Factors affecting the performance of student project teams in capstone design programmes

Abstract

This study examined several factors that affect the performance of student project teams that participated in the capstone design curriculum of industrial and management engineering for six years from 2014 to 2019, and it aimed to identify student-centred effective and efficient measures to improve team performance. The dependent variables regarding team performance in the capstone curriculum were the project team’s course results (pass or fail) and the grade point average. Factors affecting the project execution were based on previous studies and included: academic achievement, multi-disciplinary ability, project subject, team size and gender ratio composition, individual initiative, communication and teamwork as independent variables. From two models, multiple factors affected team performance in different ways. Similarly to previous studies, it was found that the better the existing academic achievement and teamwork, the more positive effect on team performance, but contrary to expectations, the project team with knowledge of corporate topics or various majors was found to have a negative effect. These results are expected to serve as effective guidelines for students’ team formation, project topic selection, and team execution and operation of future capstone design curricula.