Overview
Digital Commerce Capstone integrates digital marketing, venture finance, e-commerce operations, automation, platform strategy, and retail systems through the development of a substantial evidence-based digital commerce project. Students identify and validate a customer problem, define a value proposition, select business and revenue models, and design an integrated customer, acquisition, retention, operating, and technology strategy.
Projects incorporate market and competitor research, customer discovery, segmentation, product or assortment strategy, pricing, channel planning, brand and content direction, e-commerce site or prototype requirements, fulfillment and service design, data and privacy practices, risk analysis, implementation milestones, and performance measurement. Students develop unit economics, marketing funnels, operational metrics, technology architectures, and scenario-based financial forecasts, and where feasible build and test a minimum viable product, storefront, campaign, dashboard, or process prototype.
The capstone emphasizes multidisciplinary synthesis, project management, evidence-based strategic trade-offs, stakeholder communication, iterative development, and the defence of a scalable digital commerce model. Final work comprises a written venture dossier, prototype or demonstration, financial model, implementation roadmap, individual reflection, and formal presentation to a review panel.
Learning Outcomes
- Synthesize digital marketing, venture finance, e-commerce operations, automation, platform strategy, and retail systems into an integrated commerce proposal.
- Evaluate customer, competitor, market, and operational evidence to validate a digital commerce opportunity.
- Design a defensible value proposition, business model, revenue model, customer experience, and product or assortment strategy.
- Construct pricing, channel, acquisition, retention, fulfillment, service, and content plans aligned with identified customer and business objectives.
- Develop financial forecasts, unit economics, scenario analyses, operational metrics, marketing funnels, and performance dashboards.
- Design a fit-for-purpose technology architecture incorporating e-commerce platforms, automation, data governance, privacy, and risk controls.
- Manage an applied digital commerce project by establishing milestones, allocating resources, incorporating feedback, and documenting strategic decisions.
- Create and test a minimum viable product, storefront, campaign, dashboard, or process prototype where appropriate, and use findings to revise the proposal.
- Communicate and defend a scalable digital commerce model through a professional venture dossier, demonstration, and formal review-panel presentation.
- Reflect critically on individual contribution, multidisciplinary integration, stakeholder feedback, and the limitations of the proposed model.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Practicum | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Capstone | Digital commerce venture dossier | 30.00% |
| Deliverable | Prototype or operational demonstration | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Financial model and scenario analysis | 15.00% |
| Assignment | Implementation roadmap and performance dashboard | 10.00% |
| Exam | Formal review-panel presentation | 15.00% |
| Assignment | Individual reflective analysis | 10.00% |
Prerequisites
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.