Assessment Framework for Professional Competence Development in a Civil Engineering Integrated Design Project

Abstract

Integrated Design Projects (IDPs) are widely used in civil engineering programmes to develop professional competencies; however, empirical evidence on the longitudinal robustness of outcome-based assessment frameworks remains limited. This study examines the stability and evaluative consistency of an assessment architecture implemented in a final-year IDP course across five consecutive cohorts (2018–2022), including periods affected by COVID-19–related disruption. Course Outcomes (COs), aligned with Programme Outcomes (POs), were assessed using multiple authentic instruments, including integrated design reports, oral presentations, and structured teamwork logs. Cohort-level attainment was analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine variation across academic cycles. Results indicate consistently high attainment across cohorts, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) but reduced variability during the disruption period. These findings suggest that a constructively aligned and authentically designed assessment architecture can provide stable and defensible evidence of professional competence across varying delivery conditions. While the results do not establish causal effects, they support the role of assessment design as a key contributor to outcome consistency in design-intensive engineering education.