UNIT 4: Introduction to Capstone Project

Introduction to Capstone Project

MCQS:

1. What is the primary goal of the Capstone project?
a) To test the students’ memorization skills
b) To integrate knowledge learned throughout the course into a final project
c) To provide a break from regular academic activities
d) To learn new concepts unrelated to the course
Answer: b
2. Which methodology is used to handle real-life problems in the Capstone project?
a) Agile Methodology
b) Waterfall Methodology
c) Design Thinking Methodology
d) Lean Startup Methodology
Answer: c
3. Which of the following is NOT a key concept in the Capstone project?
a) Empathy Map
b) SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)
c) Linear Regression
d) Design Thinking
Answer: c
4. What is the purpose of creating an Empathy Map in a Capstone project?
a) To assess the technical limitations
b) To understand users’ thoughts, feelings, and actions
c) To calculate project budgets
d) To finalize the project timeline
Answer: b
5. Which tool helps students break down problems into smaller parts during the Capstone project?
a) SWOT Analysis
b) 5W1H
c) PESTLE Analysis
d) Fishbone Diagram
Answer: b
6. Which is an essential pre-requisite for starting a Capstone project?
a) Knowledge of Machine Learning
b) Good communication and problem-solving skills
c) Strong understanding of financial modeling
d) Advanced coding skills
Answer: b
7. Which stage of Design Thinking involves identifying user needs and developing insights?
a) Prototype
b) Define
c) Empathize
d) Ideate
Answer: c
8. Which question belongs to the 5W1H method used in Design Thinking?
a) Which?
b) What?
c) Why?
d) How much?
Answer: b
9. In a Capstone project, which problem-solving approach encourages idea generation without judgment?
a) SWOT Analysis
b) Brainstorming
c) Empathy Mapping
d) Problem Decomposition
Answer: b
10. How does the Capstone project align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
a) It teaches how to ignore real-world problems.
b) It integrates AI solutions with global challenges like poverty and education.
c) It primarily focuses on solving business problems.
d) It disregards environmental issues.
Answer: b
Capstone Project Phases
11. Which stage of Design Thinking involves testing your solution?
a) Ideate
b) Test
c) Define
d) Prototype
Answer: b
12. Which of the following is a characteristic of the Prototype stage in Design Thinking?
a) Requires highly detailed and perfect solutions
b) Focuses on generating numerous ideas
c) Involves creating quick, simple models for user feedback
d) Primarily focuses on empathy with the users
Answer: c
13. What is the last stage of the Design Thinking process?
a) Empathize
b) Test
c) Prototype
d) Define
Answer: b
14. Which of these is NOT a type of brainstorming technique?
a) Brain dump
b) Brainwriting
c) Mind-mapping
d) SWOT Analysis
Answer: d
15. Which Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) focuses on Quality Education?
a) SDG 3
b) SDG 4
c) SDG 5
d) SDG 6
Answer: b
16. Which of the following is an example of a Capstone project idea related to AI?
a) Predicting global weather patterns
b) Stock Prices Predictor
c) Creating an e-commerce website
d) Writing a book
Answer: b
17. Which question best represents ‘Classification’ in AI problem-solving?
a) How much or how many?
b) Is this unusual?
c) Which category?
d) Which group?
Answer: c
18. When working on a Capstone project, why is it essential to start early?
a) To avoid last-minute pressure in Class XII
b) To skip other academic responsibilities
c) To reduce the overall project workload
d) To work less in Class XI
Answer: a
19. Empathy maps are divided into which four quadrants?
a) Says, Thinks, Does, Feels
b) Understands, Plans, Acts, Feels
c) Predicts, Thinks, Works, Imagines
d) Plans, Acts, Evaluates, Tests
Answer: a
20. What does the ‘Who’ in the 5W1H method refer to?
a) Identifying the solution
b) Identifying the stakeholders affected by the problem
c) Identifying the methodology
d) Identifying the time of the problem
Answer: b
21. Which of the following tools is NOT mentioned for generating ideas in the Capstone project?
a) Brainstorm
b) Brainwriting
c) Fishbone Diagram
d) Brain dump
Answer: c
22. Which Capstone project example focuses on user sentiment analysis?
a) Human Activity Recognition
b) Sentiment Analyzer
c) Stock Prices Predictor
d) Student Results Predictor
Answer: b
23. In which phase of Design Thinking do students break down complex problems?
a) Define
b) Empathize
c) Ideate
d) Prototype
Answer: a
24. What should students aim to align their Capstone project problems with?
a) Business needs
b) Class discussions
c) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
d) Personal interests only
Answer: c
25. Which approach helps to decompose complex problems in a Capstone project?
a) Critical Thinking
b) Design Thinking
c) Problem Decomposition
d) Mind Mapping
Answer: c
26. What is a critical outcome expected from a Capstone project?
a) Passing final exams without a project
b) Solving real-world problems using Design Thinking and AI
c) Writing research papers only
d) Developing a creative fiction story
Answer: b
27. Which Design Thinking stage focuses on generating numerous ideas?
a) Define
b) Empathize
c) Ideate
d) Test
Answer: c
28. What is the role of a project logbook in a Capstone project?
a) Tracking progress and brainstorming ideas
b) Recording final grades
c) Detailing coding challenges
d) Listing references only
Answer: a
29. Which method is used for testing prototypes in Design Thinking?
a) Trial and error
b) Peer review
c) User feedback
d) Literature review
Answer: c
30. Which of these is NOT a stage in the Design Thinking framework?
a) Define
b) Empathize
c) Prototype
d) Analyze
Answer: d
31. Why is the Capstone project considered ‘student-driven’?
a) Students receive all solutions from instructors
b) Students work independently and make their own decisions on the project
c) Students are given a fixed topic to work on
d) It is completed in groups with minimal input from students
Answer: b
32. How can students relate the Capstone project to SDGs?
a) By choosing problems that align with global sustainability goals
b) By focusing on entertainment-related projects
c) By ignoring environmental and social issues
d) By creating commercial business ideas only
Answer: a
33. Which is a benefit of brainstorming during the Ideate stage?
a) It creates a single, perfect idea
b) It generates numerous ideas without concern for feasibility
c) It finalizes the project scope
d) It helps skip other stages
Answer: b
34. In a Capstone project, why is the testing phase critical?
a) It determines the exact profit potential of the solution
b) It gathers feedback from end-users to improve the prototype
c) It focuses on theoretical aspects of the problem
d) It involves finalizing the project design
Answer: b
35. What is one question that can help identify whether a problem can be solved using AI?
a) Which category?
b) Who created the problem?
c) Why does the problem exist?
d) When did the problem occur?
Answer: a
36. How does the Define stage help in problem-solving?
a) It narrows down user needs and clarifies the problem
b) It finalizes the project’s coding structure
c) It generates multiple solutions for a problem
d) It tests the final prototype
Answer: a
37. What is one key aspect students must keep in mind when selecting a Capstone project?
a) It should only focus on theoretical knowledge
b) It should address real-world problems
c) It must not align with SDGs
d) It must require minimal effort
Answer: b
38. Which tool in Design Thinking encourages participants to freely express their ideas without criticism?
a) Brainwriting
b) 5W1H
c) Fishbone Diagram
d) Prototype testing
Answer: a
39. Why is the Empathy stage crucial in Design Thinking?
a) It helps design perfect solutions without feedback
b) It ensures the solution is technical
c) It helps understand the user’s perspective and needs
d) It skips brainstorming stages
Answer: c
40. What is the focus of the SDG ‘Life on Land’?
a) Encouraging rapid industrialization
b) Preserving forests and preventing deforestation
c) Building more urban areas
d) Expanding mining operations
Answer: b

ASSERTION-REASONING BASED QUESTIONS:
1. Assertion (A): The Capstone project encourages students to apply Design Thinking to solve real-world problems.
Reason (R): Design Thinking is a structured process that helps break down complex problems into manageable parts and focuses on user-centered solutions.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: a
________________________________________
2. Assertion (A): Empathy mapping is essential in the Design Thinking process.
Reason (R): Empathy maps help designers understand the user’s thoughts, feelings, and actions, which are key to developing relevant solutions.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: a
________________________________________
3. Assertion (A): Problem decomposition is not a necessary step in AI-based Capstone projects.
Reason (R): AI solutions can only solve complex problems without breaking them into smaller parts.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: d
________________________________________
4. Assertion (A): Brainstorming in the Ideate stage encourages idea generation without criticism.
Reason (R): The goal of brainstorming is to generate a large number of ideas, focusing on quantity rather than quality.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: a
________________________________________
5. Assertion (A): Testing prototypes in the Design Thinking process is an optional step.
Reason (R): The purpose of testing is to gather user feedback to improve the prototype, making it critical to the iterative design process.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: d
________________________________________
6. Assertion (A): AI-based Capstone projects always need access to large datasets.
Reason (R): Large datasets are necessary for training AI models, regardless of the project’s scale or complexity.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: c
________________________________________
7. Assertion (A): The 5W1H method helps in defining the problem clearly in the Capstone project.
Reason (R): The 5W1H method asks key questions about Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the problem.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: a
________________________________________
8. Assertion (A): Prototyping should only be done after the final solution is fully developed.
Reason (R): Prototypes are created to test solutions early in the process to gather user feedback before finalizing the product.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: d
________________________________________
9. Assertion (A): Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are irrelevant to AI-based Capstone projects.
Reason (R): Capstone projects can align with SDGs by addressing global challenges through AI-based solutions.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: d
________________________________________
10. Assertion (A): Empathy in Design Thinking focuses primarily on technical aspects of the problem.
Reason (R): The Empathy stage in Design Thinking involves understanding the emotional and practical needs of users to create human-centered solutions.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, but R is false.
d) A is false, but R is true.
Answer: d

LONG ANSWER QUESTION (WITH ANSWER):

1. What is the purpose of a Capstone project, and how does it help students apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems?

Answer:
A Capstone project serves as a culmination of the skills and knowledge students have acquired throughout an academic program. It allows students to integrate various concepts from their coursework and apply them to solve real-world problems. The purpose of a Capstone project is to challenge students to use critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills in addressing practical issues. These projects are often aligned with global challenges or local community problems and encourage students to engage with methodologies like Design Thinking and AI. By doing so, students learn to approach problems holistically, consider multiple perspectives, and develop innovative, feasible solutions. The Capstone project also enhances skills like teamwork, communication, and project management, preparing students for future professional and academic endeavors.

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2. Explain the Design Thinking process and its importance in solving complex problems in a Capstone project.

Answer:
Design Thinking is a user-centered, non-linear, iterative process used to solve complex and ill-defined problems. It consists of five stages:

2. Empathize: In this stage, designers focus on understanding users’ needs by observing, interacting, and immersing themselves in the users’ environment. Empathy helps in grasping the real challenges users face.
3. Define: In the Define stage, insights gained during Empathize are used to clearly state the problem, focusing on user needs. This stage turns user-centered observations into a meaningful problem statement.
4. Ideate: Here, various creative solutions are brainstormed. Participants are encouraged to think broadly, generating as many ideas as possible without judgment.
5. Prototype: In this stage, a low-cost, scaled-down version of the solution is built to investigate different aspects of the problem. The prototype is a tangible representation of the solution.
6. Test: Finally, the prototype is tested with users to gather feedback. Testing helps refine the prototype and ensures the solution meets user needs.

The importance of Design Thinking in Capstone projects lies in its structured yet flexible approach to innovation. It helps students focus on user needs, encourages creative idea generation, and ensures that solutions are tested and refined for practical application.

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3. How can problem decomposition improve the process of finding solutions in a Capstone project? Explain with an example.

Answer:
Problem decomposition involves breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable pieces. This approach simplifies the problem-solving process and helps identify specific areas that need attention. By decomposing a problem, students can focus on individual components, making it easier to find relevant solutions for each part. For example, if a Capstone project aims to address traffic congestion in a city, the problem can be decomposed into factors such as bad roads, inappropriate signals, accidents, and office hours. Each factor can be analyzed separately, and solutions can be tailored to each sub-problem. For instance, bad roads may be addressed through infrastructure improvements, while accidents may require better traffic regulations or driver awareness campaigns. Problem decomposition thus ensures that complex issues are tackled step by step, leading to more efficient and effective solutions.

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4. What is an Empathy Map, and how is it used in the Capstone project?

Answer:
An Empathy Map is a tool used in the Design Thinking process to better understand the user’s needs, behaviors, and emotions. It is divided into four quadrants:

4. Says: What the user explicitly states about their experience.
5. Thinks: The user’s internal thoughts that may not be expressed verbally.
6. Does: The actions the user takes in response to the problem.
7. Feels: The emotional responses of the user regarding the problem.

In a Capstone project, the Empathy Map helps students empathize with the users for whom they are designing solutions. By creating a realistic user persona and mapping out their experiences, students can identify pain points and opportunities for innovation. The map encourages deeper insights into user behavior, guiding the project team to focus on relevant solutions that directly address user concerns.

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5. Describe the role of the 5W1H method in defining the problem for a Capstone project.

Answer:
The 5W1H method stands for Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. It is a problem-defining tool used to thoroughly explore and articulate a problem in a Capstone project. Each of the six questions helps clarify different aspects of the problem:

5. Who: Who is affected by the problem? Who are the stakeholders?
6. What: What is the nature of the problem?
7. When: When does the problem occur?
8. Where: Where is the problem most prominent?
9. Why: Why does the problem exist? What are the underlying causes?
10. How: How can the problem be solved? What are the possible solutions?

By systematically answering these questions, students can gain a clear and detailed understanding of the problem, enabling them to define it in a way that is actionable. This method is particularly useful in ensuring that all dimensions of the problem are considered before moving to the solution phase.

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6. What are Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how can students align their Capstone projects with these goals?

Answer:
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 global goals set by the United Nations to address critical challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental sustainability. Examples include Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Gender Equality, and Clean Water and Sanitation. Students can align their Capstone projects with these goals by choosing problems that contribute to achieving these targets. For instance, a project focused on improving access to clean drinking water in rural areas would align with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Similarly, a project that promotes inclusive education for underprivileged children would support SDG 4 (Quality Education). By aligning their projects with SDGs, students contribute to global efforts toward a more sustainable and equitable future while addressing relevant societal issues.

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7. How does the brainstorming process in the Ideate stage help generate solutions for a Capstone project?

Answer:
Brainstorming in the Ideate stage is a creative exercise where participants generate a large number of ideas to solve a problem without judgment or criticism. This free flow of ideas encourages innovation and allows students to explore a wide range of possibilities. During brainstorming sessions, group members build on each other’s ideas, which can lead to unexpected and novel solutions. In the context of a Capstone project, brainstorming helps students think beyond conventional methods and consider multiple perspectives. Once all ideas are gathered, they can be evaluated for feasibility and effectiveness. The best ideas are then selected for prototyping and testing. This process ensures that all possible solutions are explored before narrowing down to the most viable ones.

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8. Explain how prototyping and testing help in refining solutions in a Capstone project.

Answer:
Prototyping involves creating a preliminary model or representation of a solution to test its feasibility and functionality. It can be a simple drawing, a physical model, or even a role-play of the solution. The prototype serves as a tool for gathering feedback from users and stakeholders. Testing, which often happens in parallel with prototyping, involves presenting the prototype to users to observe their interaction with it and collect their reactions. This feedback is crucial for refining the solution and addressing any shortcomings.

In a Capstone project, prototyping and testing allow students to validate their ideas early in the process. It helps them understand whether the solution meets user needs and is practical to implement. If the prototype doesn’t work as expected, it can be revised and retested until a satisfactory solution is found. This iterative process ensures that the final product is well-developed and user-focused.

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9. What are some examples of AI-based Capstone projects, and how do they address real-world problems?

Answer:
AI-based Capstone projects leverage machine learning, data analysis, and predictive modeling to solve real-world problems. Some examples include:

9. Stock Price Predictor: This project uses AI to predict stock market trends based on historical data, helping investors make informed decisions.
10. Sentiment Analyzer: This AI system analyzes social media or customer feedback to understand public sentiment towards products or services, helping businesses improve customer satisfaction.
11. Movie Ticket Price Predictor: By analyzing historical data and external factors like holidays, this project predicts movie ticket prices, helping cinemas optimize pricing strategies.
12. Human Activity Recognition: Using smartphone sensor data, this project classifies human activities like walking or running, which can be used in fitness apps or healthcare.
    These projects not only solve specific issues but also contribute to broader areas like financial markets, business optimization, and health improvement.

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10. What are the benefits of maintaining a project logbook throughout the Capstone project?

Answer:
A project logbook is a valuable tool for tracking the progress of a Capstone project. It serves as a record of all activities, ideas, challenges, and milestones reached during the project. Some key benefits include:

• Documentation of progress: The logbook provides a detailed record of the project’s development, including brainstorming sessions, research, and feedback received during prototyping and testing.
• Reflection and learning: By maintaining a logbook, students can reflect on their work, assess their problem-solving approach, and learn from their experiences.
• Time management: A logbook helps students manage their time by recording deadlines, tasks,