students work in teams emulating
real-world engineering practice whereby the students must deal with time management and
team dynamics. Fully defining the nature and scope of the design project is an important
component of Term 1 and preparation of a professional quality design report and poster
presentation for the project are deliverables for Term 2. The ability to complete the work in a
professional manner, including communication with faculty, students, and industry, is also an
important component of the course.
1.4 Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for this course have been mapped to the Canadian Engineering
Accreditation Board’s requirement for an engineering degree in term of the required engineering
attributes of a graduating engineer. A summary of the attributes can be found in the course
handbook
or
in
Section
3.1
of
the
document
found
at:
https://www.engineerscanada.ca/sites/default/files/Accreditation_Criteria_Procedures_2015.pdf
Learning Outcomes
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Description
Identify needs and constraints related to a real-world engineering problem
Specify requirements based on needs and constraints and express requirements as
specifications
Generate and select potential design solutions, including evaluating, analyzing, and selecting a
final design
Identify, locate, and retrieve appropriate information; cite and reference appropriately,
recognize and respect copyright and intellectual property
Solve a complex engineering problem by identifying and using appropriate tools and methods;
defining a given engineering problem; developing, designing, and testing a solution; collecting,
analyzing, and interpreting data relevant to the solution
Communicate their design in writing and through oral presentations to a varied audience of
engineers, faculty, peers, and lay persons
Work effectively on a team, with their Faculty Advisor
Show leadership and the ability to work cooperatively with their team and within the larger
framework of the course
Demonstrate and develop their understanding of engineering professionalism
Demonstrate their understanding of and ability to apply engineering ethics
Understand the importance of life-long learning in engineering; articulate a plan for life-long
learning; understand their strengths and weaknesses and how to develop their knowledge base
1.5 Additional Course Requirements
Students are required to cover expenses related to preparation of their design reports. Students
are required to attend and participate in all course lectures, Conceptual Design Presentation near
the end of Term 1, and an afternoon/evening Final Poster Presentation/competition near the end
of Term 2.
1.6 Evaluation Criteria and Grading
The table below shows the marks allocated to each course component, as well as who will
evaluate the component, and whether the mark is allocated to an individual or to the team.
Grade Distribution and Assessment for ENGR 499
main
goals
Component
Value
Marked by
Project definition report
Conceptual design
presentation
Professionalism (Term 1)
10%
10%
Faculty Advisor
Coordinator and student peers
10%
Detailed design report
35%
Poster presentation
Professionalism (Term 2)
15%
20%
Student peers, Coordinator, and
Faculty Advisor
Faculty Advisor and another faculty
member
Coordinator/Judges
Student peers, Coordinator, and
Faculty Advisor
Team or
Individual
Mark
Team
Team
Individual
Team
Team
Individual
Course Grade Adjustments
Course grades may be adjusted for individual students and for teams.
• If a student receives a failing grade on the professionalism portion of the grading rubric, the
coordinator may adjust the student’s overall individual mark by more than the 30%
allocated to professionalism, potentially resulting in a failing grade in the course. It is
expected that students will use their I-Peer evaluations and weekly meetings to ensure that
each member of the team is contributing effectively, and that they share appropriate and
useful feedback to help each other develop their ability to lead and contribute to a team.
• Student attendance at the lectures and oral presentations in Term 1 is important. Lectures
will be on topics related to design and deliverables, or on topics related to leadership and
professionalism. Lectures will be delivered in a synchronous manner and will be recorded
and placed on Canvas.
• The final poster presentation includes a competition that results in bonus marks for the
overall winner as well as the top team in each of the thematic categories (subject to final
project count). Overall winner = 3% added to the team’s final course mark; top team in each
of the thematic categories (subject to final project count) = 2% added to the team’s final
course mark.
1.7 Assessment Tools
1.7.1 Reports
Project Definition Report: Each group will submit a Project Definition Report. This report has four
key elements: 1) Project Introduction, 2) Need and Constraint Identification, 3) Problem
Specifications, and 4) Conclusions. This report will be evaluated by the faculty advisor.
Final Design Report: Each group will submit a Final Design Report. This report will be evaluated
by the faculty advisor and a second faculty member with expertise in the design area.
Groups must submit all reports to the teaching assistant on the due date. Late submission will
result in a grade reduction of one full letter grade for each day or part day late. If the team has
a valid reason, with documentation, for their late work, they must communicate with the course
coordinator, copying their Faculty Advisor.
1.7.2 Presentations
Conceptual Design Presentation: Each group will present their initial conceptual design(s) for
their project near the end of Term 1. The oral presentation will be followed by a short question
and answer period. Evaluators: coordinator and all students that are presenting in that specific
session.
Poster Presentation: A poster presentation event will take place near the end of Term 2. Students
will present their posters to a judging panel. Judges will determine an overall winner as well as a
winner in each of the thematic categories. These winning groups will receive 2% bonus marks.
1.7.3 Engineering Professionalism
Components of professionalism include: meeting participation, teamwork, professional
etiquette, team contract, team development exercises; lecture attendance; meeting notes;
logbook; proper submission of forms and receipts; I-Peer completion; reflection; and attendance
and participation in oral presentation sessions, including presentations by other teams.
Formal professionalism evaluations by the Faculty Advisor will occur once each term. Evaluation
will be based on the following components:
• Team contract: complete and signed by all members.
• Project budget: complete and signed by all members.
• Forms: timely and appropriate completion of required forms.
• Participation: attendance at lectures and participation in team meetings, attendance at oral
presentations (including remaining for the full session in which the team presents).
• Team development, conflict resolution, and team evaluation, completion and
thoughtfulness of I-Peer group and self-reviews (these should be both concise and
sufficiently detailed).
• Faculty Advisor professionalism evaluations.
• Professionalism displayed in class, through emails, and at final showcase.
•
•
•
Meaningful and thoughtful participation in the evaluation of their peer’s oral presentations
on conceptual designs.
Reflection: completion, thoughtfulness and specificity of reflection (including discussion of IPeer assessments, discussion of lessons learned viz. the design process, engineering ethics,
and plans for life-long learning).
Submission of project definition report, detailed design report, and prototypes to industry
partner.
1.8 Policies and Resources
1.8.1 Academic Integrity
Academic and professional integrity are of the upmost importance at the School of Engineering.
Please read your syllabus carefully to understand the expectations surrounding academic
integrity in this course. In addition, please familiarize yourself with the University of British
Columbia’s academic calendar language surrounding academic integrity for students:
“The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this
enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct
regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work
done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to
others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is
your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the
academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are
imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the
assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the
President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to
monitor and prevent recurrences.”
A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and
procedures, may be found in the Academic Calendar at
http://okanagan.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,0
In addition, all course material including lecture notes, assignments, and examination materials
is the intellectual property of the instructor and as such must not be uploaded to third party,
non-UBC sites for file sharing or for soliciting answers online. Doing so is considered academic
misconduct under UBC’s policies (see
http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959) including the following:
“use of or participation in unauthorized collaborative work; use or possession in an examination
of any materials (including devices) other than those permitted by the examiner; use,
possession, or facilitation of unauthorized means to complete an examination (e.g., receiving
unauthorized assistance from another person, or providing that assistance); and dishonest
practices that breach rules governing examinations or submissions for academic evaluation see
Student Conduct during Examinations).”
Violating this is considered academic misconduct by the university and will be treated as such.
Be wary of sites that market themselves to be “study aids” as they may fall under the definition
of contract cheating (https://academicintegrity.ubc.ca/academic-integrity-in-teaching-andlearning/contract-cheating/). In addition, there have been instances where these sites have
blackmailed students even after graduation.
Assignments
This course assesses student understanding of course material based on completed
assignments. It is important to note that according to the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar
cheating includes the following:
“falsification of any material subject to academic evaluation, including research data;”
For example, in this course, this includes, but is not limited to, copying another student’s work
or allowing another student to copy your assignment. Students are expected to submit original
work for their assignments in this course.
“use of or participation in unauthorized collaborative work;”
While collaboration is encouraged in some circumstances, not all collaboration is authorized.
For example in this course, unauthorized collaboration includes, but is not limited to, working in
teams to complete projects that are intended as individual assessment.
Plagiarism
This course assesses student understanding of course material based on written reports. It is
important to note that the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar includes the following
comprehensive description of plagiarism:
“Plagiarism, which is intellectual theft, occurs when an individual submits or presents the oral or
written work of another person as his or her own. Scholarship quite properly rests upon
examining and referring to the thoughts and writings of others. However, when another
person's words (i.e., phrases, sentences, or paragraphs), ideas, or entire works are used, the
author must be acknowledged in the text, in footnotes, in endnotes, or in another accepted form
of academic citation. Where direct quotations are made, they must be clearly delineated (e.g.,
within quotation marks or separately indented). Failure to provide proper attribution is
plagiarism because it represents someone else's work as one's own. Plagiarism should not occur
in submitted drafts or final works. A student who seeks assistance from a tutor or other
scholastic aids must ensure that the work submitted is the student's own. Students are
responsible for ensuring that any work submitted does not constitute plagiarism. Students who
are in any doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism should consult their instructor before
handing in any assignments.”
Students are responsible for ensuring all work is original and source use is properly
documented.
For additional language specific to online education, please consult the Academic Integrity
Working Group’s website at https://provost.ok.ubc.ca/initiatives/online-transition/facultyresources/faculty-resources-for-academic-integrity
SoE Academic Integrity Procedures
The following steps will be followed in cases of suspected academic misconduct:
1. The instructor will notify the student of the alleged misconduct and the assigned penalty and
the student will be given an opportunity to respond.
2. The instructor will report the incident to the School of Engineering Academic Misconduct
Review Committee and will include the student’s response.
3. The Academic Misconduct Review Committee will review the case and either issue a warning
letter to the student or recommend further review by the Dean’s Designate.
4. The Dean’s Designate will meet with the student and either issue a warning letter or refer the
matter to the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline (if applicable).
5. The case will be heard by the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline (if
applicable).
1.8.2 UBC Okanagan Disability Resource Centre
The Disability Resource Centre ensures educational equity for students with disabilities and
chronic medical conditions. If you are disabled, have an injury or illness and require academic
accommodations to meet the course objectives, please contact Jason Taylor, the Diversity
Advisor for the School of Engineering in the Disability Resource Centre located in the University
Centre building (UNC 214).
Email: drc.questions@ubc.ca
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/drc
1.8.3 UBC Okanagan Equity and Inclusion Office
Through leadership, vision, and collaborative action, the Equity & Inclusion Office (EIO) develops
action strategies in support of efforts to embed equity and inclusion in the daily operations across
the campus. The EIO provides education and training from cultivating respectful, inclusive spaces
and communities to understanding unconscious/implicit bias and its operation within in campus
environments. UBC Policy 3 prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of BC’s Human
Rights Code. If you require assistance related to an issue of equity, educational programs,
discrimination or harassment please contact the EIO.
UNC 216 (250.807.9291)
email: equity.ubco@ubc.ca
Web: www.equity.ok.ubc.ca
1.8.4 Health & Wellness
At UBC Okanagan health services to students are provided by Health and Wellness. Nurses,
physicians and counsellors provide health care and counselling related to physical health,
emotional/mental health and sexual/reproductive health concerns. As well, health promotion,
education and research activities are provided to the campus community. If you require
assistance with your health, please contact Health and Wellness for more information or to book
an appointment.
UNC 337 (250.807.9270)
email: healthwellness.okanagan@ubc.ca
Web: www.students.ok.ubc.ca/health-wellness
1.8.5 Safewalk
Don't want to walk alone at night? Not too sure how to get somewhere on campus? Call
Safewalk at 250-807-8076. For more information, see: www.security.ok.ubc.ca
2 Course Handbook
2.1 Description of Deliverables
2.1.1 Project Definition Report
Length:
Format:
Submit:
Evaluator:
8 - 10 pages + references + appendices
1.5 spacing, appropriate header, 1-inch margins, reference style: IEEE or APA or
as approved by Faculty Advisor
Submit electronic copy of the report by Canvas by the due date
Faculty Advisor
Overview
Engineers use project definition reports to establish the goal(s) and scope of a project. The
project definition report kick-starts the design process and is invaluable in ensuring that all
parties involved are on the same page. Your Project Definition Report will form the basis for
subsequent design and writing in this course. The feedback you receive on this report will be
essential for focusing your efforts in subsequent stages of the engineering design process.
Your Project Definition Report will address the following topics: Project Introduction, Need and
Constraint Identification, Problem Specifications, and Conclusions.
Project Introduction
The project introduction is a brief description of the project that your group will be tackling. It
ensures that your understanding of the project background is aligned with that of the faculty
advisor and/or the client/industry advisor. The introduction should provide enough background
information and context to fully allow the reader to understand your problem and its significance.
If applicable, how your project fits within larger initiatives should also be addressed. This section
must include your project statement, which is a sentence that concisely describes the need you
are addressing and why it is important to solve this need. The project statement should be
indicated in bold font.
Need and Constraint Identification
The need and constraint identification should dive deeper into the need that you are addressing,
the stakeholders, and the current solution landscape. This section should elaborate on the need
you will be tackling in this capstone project with specific emphasis on the scope of the need.
Scoping the project and setting expectations for the final deliverable is an important step to
ensuring that everyone is happy with the final deliverable. Be sure to clearly articulate the scope
and constraints of your project (including appropriate attention to health and safety risks,
applicable standards, and economic, environmental, and societal considerations).
This section should also detail the stakeholders that are involved in this project. If the project is
client facing, include a description of the company and who will be involved in this project. The
stakeholder description should also include all individuals who will be impacted by the need being
solved. This includes users and individuals who will be positively and negatively impacted.
Finally, you should discuss the current solution landscape. This involves describing what solutions
currently exist to your need and why these solutions are not adequate. You should be looking to
establish a gap in the solution landscape where your solution will fit.
Problem Specification
The problem specifications section should outline the requirements of your solution. The
specifications can be leveraged from the need description, the constraints, and the shortcomings
of current solutions. When possible, express specifications using detailed measurable quantities.
Conclusion
The conclusion section should summarize your project need and describe next steps that will be
undertaken. In this section, you may also want to reiterate the significance of your project and
how it fits into the bigger picture.
Learning outcomes
Students will gain experience in client analysis, the design process, understanding, identifying,
explaining and working within constraints, and report writing. Specifically, students will
demonstrate and gain experience in working with need and constraint identification and problem
specifications.
Evaluation
Reports will be evaluated by Faculty Advisors. Projects will be marked based on content, including
the description of the need, stakeholders, previous solutions, scope, constraints, and
requirements. Reports will also be evaluated on the quality of writing, formatting, and
references. See the assignment description and assessment rubric on Canvas.
2.1.2 Conceptual Design Presentation
Length:
Format:
Evaluators:
5 minutes
Oral PowerPoint presentation
Course coordinators, judging panel and student peers
Overview
Students will give a team presentation of their conceptual design and midterm progress. The
presentation should include an introduction to the need they are tackling, the importance and
significance of the need, a review of the solution landscape, their design progress to date, and a
brief explanation of work remaining. Students must use PowerPoint slides in their presentation.
Marks will be deducted for presentations that go over the time allotted as follows: 30 seconds
over (no deduction), 31-60 seconds over (one full letter grade deducted), 61 seconds – 2 minutes
(two full letter grades deducted), 121 seconds or more (failing grade = 47%).
Learning outcomes
Students will develop and demonstrate their ability to make a technical presentation to a general
engineering audience.
Evaluation
Presentations will be evaluated based on their content, attention to client/user needs, adherence
to all requirements including quality of the design, and quality of the presentation (delivery) and
slides. It should be noted that students will be evaluated on not only their presentations, but also
on their evaluations of other group presentations. The quality of each student’s evaluations of
other group presentations will be factored into the professionalism grade.
2.1.3 Poster and Oral Presentation
Length:
Format:
Evaluators:
5 minutes
Template available via Canvas
Judging panel, course coordinator
Overview
Students will prepare a poster that explains the problem they are responding to, as well as a clear
explanation of their design.
Learning outcomes
Students will develop and demonstrate an ability (1) to organize and present their technical
designs in the form of poster, and (2) to articulate their technical designs to a general engineering
audience.
Evaluation
Posters will be evaluated based on their visual and textual elements including design content,
attention to client and reader needs, and adherence to all requirements including correctness,
clarity, and completeness of the explanation. Marks will be deducted for presentations that go
over the time allotted as follows: 10 seconds over (no deduction), 11-30 seconds over (one full
letter grade deducted), 31 seconds – 1 minute over (two full letter grades deducted), 61 seconds
or more (failing grade = 47%).
Judges will determine an overall winner as well as a winner in each of the electrical, civil,
mechanical and interdisciplinary categories. The overall winner as well as a winner in each of the
electrical, civil, mechanical and interdisciplinary categories will receive 2% bonus marks.
2.1.4 Final Design Report
Length:
Format:
Submit:
Evaluators:
20-40 pages + references + appendices
1.5 spacing, appropriate header, 1-inch margins, reference style: IEEE or APA or
as approved by faculty advisor
Submit electronic copy of the report by Canvas
Faculty advisor
Overview
The Final Design Report provides students with an opportunity to present their final design to
their faculty advisor for evaluation. Students are expected to use text and graphics from previous
reports as appropriate.
Evaluation
Reports will be evaluated by the Faculty Advisor. Their evaluation will be based on the report’s
content, attention to client and reader needs, adherence to all requirements including the quality
of writing and visuals and graphics, depth of the justification of design decisions; quality and
explanation of the selected design; assessment of the design; and use of source and support
material. For more information on evaluation, please see the associated grading rubric.
2.2 Intellectual Property
All participants in each project need to complete an Intellectual Property (IP) agreement at the
beginning of the course. It is important that we keep a perspective that emphasizes the course
objectives for team learning, complex problem solving, and community engagement to
showcase the excellence of our soon to be graduates. We want any discussion of managing IP
to be a source of inspiration and collaboration, not a source of conflict. We also need to
emphasize that almost all past capstone projects delivered great results to the industry
partners with very few being emphatically IP based. The IP agreements will now fall into one of
two categories.
2.2.1 Industry-Sponsored Capstone Projects
In the past, ENGR 499 had emphasized projects being done for industry partners, asking them
to provide a real-world engineering challenge on which a capstone team could demonstrate
their collective skills. In exchange for the companies bringing us the opportunities to do the
project, we use a standard agreement that pre-agrees that the company will own all resulting
Intellectual Property (IP) created in the course of the project. This enables companies to bring
projects without concern that they will lose control of some aspect of their business while
working with us.
These types of projects will continue to occur, and we will continue to use a standard Capstone
Master Agreement, administered by the University Industry Liaison Office (UILO).
2.2.2 Internally-Sourced Capstone Projects
For any non-industry, internally sourced projects, we will have all participants, including faculty
and external advisors, agree that all involved will share equally in any new intellectual property
that might be created. This allows us to use a standard UBC policy (Policy 88) for recognizing
and managing IP. More information on Policy 88 can be found at
https://uilo.ubc.ca/researchers/commercialize-invention/inventions-inventorshipfaq/ownership-inventions-ubc.
We have determined that this is the best way to keep open and fair communication to facilitate
quality learning opportunities. We also feel this will be a good foundation to enable use of
programs such as entrepreneurship@UBC and UILO company formation support processes to
help projects that might start in a capstone but may need support to continue and find
commercial legs to grow. Therefore, if any individual suggesting a project has a particular
personal interest or past investment in a project, careful consideration should be given to the
ENGR499 course format and whether it is the right opportunity for continued development, as
it will necessarily have to be done in a fully collaborative manner for shared benefit.
More information on IP issues can be obtained from Derek Gratz, whose contact information is
given below.
Associate Director, University Industry Liaison Office (UILO), STAR Operations and Business
Development, and entrepreneurship@UBC Okanagan
The University of British Columbia
319 Fipke Centre for Research, 3247 University Way
Kelowna, BC Canada V1V 1V7
Phone 250 807 9853
Assistant - Andrea Osachoff 250 807-8602
derek.gratz@ubc.ca
www.uilo.ubc.ca
www.entrepreneurship.ubc.ca
2.3 I-Peer Evaluations
Students will complete two I-Peer evaluations (at the end of term 1 and term 2). The I-Peer
evaluations will encourage improved team communication, and will be used as part of the
professionalism mark. Students will be marked on the following aspects:
• Timely completion of the I-Peer assessment
•
•
Thoughtful completion of the I-Peer assessment
Emphasis on self-analysis as well as on analysis of team members.
The questions the students will answer are listed below.
How to read and use an I-Peer evaluation
Background
I-Peer evaluations are designed to help capstone students develop and evaluate their own and
their colleagues’ team skills. Completing the evaluations is part of the students’
professionalism mark.
I-Peer Evaluation Process
Each team member evaluates him or herself and his or her colleagues in four areas using a 5point scale (0=Never 1=Rarely 2=Occasionally 3=Half of the time 4=Frequently 5=Always).
Students also complete a self-evaluation based on two questions.
Reading the I-Peer Evaluation
1. The table at the top of the evaluation records each student’s overall score for each of the
four questions, as well as the group averages.
2. The second part of the form contains detailed Evaluation Results. The student being
evaluated is referred to as the “Evaluatee.” The score given to that student for each question
by each team member is then listed.
The final section of the evaluation provides the evaluatee’s self-evaluation.
3. Some team members may not complete their evaluation. These team members are listed at
the top of the form, under “Summary.” They will receive a “zero” for this part of their
professionalism mark.
2.4 Reflection
Length:
Format:
Submit:
Evaluators:
300 words
1.5 spacing, appropriate header, 1-inch margins
Submit via Canvas, text only, no attachments
Course coordinator
Overview
An important part of the learning process for students is reflecting on what they have learned.
This assignment offers students the opportunity to think about their learning in this course,
their learning while in the School of Engineering, and their future learning.
Evaluation
Reflections will be marked by the course coordinator based on the depth of thought displayed,
the use of evidence (such as examples from the student’s experience) to support and explain
claims and observations, and the quality of writing (including structure, paragraph
development, and sentences). Students are expected to be sincere and courteous, and to
reflect seriously on their own work and growth. Marks for reflections will be incorporated into
the professionalism grade.
Description
The reflection is a 300-word first person document that discusses the student’s learning and
growth in three contexts: in ENGR 499, in the engineering program, and future learning as an
engineer. Students are asked to respond to the following questions:
• What did you learn about the design process from your experience in this course?
• Based on your experiences in this course, what are the most important attributes of an
engineer?
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•
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Explain how your experience on this project (or in other courses) contributed to your
understanding of the role and responsibilities of the professional engineer in society.
Based on what you learned about yourself in this and over your time in the School of
Engineering, what strengths do you bring to your engineering career? In which areas do you
need to grow or develop, and how do you plan to facilitate growth or development?
What did (or did not) you like about the course? Why?
2.5 Grading Standards
The following grading standards should help students understand the grades they receive on
their ENGR 499 assignments. Thoughtful writing, careful proofreading, and attention to detail are
essential to success in ENGR 499 as well as in the engineering profession, as are precise
adherence to instructions and specifications. Any assignment that does not meet the basic
requirements of university writing cannot receive a passing grade.
Excellent (A+ 95/ A 87/ A- 82)
An excellent report shows an exceptional ability to communicate clearly and effectively to a specific audience. It
follows the guidelines given for that particular report, including mechanical requirements such as margins, font,
headers, word count etc. The report has a professional appearance. The purpose is clearly established early in the
report. The content of the report is exceptionally thoughtful and complete. The content is consistently well
developed and supported by more than sufficient and consistently appropriate information from excellent sources.
The line of thought is clear and easy to follow. Sections and paragraphs are well organized and fully developed. The
sentences are clear and concise. Technical information is explained flawlessly for a general audience, and numerical
information is used clearly and well. Numbers are used correctly. The vocabulary is professional, precise,
appropriate, rich, and varied. There are no more than two or three errors of any kind. Sources are used correctly and
sufficiently and there are no citation errors. The report is handed in when due. The excellent report demonstrates
the writer’s exceptional ability to communicate flawlessly with the intended audience.
Good (B+ 77.5/ B 73.5/ B- 69.5)
A good report shows a strong ability to communicate clearly and effectively to a specific audience. It follows the
guidelines given for that particular report, including mechanical requirements such as margins, font, headers, word
count etc. The report has a professional appearance. The content of the report is thoughtful and complete. Most
or all content is well developed and supported by good and varied information. The line of thought is clear although
there are occasional lapses or missing steps or information. Sections and paragraphs are, for the most part, well
organized and well developed. Most of the sentences are clear, concise, and are generally easy to follow. Technical
information is explained well for a general audience, and numerical information is used clearly and well, with only
occasional weaknesses. Numbers are mostly used correctly. The vocabulary is professional and appropriate, but
may be occasionally imprecise. There are no more than five errors of any kind. Sources are used correctly and there
are few or no citation errors. The report is handed in when due. The good report demonstrates the writer’s ability
to structure and communicate information clearly and effectively for the intended audience.
Adequate (C+ 65.5/ C 61.5/ C- 57)
An adequate report communicates reasonably successfully to a specific audience, although there may be some
weaknesses in any of the areas noted in this section. For the most part, the report follows the guidelines given,
including mechanical requirements such as margins, font, headers, word count etc. An attempt has been made to
give the report a professional appearance. The purpose can be understood from the report. The content of the
report is complete or nearly complete, but it may lack depth or be repetitive or poorly organized or lacking in
sufficient development. Most of the content is supported by appropriate information. The structure may exhibit
occasional weaknesses. Sections and paragraphs are unified and coherent, although there may be some weaknesses.
The sentences may vary in quality, with some being clear, but others being wordy or hard to follow. The vocabulary
is acceptable but may be occasionally simplistic, imprecise or repetitive. Technical information is explained for a
general audience, although some readers might have difficulty understanding some parts of the report, or it might
lack technical depth. Numerical information is used, but not always sufficiently or clearly or correctly. There may be
more than five errors. Sources are used correctly but not sufficiently. There are some citation errors. The report is
handed in when due. Though the adequate report may exhibit one or more of these weaknesses, the intended
audience, with some effort, is still able to understand the intent of the document, and the report meets the
requirements of the assignment. A report that demonstrates excessive weakness in any of these areas may receive
a failing grade. Any assignment that does not meet the basic requirements of university writing cannot receive a
passing grade.
Poor (D 52)
A poor report communicates marginally successfully to a specific audience, although there may be several
weaknesses in areas noted in this section. Though the weaknesses are significant, the document demonstrates
enough strength overall to receive a passing grade. A poor report exhibits one or more the following characteristics:
It may be unprofessional in appearance, incomplete or poor in content, and/or it may have significant errors in
spelling or grammar. The ideas may be weak and/or poorly explained or supported. The document may lack a
coherent structure. Sections and/or paragraphs may lack unity and/or coherence. Sentences may be hard to follow,
wordy, and/or unclear. The vocabulary may be imprecise and/or inaccurate. Numbers may be used insufficiently
or incorrectly. Many readers will have difficulty following the technical information presented. There may be
frequent repetition of ideas. Sources may not be used sufficiently or correctly and there may be citation errors. The
document is handed in when due. The report shows a marginally successful grasp of the writing process. A report
that demonstrates excessive weakness in any of the noted areas may receive a failing grade. Any assignment that
does not meet the basic requirements of university writing cannot receive a passing grade.
Failure (F+ 47.5 / F 34.5 / F- 12.5/ 0)
A failing report exhibits one or more of the following characteristics to the extent that it would be unacceptable to
the audience for whom it is intended: It may be profoundly unprofessional in appearance or extensively incomplete.
The content may be poor, and the report may have frequent and/or serious errors in spelling or grammar. The
content may be unacceptably weak and/or so poorly supported that the intended audience would not accept them.
The report may lack a sense of coherent structure. Sections and/or paragraphs may repeatedly lack unity and/or
coherence. Sentences may be frequently hard to follow, wordy, and/or unclear. The vocabulary may be consistently
imprecise and/or inaccurate. Numbers may be incorrect, insufficiently used, or incorrectly used. Many readers
would struggle to understand the technical content. There may be frequent repetition of ideas. The report may be
submitted incorrectly, or fail to follow submission requirements. The report may or may not be handed in when
due. A failing report may demonstrate a significant lack of understanding of the assignment or the writing process
and/or a failure to implement appropriate communication skills. Sources may be used incorrectly and there may be
egregious citation errors. Instances of plagiarism will be treated as Academic Misconduct (as per pages 45-48 of the
UBC Okanagan Calendar) and dealt with accordingly. Any assignment that does not meet the basic requirements of
university writing cannot receive a passing grade
2.6 Team Contract
Overview and guidelines
According to concepts from Organizational Behaviour, there are five stages of team
development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. During the forming
stage, teams tend to communicate in indirect polite ways rather than more directly. The storming
stage, characterized by conflict, can often be productive, but may consume excessive amounts
of time and energy. In this stage it is important to listen well for differing expectations. Next,
during the norming stage, teams formulate roles and standards, increasing trust and
communication. This norming stage is characterized by agreement on procedures, reduction in
role ambiguity, and increased “we-ness” or unity. These developments generally are precursors
to the performing stage, during which teams achieve their goals, are highly task oriented, and
focus on performance and production. When the task has been completed, the team adjourns.
To accelerate a team’s development, a team contract is generated to establish procedures and
roles in order to move the team more quickly into the performing stage. This process of
generating a team contract can actually help jump-start a group's collaborative efforts by
immediately focusing the team members on a definite task. The group members must
communicate and negotiate in order to identify the quality of work they all wish to achieve, and
the level of group participation and individual accountability they all feel comfortable with.
Successful team performance depends on personal individual accountability. In a team
environment, individuals are usually effectively motivated to maximize their own rewards and
minimize their own costs. However, conflicts can arise when individualistic motives or behaviors
disrupt team-oriented goals. For example, conflict can stem from an unequal division of
resources. When team members believe they are receiving too little for what they are giving,
they sometimes reduce their effort and turn in work of lower quality. Such "free riding" occurs
most frequently when individual contributions are combined into a single product or
performance, and individual effort is perceived as unequal. At this point, some individual team
members may take on extra responsibilities while other team members may reduce their own
efforts or withdraw from the team completely. These behaviors may engender anger,
frustration, or isolation - resulting in a dysfunctional team and poor quality of work. However,
with a well-formulated team contract, such obstacles can usually be avoided.
*Adapted with permission from Kerimar Ratnayaka (math.arizona.edu/~kerimar/Team%20Contract.doc)
Team Contract Assignment
Your team contract template is divided into three sections:
• Establishing team procedures
• Identifying expectations
• Specifying the consequences for failing to follow these procedures and fulfill these
expectations
Since the basic purpose of this team contract is to accelerate your team's development, to
increase individual accountability for team tasks, and to reduce the possibility for team conflict,
make your contract as specific as possible: (a) specify each task as detailed as possible, (b) specify
each step in a procedure or process as detailed as possible, (c) specify the exact person(s)
responsible for each specific task, and (d) specify the time and place for completion or submission
of each task. The more specifically you describe your team expectations, roles, and procedures,
the greater chance you have for a successful team experience.
Use the Team Contract template to discuss and finalize your team roles, procedures, and
standards. Complete a team contract with signatures of all team members, and submit to your
faculty advisor, who must agree and sign the team contract too. The team contract will form
part of your professionalism mark. Submit an electronic copy of your team contract on or
before the due date via Canvas
Once your team contract has been developed, your team is ready to begin work on collaborative
assignments. However, you may soon find that your team is not working as well as you had
hoped. This is normal but needs to be attended to immediately. Perhaps your team is simply not
following the established contract procedures or roles as strictly as you should be, or perhaps
you need to change some of the procedures or roles as outlined in your contract. Call a team
meeting immediately to discuss and resolve the challenges your team is facing; do not delay.
Seek guidance from your advisor or the course coordinator to resolve any conflicts so that you
will have the most positive team experience possible.
A Team Contract template is available for download on Canvas.
2.7 Project Expense Guidelines
Each group has a budget that is allocated by the School of Engineering. The group leader is
responsible for maintaining an up-to-date record of all project expenditures. Expenditures MUST
NOT exceed the amount allocated by the School of Engineering unless additional expenditures
have been approved by the faculty advisor and course coordinator & technical support group
manager. Approval requires a formal request in the form of an email from the group to their
faculty advisor. The faculty advisor should then forward the request to the course coordinator &
technical support group manager. A copy of the approvals must be submitted with the final
expense claim.
Groups with extraordinary travel needs or those building a prototype are encouraged to
acquire additional funds from the sponsoring industry partner.
A. Project Prototype and Materials Ownership
All project materials and prototypes will be the property of the industry sponsor or, in the
absence of an industry sponsor, the shared property of the team members. This includes all goods
purchased with School funds, those donated to the School, and those supplied by the industry
sponsor for building the prototype.
B. Eligible Expenditures
If you are in doubt about any of the following items, please consult with the course coordinator.
Items that may be claimed:
• Equipment, software and consumables related to the project
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Long distance telephone and fax charges
Travel (outside Kelowna only); mileage and lunch expenses only
Manuals, standards and references related to the project
Printing/plotting costs for large size engineering drawings not included in any of the course
reports and only if these are one of the project deliverables.
Items that may not be claimed:
• Logbooks & other stationery
• Travel within Kelowna is the financial responsibility of the group
• Printing and/or photocopying of the final report is the financial responsibility of the group
C. Reimbursement for Purchases
All purchasing should be done directly by the groups (except for cases where the industry sponsor
makes purchases). Receipts are required.
For your project in this course, you are allowed to claim expenses per group up to the amount
allocated by the School of Engineering. Only one member of the group can be reimbursed for this
expense. To claim this amount, please email engineering.administration@ubc.ca with the
reimbursement form available in Canvas. Please attach a scan or photo of each expense to the
email.
To process your expense, the financial admin team will pull your address information from the
Student Information System. Please ensure that this address is correct. The financial team will
cross-check the address you provide on the expense claim form and will assume that the address
included on the form is the most current, correct address. If you have uploaded your direct
deposit to your student account, that is where the reimbursement will be sent.
All claims for reimbursement MUST be submitted by April 15, 2023. Groups are permitted to
submit only one expense claim per group for the duration of the project.
D. Travel
Travel within Kelowna cannot be claimed. All travel must be directly related to the project and
be supported by an email from the supervisor noting approval of the travel. All travel expenses
must follow the UBC travel policy (Policy 83 Travel Related Expenses
http://universitycounsel.ubc.ca/files/2013/04/policy83.pdf). To claim travel expenses please use
the “School of Engineering Travel Expense Claim Form” (located in the forms folder on the course
homepage).
Mileage: The rate of reimbursement is $0.49/km. A trip itinerary using a service such as Google
Maps is required for each mileage claim as supporting documentation noting the distance
travelled.
Meals: A lunch claim may be made for each student member of the group that has travelled out
of town. The claim is not to exceed the lunch per diem rate of $16 per student. Breakfast and
dinner claims are ineligible and alcohol expenses are ineligible.
Note that only one travel claim form can be submitted per group at the end of the year, so it is
recommended that the group leader pay the restaurant for all meals when possible. Alternately,
if each group member pays individually and provides a meal receipt to be submitted with the
claim, then it is the responsibility of the group and claimant to sort out the distribution of
expenses after UBC has provided a cheque.
E. SOE Technical Support Group
Work required at any of the School’s technical support facilities; i.e. Machine Shop, Wood Shop,
3D Print Shop, Electronics Lab, High Head Lab, etc. must first be approved by your Faculty Advisor.
Team Captains are responsible for submitting their group’s work requests by entering a ticket on
the School’s Technical Support System; i.e. https://osticket.ok.ubc.ca/apsc/login.php CAPSTONE
WORK REQUEST TICKETS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31TH, 2023 TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Only tickets submitted by the Project Team Captains will be
accepted by the System. All project related correspondence needs to be done via the Ticket
System & not email. Technical Support Coordinators will arrange meetings with the Team
Captains within 1 week of the ticket being submitted to review the project’s support
requirements. Team Captains are responsible for gathering & submitting all necessary technical
specifications, requirements, drawings, etc. into the Technical Support System before the
Technical Support Coordinator can provide accurate labor estimates on the requested work.
Project Teams are also responsible for purchasing their own parts, supplies and material. PLEASE
NOTE THAT EACH GROUP WILL BE ALLOCATED A MAXIMUM OF 10 HOURS OF TECHNICAL
SUPPORT TIME, excluding time spent on the initial consultation with the Technical Support
Coordinator. Note that allocated technician time is cumulative and applied against all
technicians. Technician time will be tracked once the project is quoted & up to project
completion. Make sure to submit your work request ticket as soon as possible in order for the
Technical Support Coordinator to properly schedule your work into the technical support queue.
F. Telephone and Photocopying
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Whenever possible, make use of your faculty advisor’s office phone for long distance calling.
If you make long distance calls from your home phone, or cell phone:
- UBC Financial Services requires all pages of your original phone bill be submitted for
reimbursement. Highlight and total all calls you are claiming.
Have your faculty advisor sign the bill.
You may submit your original phone bill along with all other receipts at the end of the
project using the “School of Engineering Expense Reimbursement Form”.
Photocopying is the financial responsibility of the student group.
G. Research and Undergrad Lab Safety
All students that intend on using research labs, undergrad labs, woodshop, machine shop,
structures labor makerspace must inform their faculty advisor and obtain proof of training for
the facilities and equipment that they will be using. Safety is of prime importance when
working in any labs on premise. With multiple users using multiple labs, it is also expected that
the working areas remain very tidy and ready for use for the next person. UBC & SoE policies
and procedures will apply when using any research & undergraduate labs and the disciplinary
procedures outlined below will be used to enforce them.
Disciplinary Process: Failure to follow common lab courtesies, UBC or SoE lab safety policies
&/or protocols, misuse or abuse of equipment, will lead to disciplinary actions in the form of a
strike policy. A strike (warning) will be issued to the student in writing outlining the infraction
and what corrective action needs to take place. Each student will be allowed up to three strikes.
On the second and third strike, the student’s faculty advisor will be informed. In the event of a
forth strike the user’s lab privileges will be revoked for the remainder of the term. Disciplinary
actions will be documented. It is not our goal to punish people. Our goal is to simply ensure
that everyone has a positive lab experience and works in a safe environment.
2.8 Budget
Format:
Submit:
Evaluators:
Use template provided in Canvas
Submit via Canvas
Course coordinator and TAs
Overview
A project budget is a tool to help students estimate the total projected costs needed to
complete their projects over the duration of the course. Creating a project budget is a critical
part of the project planning process and ensures that all team members and stakeholders are
on the same page in regards to allocation of financial resources available for the project.
Project Budget Assignment
Working as a team and using a provided template, students will create a project budget
consisting of all available funds (including the allocation from the School of Engineering and any
additional funds committed by the industrial sponsor) and all projected expenses associated
with the project. Students should share the project budget with their faculty advisor and
industrial sponsor, to ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page in terms of the scope of
the project.
The project budget that students prepare in the first term should be used as a baseline for
project costs going forward. It is good practice to update the budget periodically once the
project is started.
2.9 EGBC’s Code of Ethics
Ethical practice in the engineering and geoscience professions is extremely important, due to the
nature of the work of Registrants and the potential for that work to have a significant impact on
the public. Ethical practice helps prevent harm to the public, the environment, and the
engineering and geoscience professions.
A registrant must adhere to the following Code of Ethics:
Registrants must act at all times with fairness, courtesy and good faith toward all persons with
whom the registrant has professional dealings, and in accordance with the public interest.
Registrants must uphold the values of truth, honesty and trustworthiness and safeguard human
life and welfare and the environment. In keeping with these basic tenets, registrants must:
1. hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public, including the protection of
the environment and the promotion of health and safety in the workplace;
2. practice only in those fields where training and ability make the registrant professionally
competent;
3. have regard for the common law and any applicable enactments, federal enactments or
enactments of another province;
4. have regard for applicable standards, policies, plans and practices established by the
government or EGBC;
5. maintain competence in relevant specializations, including advances in the regulated
practice and relevant science;
6. provide accurate information in respect of qualifications and experience;
7. provide professional opinions that distinguish between facts, assumptions and opinions;
8. avoid situations and circumstances in which there is a real or perceived conflict of interest
and ensure conflicts of interest, including perceived conflicts of interest, are properly
disclosed and necessary measures are taken so a conflict of interest does not bias
decisions or recommendations;
9. report to EGBC and, if applicable, any other appropriate authority, if the registrant, on
reasonable and probable grounds, believes that:
a) the continued practice of a regulated practice by another registrant or other
person, including firms and employers, might pose a risk of significant harm to the
environment or to the health or safety of the public or a group of people; or
b) a registrant or another individual has made decisions or engaged in practices
which may be illegal or unethical;
10. present clearly to employers and clients the possible consequences if professional
decisions or judgments are overruled or disregarded;
11. clearly identify each registrant who has contributed professional work, including
recommendations, reports, statements or opinions;
12. undertake work and documentation with due diligence and in accordance with any
guidance developed to standardize professional documentation for the applicable
profession; and
13. conduct themselves with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and
others, give credit where it is due and accept, as well as give, honest and fair professional
comment.
Source: https://www.egbc.ca/Complaints-Discipline/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics
2.10 Canadian Engineering Graduate Attributes
1. A Knowledge Base for Engineering: Demonstrated competence in university level
mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals, and specialized engineering
knowledge appropriate to the program.
2. Problem Analysis: An ability to use appropriate knowledge and principles to identify,
formulate, analyze, and solve complex engineering problems in order to reach
substantiated conclusions.
3. Investigation: An ability to conduct investigations of complex problems by methods that
include appropriate experiments, analysis and interpretation of data, and synthesis of
information in order to reach valid conclusions.
4. Design: An ability to design solutions for complex, open-ended engineering problems and to
design systems, components or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate
attention to health and safety risks, applicable standards, economic, environmental, cultural
and societal considerations.
5. Use of Engineering Tools: An ability to create, select, apply, adapt, and extend appropriate
techniques resources, and modern engineering tools to a range of engineering activities,
from simple to complex, with an understanding of the associated limitations.
6. Individual and Team Work: An ability to work independently and as a member and leader in
diverse teams and in multi-disciplinary settings
7. Communication Skills: An ability to communicate complex engineering concepts within the
profession and with society at large. Such abilities include reading, writing, speaking and
listening, and the ability to comprehend and write effective reports and design
documentation, and to give and effectively respond to clear instructions.
8. Professionalism: An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional
engineer in society, especially the primary role of protection of the public and the public
interest.
9. Impact of Engineering on Society and the Environment: An understanding of the
interactions that engineering has with the economic, social, health, safety, legal, and
cultural aspects of society; of the uncertainties in the prediction of such interactions and of
the concepts of sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
10. Ethics and Equity: An understanding of professional ethics, accountability, and equity.
11. Economics and Project Management: An ability to appropriately incorporate economics and
business practices including project, risk and change management into the practice of
engineering, and to understand their limitations.
12. Life Long Learning: An ability to engage in independent and life-long learning.