Blogs by Colt

Colt Cruz

October 24, 2026

There is still a lot that could be done with this project.

I would like to see the handoff logic evaluated with a larger participant population, more professional reviewers, and customer-service conversations from additional domains. I would also be interested in testing a hybrid approach that combines emotion-based signals with the issue-specific reasoning demonstrated by the professional reviewers.

But for now, I also want to recognize what completing this capstone and Master’s Certificate represents.

When I compare the work I was doing at the beginning of the program with what I was able to design, implement, evaluate, and defend at the end, the improvement is obvious to me.

I am completing this program as a better software developer, but also as someone who thinks much more seriously about users, evidence, research, evaluation, and the consequences of technical design decisions.

The project changed dramatically.

So did I.

And after finishing the defense and looking back at the amount of work that went into getting here, I can say something that is sometimes harder than pointing out everything I could improve:

I did a good job. I earned this. And I am proud of what I built.