Adding Reality to Team Projects: E-Business Consulting for Small Business Entities

Abstract

While hiring companies consistently emphasize the importance of communication and team skills for new IT graduates, students consistently emphasize their dislike for academic team projects. In an effort to make the team project a more interesting and valuable experience, an upper-division e-commerce course at Boise State University includes the development of prototype sites for actual businesses. In addition to concepts, strategies, and technical tools, students learn transferable consulting skills and improve necessary team skills. These skills groups are applied to real-world business problems, resulting in successful team experiences for the students and expanded horizons for the participating businesses. Part of the success is attributable to well-defined expectations, team-building exercises, and a structured client engagement process that serves the needs of the businesses as well as the student teams.