Assessment

Final Master Project - Assessment

The Final Master Project is completed with a competence assessment at the Department of Industrial Design.

Deliverables

  • Demonstrator (as demonstrated on the demo day)
  • Report (maximum 10.000 words; in consultation with your graduation mentor, decide what type of report/number of words is appropriate for your project.)
  • Portfolio (maximum 3000 words)
  • Presentation/Oral Exam

As you reflect on your project in your portfolio, a separate project reflection is not needed as deliverable.

You submit your work via Canvas. In case you fail to submit all your deliverables on Canvas (in time, before the assignment closes), you cannot be assessed and receive a NV (no show).

Demonstrator

Via multiple iterations in your project, you will develop a robust prototype that features at least (part of) an intelligent system; and/or provides a clear experience (of a service) for the considered stakeholders.

Before the graduation presentation, you will have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your project from your graduation mentor. You show your demonstrator in an exhibition-like setting, using a clear (visual) design identity; this moment is called Demo Day. The Demo Day is a part of your competence assessment and is a formative assessment moment. Participation on the Demo Day is required.

During Demo Day, you will pitch your ideas to your examiner(s) and an external audience. In your pitch, you have to address your project results (using the “demonstrator” as is described above), the (design) process and integration of expertise areas.

If your project requires a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), please read the process for organizing your Demo Day on the NDA page.

Report

Through the report, you must demonstrate the ability to independently draw a clear and professional picture of the design (research) challenge. You must provide a clear description of different perspectives and potential approaches. You must provide arguments for choices that have been made and use references to external sources correctly.

You may decide upon the layout of the report yourself. Discuss the structure of your report with your mentor in advance, and make sure it is consistent with your project, selected topic and track/career direction.

The digital copy of the report will be archived and published in the TU/e Repository. As such, these reports will be retrievable for an internal as well as external audience. In case of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), your report will only be archived but not published. 

Portfolio

The portfolio communicates your development as a designer and the development of the overall competence of designing, fitted in with your history as a designer up to that point. You include your development over the whole master program. Your portfolio is assessed at the end of the master program.

To support you in creating your portfolio, this is a minimal structure and content overview.

  • Professional Identity: describe the developed professional identity.
  • Vision: describe the developed vision.
  • Past: reflect on your activities before your Final Master Project; and how this affected you as a designer.
  • Present: reflect on how the courses and electives were integrated in the project and describe your level of development within the five areas of expertise, professional skills, professional identity and vision. Reflect on your overall growth.
  • Future: describe your future plans.

Assessment procedure

Examiners

The Final Master Project committee (or panel) consists of at least three examiners:

  • Graduation mentor
  • Expert examiner
  • Chair

The Examination Committee of Industrial Design (EC-ID) approves the composition of all Final Master Project (FMP) graduation committees, including the designated role of all committee members. The panel is communicated to you via CSA-ID.

Assessment criteria

The Final Master Project will be assessed using the assessment criteria mentioned in the Rubrics booklet.

Assessment meeting

During your assessment meeting, you will present your work to the Final Master Project committee. The assessment meeting consists of four parts. Only the first part of the meeting is open to the public (family, friends, clients, fellow students and staff).

  1. Presentation (20 minutes)
  2. Oral examination (40 minutes)
  3. Deliberation (max 25 mintues)
  4. Feedback (5 minutes)

The presentation must be in English.

CSA-ID will make the schedule for the graduation presentations with the student and the three examiners in the committee and will notify you by mail or a meeting request.

Grade

You will receive a grade rounded to the nearest half grade on a scale of 0 to 10. You need a 6.0 or higher to pass. The Examination Committee of the Department of Industrial Design formally approves the list of grades of all graduating students before they are published by CSA-ID in Osiris.

Retake

In case of a retake, the student must redo the following deliverables (based on feedback from the examiner):

  • Improve the demonstrator
  • Improve the report
  • Improve the portfolio

The maximum deadline for the retake is 15 working days after the original grade is recorded in Osiris (≠ the publication date of the feedback/Rubrics on Canvas).

Retry

In case you failed the project you can redo the Final Master Project the semester after. You need to develop a new FMP Proposal.

Graduation

With passing your Final Master Project assessment you have taken an important step toward completing the master's program. To receive your diploma, you must have completed all requirements for the master's program. You can find more information on the graduation page and subpages.

More information