One of my favorite teaching tricks is having students create their own rubrics for projects. At work, you’re never given a complete list of what will make the product succeed . Figuring out what “good” looks like—and when something is ready to launch—is a crucial skill. So why not start practicing that in the classroom?
This exercise shifts students from passive learning to active thinking. Instead of chasing grades based on what they think the instructor wants, they have to answer more meaningful questions: What matters most? What’s the difference between good and excellent? This kind of thinking builds the judgment they’ll need in the real world.
I like to run this exercise around the midpoint of the project—after students have done enough work to be discerning, but with plenty of time left to refine their project based on the rubric. This timing is key: too early, and they won’t have the context to develop thoughtful criteria; too late, and the feedback isn’t actionable.
Here’s how I run it in classes of about 25 to 50 students:
- Small Group Discussions: I divide the class into groups of four or five and have them brainstorm what should go into the project rubric.
- Rubric Committee: Each group sends a representative to the whiteboard to consolidate ideas while the rest of the class works on their projects.
- Class Review: The whole class reviews the proposed rubric. My course assistant and I offer feedback and challenge students to defend their choices: Does this really matter? Are we measuring the right things?
For larger classes—like my 125-student course—I modify the process slightly. Each table of six students creates a rubric, and then the teaching assistants spot patterns across submissions. This streamlines the process without losing the benefits of student ownership. Once the TAs draft a final rubric, I review it to make sure it aligns with the project goals. It’s then presented to the students.
The key takeaway here isn’t just a well-defined rubric (though that’s nice). The real value is the shift in mindset. When students define what success looks like, they start to see that “good” isn’t about perfection—it’s about trade-offs. This exercise encourages them to stop waiting for someone else to define success and start developing their own judgment.
It also prepares them for life beyond the classroom. Whether they’re building or managing a project, they’ll need to figure out what’s good, what’s done, and what’s ready to ship—often with limited time and competing priorities.
This exercise gives them a head start. And as a bonus, I get better rubrics. It’s a win-win.