Teaming Up with Technology Developers in STEM: A Capstone Advertising Campaign Course Collaborations with Engineering and Computer Science

Abstract

What role does advertising play in product development as part of owned media? For three years, a capstone advertising campaign course collaborated with STEM courses to form interdisciplinary teams composed of advertising, engineering, and computer science. The study provides insight into how teams can be more entrepreneurial by building on the strengths and techniques advertising students possess. Students, faculty, and external partners all saw the experiences as rewarding and valuable. Incorporating scrum project management gave more agency to advertising students while exposing them to product development processes commonly used by those who create technology. STEM students benefited from in-depth research to inform the products and see how advertising techniques can influence their development process. An overview of the approach, scrum project management, technology, assessment tools, lessons learned, and strategies to accomplish meaningful learning throughout the campaign collaborations with STEM students are provided.