Preparation FMP

The M21 semester is dedicated to completing your development towards your Final Master Project (FMP). You can choose to prepare for your FMP by conducting a related or separate project to develop the project opportunities and/or competences you will need in order to start your FMP in the subsequent semester.

In the Preparation FMP you have the opportunity to do:

• project at the Department of Industrial Design
• project at a company in the Netherlands
• project at a company abroad¹
• project at a university/research institute abroad¹

Please note that the project should be a complete learning experience that can be assessed as a design or design research project following the rubrics.

In parallel you will define the scope of your Final Master Project (FMP) for the M22 semester and will conclude this in your FMP proposal, which will be assessed as part of the Preparation FMP (20 ECTS).

^{1. In case the Preparation FMP is abroad, the student can get an exemption of 5 ECTS (one elective) for international experience. The student needs to register for DPM490 and inform the Exchange Coordinator in time.}

For students who choose to conduct a project as part of their M21 semester, please use Osiris to register for this learning activity, using the following codes:

• DFPM210 Preparation FMP (20 ECTS) (FE) (when your Graduation Mentor is part of the Research Group Future Everyday)
• DSPM210 Preparation FMP (20 ECTS) (SC) (when your Graduation Mentor is part of the Research Group Systemic Change)

You do not need to register separately for the FMP Proposal on Osiris.

After your registration for your project in Osiris, you can receive a message that you are added to the waiting list. When the entrance requirements for the project are met, you will be removed from the waiting list and registered for the project by CSA-ID before the project starts.

The project registration deadlines can be found in the Year Planning on the Forms and files page.

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The graduation mentor will support you during Preparation FMP. You are encouraged to involve other experts, clients, and stakeholders.

Contracts with External Parties

Are you planning to do your Preparation FMP in cooperation within an external party or company? You can consult the Collaborating with a company page. You can contact our Internship Coordinator for more information on contracts.   

It is necessary that the project/activities can be assessed according to TU/e rules, and that the result will be known and can be archived for educational (and assessment) purposes.

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The Preparation FMP is concluded with a competence assessment at the ID department. This is a combined assessment meeting for both the project and FMP proposal at the end of the M21 semester.

Deliverables (Individual)

• Demonstrator (as presented on the Demo Day)
• Report of learning activities in the Preparation FMP (maximum 8500 words) including the Project report (maximum 5000 words) and a chapter of your FMP Proposal and planning (maximum 3500 words). You should indicate in the report how this project relates to your FMP.
• Reflection on Competence and PIV development and learning outcomes towards your FMP (maximum 1000 words; may include images)
• Presentation/Oral Exam

Demonstrator

During the Preparation FMP, you will develop demos or research prototypes for their specific purpose and roles in the acquisition of knowledge or the creation of value within the design (research) process. You demonstrate your demo’s and/or research prototypes and their purpose on the Demo Day. The Demo Day is a formative assessment moment, wherein you receive feedback from your examiner(s) and is part of your competence assessment.

Report of the learning activities

Via the report you show your learning activities of the M21 semester. In the chapters related to your project report you draw a clear and professional picture of the design (research) challenge. You must provide a clear description of different perspectives and potential approaches. You argue choices you made and use references to external sources correctly. You should indicate in the project report how this project relates to your FMP.

In the chapter related to your FMP proposal and planning, you need to describe the focus and boundaries you have set for your FMP. This description should include the direction or design/solution space that you envision for your project, with a positioning in state-of-the art work; the design process that you plan to use (including a planning), how you expect to integrate the (two selected) expertise areas and the design deliverables that you have set for your project. You should make sure that your unique profile is reflected; your professional identity and vision, chosen expertise areas, track and (intended) competence development. You should link your FMP proposal to the department's mission and the master program's intended learning outcomes. You deliver your proposal as a final chapter of your M21 report.

You may decide upon the layout of the report yourself. Discuss the structure of your report with your mentor in advance; and check its alignment with your project and chosen Track. On Canvas you will deliver your report (pdf-A format) before the deadline as indicated on the Year Planning (on the Forms and files page). 

Reflection on Competence and PIV development and learning outcomes towards your FMP

As an addendum to the report, you write a structured and clear individual reflection on the integration of the expertise areas within the project, the development of professional skills and your overall competence as a designer. In the reflection, you relate your choices within the project to your professional identity and vision. You also reflect how the learning outcomes will support your FMP. The reflection may not exceed the maximum of 1000 words.

Presentation/Oral Exam

You will present an overview of your M21 project and competence development throughout the project and your FMP proposal in approximately 20 minutes. The time spent on discussing the M21 project (including your competence development) and FMP proposal should be balanced, i.e., approximately 10 minutes each. The following division is suggested:

• 10 min presentation on competence development in the project
  • 2 min project motivation
  • 2 min design (research) process & activities
  • 4 min project results
  • 2 min reflection

• 10 min presentation on FMP Proposal
  • 2 min project motivation (e.g. PI&V and context)
  • 2 min intended design/research process  (e.g. planning & activities)
  • 3 min current results (e.g. first iteration; connection M21 to M22)
  • 2 min expected outcome(s) in M22
  • 1 min potential risk management

Examiners

You will be assessed by your graduation mentor and an expert in the other expertise area you chose. This panel will (in most cases²) be part of your Graduation Panel.

_{2. In some situations, such as sabbatical, retirement, change of jobs or illness we may need to deviate from this procedure.}

Assessment Meeting

It is your own responsibility to approach both examiners (and/or the secretaries of the research groups; Future Everyday or Systemic Change) to plan an assessment meeting. You can check the Year Planning on the Forms and files page for planning the assessment meeting.

Structure of the meeting:

• 10 min Presentation on competence development in the project + 10 min Presentation on the FMP Proposal
• 10 min Q&A
• 20 min deliberation between examiners

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The M21 project should be a completed learning experience and examiners should be able to assess the project as such (e.g. not only a user study, market analysis, or literature research).

You will be assessed upon:

• Development towards end-terms (as defined in FMP assessment)
• Criteria for FMP proposal: fit with mission and learning objectives, fit with PIV, clarity of the presentation, feasibility of the plans.

Development towards end-terms

1. Overall Competence of Designing

• Integration of Expertise Areas (in the Final Master Project)
• Design and Research Processes
• Demonstrator

2. Scientific and Professional Skills

• Presenting
• Reporting and Dealing with Scientific Information
• Organizing and Planning
• Reflecting
• Cooperating

3. Professional Identity and Vision

• Professional Identity
• Vision

4. Competence Development

• Integration of Expertise Areas (in the Competence Profile of the student)

5. FMP Proposal

• Is this topic suitable for an FMP at ID? I.e. does it match with the department's mission and the program's intended learning outcomes?
• Is the student a suitable candidate to conduct this project? Does it connect to their professional identity and vision and are there sufficient opportunities for competence development (both to develop expertise and to address potential weaknesses to achieve the end-terms).
• Is the proposed project feasible within the M22 semester (based on experience, planning and outcomes first iteration(s)).
• Can the student communicate it clearly and consistently in wording and in writing?

Given the diversity in options there is no one-size-fits all rubric; only the criteria are mentioned. The assessment is based on the development towards the Final Master Project. Examiners should score the rubrics in relation to the end terms of the master program (you can find the latest version of the Rubrics Booklet on the Forms and files page), which can be used as a reference to check if you are on track in your development. Written feedback can be provided as a comment in the Rubrics to support you in his (further) development.

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You can score insufficient in some criteria, as long as the overall topic is scored at least sufficient. Based upon the assessment the project can result in the following outcomes: 

• In case all criteria are met, you will receive a P or E verdict.
• In case the topic Overall Competence of Designing (OCD) is not met, you will receive a H verdict.
• In case the topic Scientific and Professional Skills, Professional Identity and Vision (PIV), Competence Development and/or FMP Proposal are not met, the examiners determine whether the student receives a C verdict and has the opportunity to do a retake (e.g. to update the project report and/or FMP Proposal) or an H verdict with no opportunity for a retake when the retake is not feasible.
• No show/no deliverable(s): NV.

The examiners can provide feedback via the rubrics on Canvas. In case not all criteria are met, a comment with an explanation can be added on Canvas.

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You will receive a verdict as a result for the Preparation FMP (20 ECTS). The verdict as recorded in Osiris is binding.

• Promotion with Excellence (E): you are promoted with excellence and receive the assigned 20 ECTS.
• Promotion (P): you are promoted and receives 20 ECTS.
• Conditional Hold (C): you are not promoted unless conditions are sufficiently met within a maximum of three weeks after the verdict is recorded in Osiris.
• Hold (H): you are not promoted and do not receive ECTS; you have to redo the Preparation FMP and have study delay.

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In case you receive a retake, you need to redo/update your report, demo, reflection, proposal/planning or proposal/presentation.

You will deliver your retake on Canvas in a separate assignment. The maximum deadline for the retake is three weeks after the original verdict is recorded in Osiris (≠ the publication date of the feedback/Rubric on Canvas).

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