2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Work in Progress: Using Design Signatures to highlight differences among various senior Capstone design project sponsor and deliverable types

process that differs based on the goals of the project, the experience of the designer, and various needs of stakeholders. Quantities of time spent and tracked across pre-defined design steps and activities comprises the Design Signature, unique to each project. Combining the concepts and tools of Design Signatures with self-reported time tracking data in a Capstone Senior Design course not only helps students develop professional skills and understand how they’re spending time on projects but also provides the instructor team with tools to promote student accountability and track project health, as well as providing valuable data to compare projects and understand predictors of project success.

For academic year, 2024-2025, instructors of Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design at the College of Engineering at the University of XXXX (“XXX”) asked students to track their project work time across ten design process activities including 1) gathering information, 2) identifying needs, 3) problem definition, 4) generating ideas/ideation, 5) modeling, 6) evaluation, 7) feasibility analysis, 8) decision making, 9) implementation, and 10) communicating results. The breakdown of time logged by activity varied across project sponsor-type (industry-sponsored, competition, non-profit sponsored, internal sponsor, and entrepreneurial/non-sponsored) and across final deliverable(s) expected (CAD drawings, model-based design/simulation, physical prototype/product, bill of materials, or process design). The goals of the work-in-progress study were to highlight similarities and differences across project sponsor and deliverable types and to see how time logged correlates with project success as evaluated by course instructors, field experts, and project sponsors.. In this work in progress, we show differences in time logged relative to sponsor category and deliverable type. In addition, we provide examples in which the design signatures method allowed the instructors to intervene when too little time was logged at various points in the design process.

Authors

Dr. Roger Hilten http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-7701-8338 University of Georgia [biography]

Roger Hilten is an Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Georgia in the College of Engineering's School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering. Dr. HIlten is deeply involved in Capstone Design at all levels, from project solicitation to individual student mentoring. Dr. Hilten collaborates with a team of instructors to develop and deliver Capstone course material while gathering data to continually improve the Capstone experience for students, project sponsors, and faculty involved. Administratively, Dr. Hilten works with the Capstone Industry Coordinator to seek out new project sponsors and develop projects to fit the needs of Capstone while also supporting students' on-the-ground procurement, prototyping, and testing efforts for over 100 Capstone projects. Dr. Hilten acts the Director for the College's Lab Support Team which manages instructional, fabrication, and testing facilities as well as the tools and equipment that support students to effectively complete all types of projects, Capstone Design projects included.
Dr. Jorge Ivan Rodriguez-Devora University of Georgia [biography]

Dr. Rodriguez serves as the industry capstone project coordinator for the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. He is a faculty member of the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering.
Dr. Wayne Johnson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9897-2366 University of Georgia [biography]

Wayne M. Johnson is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, GA. Prior to joining UGA in 2022, he was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus, Savannah GA. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Cum Laude) from Louisiana State University. He has published 16 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 28 papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and given 12 technical presentations on various topics including: additive manufacturing, mechatronics, biomechanics, and engineering education. He currently teaches the Engineered Systems In Society, Mechanical Engineering Professional Practice, and Capstone Design I and II courses.
Kevin J. Wu The University of Georgia [biography]

Kevin J. Wu is currently the Engineering Catalyst for Innovation Gateway at the University of Georgia and an Adjunct Instructor with the University of Georgia College of Engineering. Mr. Wu’s current research interests lie in examining the factors that affect innovation in undergraduate teams. Mr. Wu received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering from the University of Georgia.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026