Validating Final Year Project Idea

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I recently got promoted to the 7th semester. Starting in the first week of the new semester, preparations for the final year project have already begun. We were asked to form groups, with a maximum of three students permitted in each. We had to come up with a project idea, create a PowerPoint presentation, deliver it & wait for approval from department.

The teachers evaluated, enquired about the feasibility & scope of the idea. Finally those who got their ideas approved were give green signal for the second phase, i.e formation of synopsis. Luckily my group, we completed both phases on time & in first shot. The deadline is set for July 2023 and we will have to submit the project in our finals i.e (8th) sem.

While all this was going on, I found some students struggling with mere the thought of project & worried if their idea will be entertained by teachers or not, which is normal for students at this stage. Even we felt a bit of uncertainity around our project idea at start. However after figuring out the algorithm, as I call it, we had it under control. We got our idea approved in first shot despite the tensions caused because of me falling short on attendance.

I am sharing the steps to self-validate the project idea to clear any uncertainty around your project and to prevent killing your idea before giving it proper thought. Consider this a boilerplate or algorithm for project idea validation. Of course, the approval is not 100% guaranteed, but it will certainly give your clarity & confidence to present your solution with positive mindset & hope.

Here is the magic recipe 🪄

  1. Identify the problem statement : Try to solve a problem that is more personal to you & the one you can relate to. If you know the problem closely you will be motivated to solve it. But make sure the problem exists for real and that it is in your scope & influence. At this point, define the problem you are solving and the target audience for your project.

  2. Conduct research : Study the market and identify any similar projects & their existing solutions. Determine if there is a need for your project and if it will add value to the market. This research will help you to know whether your proposed solution is first in the market or if it is just another naive solution to already solved problem.

  3. Make distinction : If you are proposing solution to an already solved problem, make sure your new solution is better off than existing solutions. In simple words, you should be able to justify “Why users will prefer your solutions over existing one(s)?”. Contrary, if you are first in the market to solve the problem you have the leverage apparently.

  4. Identify key features and functionality : Identify the key features and functionality required for your project. List out all the important features that your project should have. Ensure you cover everything required to formulate the solution.

  5. Write a clear and concise report: Document your project idea, research, project plan and findings. Write a clear and concise report detailing the problem you are solving, the requirements, how the project will be executed, and what you have learned from your research and development. You can get help from teachers or seniors in reviewing it.

  6. Present the proposal to the teachers : Present your project proposal and all the findings to the teachers. Be confident in your presentation and address any questions that may arise. Especially be prepared for the extreme cases & exceptions like how the proposed solution will handle the edge cases. Also, make sure to address feedback received.

Summary

That is pretty much about it. If you found it useful consider sharing with friends & toast this post. Thanks for taking time to read this & Good luck with your project 😊

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