James Watts
  • Web Design/Development-BA
  • Class of 2018
  • Little Rock, AR

James Watts makes a difference with capstone project

2017 Dec 19

James Watts of Little Rock, AR, was among a group of 23 University of Arkansas at Little Rock students completing a minor in information technology who recently used their capstone projects to help nonprofit organizations and city governments in central and northwest Arkansas.

"The students were all quite successful at working with professionals in the community to assess their needs and to design and deliver high-quality products to support the missions of these hard-working organizations," said Chad Garrett, capstone instructor and director of technology and digital initiatives.

In Little Rock, one team redesigned Little Rock's website for the Creative Corridor, an area along Main Street where arts and culture mix in the center of Little Rock. A second team developed a map-based interface prototype website for locating amenities in city parks for Little Rock Parks and Recreation.

An additional two teams redesigned the city government websites for Jasper, Arkansas, and Berryville, Arkansas.

The final two teams worked with historic preservation nonprofit organizations to create new websites for their organizations, which include Preservation of African American Cemeteries, a group dedicated to preserving, restoring, and documenting African-American cemeteries, and Save Hillcrest, a group looking to preserve historic homes in Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood.

"The course is designed to challenge students to apply the skills they learn in the previous two semesters in a professional setting, complete with ambiguity, frustration, negotiation, problem solving, and ultimately triumph," Garrett said. "These students now have a unique experience under their belts in which they overcame challenges and created great products as a result of the challenges."