1. Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Decompose problems using the 5W1H method.
• Apply the Design Thinking methodology to solve real-world problems.
• Create and use Empathy Maps to understand user needs.
• Align real-world problems with relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Apply their learning to develop solutions to real-world problems.
• Express and explain proposed solutions in non-technical language.

2. What is a Capstone Project?

A Capstone Project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students, typically during the final year of high school.

It requires students to research a topic, understand the subject deeply and integrate their knowledge to develop a solution to a specific problem.

Purpose of a Capstone Project

• Identify a real-world problem.
• Understand the problem and its users.
• Research and gather information.
• Generate possible solutions.
• Develop a prototype.
• Test the solution and collect feedback.
• Improve the proposed solution.
• Present or pitch the final solution.

Skills Developed Through a Capstone Project

Skill	Application
Teamwork	Working collaboratively with team members.
Problem Identification	Finding and understanding real-world issues.
Brainstorming	Generating multiple ideas and possible solutions.
Data Gathering	Collecting information ethically from relevant sources and users.
Prototyping	Creating an initial version of a proposed solution.
Testing	Taking feedback from users and improving the solution.
Pitching	Presenting the proposed solution clearly to others.

3. Problem Decomposition

Real-world computational problems are often complex. Before developing a solution or writing code, a large problem should be divided into smaller and manageable parts. This process is called Problem Decomposition.

Steps for Problem Decomposition

1. Understand and Restate the Problem: Understand the problem clearly and explain it in your own words.
2. Break it into Large Pieces: Divide the problem into a few major components.
3. Sub-divide Complicated Pieces: Break complex components into even smaller and manageable units.
4. Solve and Test: Solve or code one small part at a time and test it.

Example: Traffic Jams

Step	Decomposition
1. Understand	People face difficulties because of traffic jams during busy office hours.
2. Identify Major Causes	Bad roads, accidents, rash driving, etc.
3. Sub-divide	Rash driving may include over-speeding, inexperienced drivers and carelessness.
4. Solve and Test	Address individual causes and test possible solutions.

4. Design Thinking Methodology

Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation. It focuses on understanding the unmet needs of users and developing suitable solutions.

Five Stages of Design Thinking

Stage	Main Purpose
1. Empathize	Understand the feelings, needs and experiences of users.
2. Define	Clearly define the problem or challenge.
3. Ideate	Generate different ideas and possible solutions.
4. Prototype	Create an experimental or basic version of the solution.
5. Test	Share the prototype with users and collect feedback.

5. Stage I – Empathize

The first stage of Design Thinking is Empathize. Its goal is to understand and share the feelings and experiences of users by observing and interacting with them from their perspective.

Empathy Map

An Empathy Map is a grid divided into four sections. It helps create a persona and understand the user from different perspectives.

Quadrant	What It Represents
Says	What the user says aloud.
Thinks	The user's internal thoughts about the problem.
Does	The physical actions performed by the user.
Feels	The user's emotional state, such as anxiety or excitement.

Example: Anakha Wants to Buy a Laptop

Empathy Map	Example
Says	She wants good battery backup for education.
Thinks	She is concerned about getting value for money.
Does	She compares different laptop products.
Feels	She feels overwhelmed while making the decision.

6. Stage II – Define

In the Define stage, the information collected from users is analyzed to clearly define the challenge or formulate a problem statement.

5W1H Method

The 5W1H method helps gather important information about a problem by asking six questions.

Question	Purpose
Who?	Who is affected by the problem?
What?	What exactly is the problem?
Where?	Where does the problem occur?
When?	When does the problem occur?
Why?	Why does the problem need to be solved?
How?	How can the problem be addressed?

Problem Statement Template

7. Stage III – Ideate

Ideate is the stage where a wide range of ideas and possible solutions are generated.

Common techniques include:

• Brainwriting: Individual brainstorming to generate ideas.
• Storyboarding: Representing an idea or process through a sequence of visuals.
• Team Discussions: Collaborating with team members to generate possible solutions.
• Sketching: Creating simple visual representations of ideas.

8. Stage IV – Prototype

A Prototype is an experimental and rudimentary version of a product or solution created to test an idea.

Forms of Prototypes

• Simple drawings
• Posters
• Group role-playing
• 3D printed models
• Visual workflows

Example: AI Chatbot for Subject Selection

A student team can draw the functional workflow of an AI chatbot designed to help students choose subjects. The prototype can demonstrate how the user interacts with the chatbot and how the chatbot provides suggestions.

9. Stage V – Test

In the Test stage, the prototype is shared with end-users. Their feedback is collected to understand what works and what needs improvement.

Design Thinking – Quick Revision

Stage	Key Question / Activity
Empathize	Who is the user and what does the user need?
Define	What exactly is the problem?
Ideate	What possible solutions can we think of?
Prototype	How can we create a basic version of the solution?
Test	Does the solution work for the users?

10. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations (UN) announced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support a sustainable future.

Capstone projects should be aligned with appropriate SDGs so that technology and innovation can be used to address meaningful social and environmental problems.

Examples of SDG Alignment

SDG	Goal	Possible AI Application
SDG 2	Zero Hunger	Improving food supply chains or promoting healthy food habits.
SDG 3	Good Health and Well-being	AI-based medical diagnosis or mental health monitoring.
SDG 4	Quality Education	Systems that help students choose subjects based on aptitude.

11. Practical Application – Subject Selection Project

Consider a real-world problem where Class X students are confused about choosing subjects for higher studies.

Step 1: Problem Selection

Class X students need guidance to choose suitable subjects for their higher studies.

Step 2: SDG Alignment

The problem is related to SDG 4 – Quality Education.

Step 3: Empathize

Interview students and create an Empathy Map to understand their confusion, anxiety and research habits.

Step 4: Define

Use the 5W1H method to understand the problem and conclude that students need a system that can analyze their aptitude and suggest suitable subject combinations.

Step 5: Ideate

Possible solutions may include:

• A mobile application
• A physical robot counsellor
• An AI chatbot

Step 6: Prototype

Develop a visual diagram of the chatbot's intents and entities.

Component	Meaning in the Project
Intent	What the user wants to achieve or ask.
Entity	Important data points or information related to the user's request.

12. Project Showcase Examples

The following examples demonstrate how AI and technology can be applied to real-world problems.

Project	Purpose / Application	Relevant Area
Hate Speech Detection	Protect social media users from discriminatory content.	AI & Social Well-being
School Surveillance System	Support staff and student safety by detecting unknown individuals.	Safety & Security
Leak Weak	Provide confidential information and support for menstrual health.	SDG 3 & SDG 4
Image Classification App	Use a camera to classify objects through machine learning.	Machine Learning
Fake Voices	Teach students about synthetic media and deepfake ethics.	AI Ethics
Mood Tracker	Visualize personal mood data over time to promote self-awareness.	Data & Well-being

13. Important Terms

Term	Meaning
Capstone Project	A culminating project integrating knowledge to solve a specific problem.
Problem Decomposition	Breaking a complex problem into smaller and manageable parts.
Design Thinking	A human-centered approach to solving problems and developing innovative solutions.
Empathy Map	A tool used to understand a user's thoughts, words, actions and feelings.
5W1H	A questioning technique using Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
Ideate	Generate a wide range of ideas and possible solutions.
Prototype	An experimental or basic version of a proposed solution.
Test	Evaluate a prototype using feedback from end-users.
SDG	Sustainable Development Goal established by the United Nations.
Persona	A representation of a typical user created to understand user needs.

14. Quick Revision – Remember This

15. Exam-Oriented Key Points

• A Capstone Project integrates knowledge to solve a specific real-world problem.
• Problem Decomposition breaks a complex problem into smaller manageable parts.
• Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation.
• The five stages of Design Thinking are Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test.
• An Empathy Map consists of Says, Thinks, Does and Feels.
• The 5W1H method uses Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
• Ideation focuses on generating multiple possible solutions.
• A Prototype is an experimental or rudimentary version of a solution.
• Testing involves collecting feedback from end-users.
• The United Nations has announced 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• Capstone projects can be aligned with relevant SDGs.
• SDG 4 – Quality Education is relevant to projects related to educational guidance and learning.