A Decade Review of a Masters-Level Real-World-Projects Capstone Course

Abstract Our mission of capstone computing courses for the past ten years has been to offer students experience with the development of real-world information technology projects. This experience has included both the hard and soft skills required for the work they could expect as industrial practitioners. Hard skills entail extending one's knowledge structure with technical know-how, specifically using the latest software and hardware tools for building applications of genuine utility. Soft skills include the ability to work in a collaborative setting (e.g., to participate in team coordination and governance), the ability to interact with a customer (e.g., to establish product requirements and achieve acceptance), the ethos of creating value, and a facility for technical communications (written, oral, and electronic). Significant changes in the instructional environment have taken place in the ten years since the capstone class was first offered. This paper describes the adaptation to changes in the course's delivery so that its mission continues to be fulfilled successfully