Assignments

=Senior Project Production=

Topical Outline of the Course:
Project concept and prototype Critical completion requirements || **Assignment 0b.** Project completion plan || Discussion of the completion plan Project review ||
 * **Date** || Assignments Due || Topic/Activity ||
 * (wk 1 || || Introductions
 * (wk 2 || **Assignment 0a.** Jump page
 * (wk 3 ||  || Presentation and critique of the alpha version 1 ||
 * (wk 4 || **Assignment 1.** Project beta version || Presentation and critique of Beta Version 1 ||
 * (wk 5 ||  || One-one meeting with instructor ||
 * (wk 6 || **Assignment 2.** Project evaluation || Presentation of evaluation process & findings ||
 * (wk 7 || **President's Day Holiday** ||  ||
 * (wk 8 || **Assignment 3.** Project draft version || Dry run ||
 * (wk 9 || **Assignment 3.** Project completed version || Dry run ||
 * (wk 10 || **Assignment 4.** Project presentation || Project presentation to expert panel ||
 * (wk 11 || **Assignment 5.** Project report || Submit documentation and completed project ||

Assignment 0a Jump Page
The jump page is your personal web based portal for this class. It needs to have the following components:
 * Number, name and section of the course
 * Quarter (Summer 2010)
 * Your name
 * Link to your email address
 * Links to each of the deliverables (with date on which the item is due)
 * Branding for your project

**Email the URL** of your jump page to the instructor. All assignments need to be **presented online** (PDF or HTML, not Word files).

Assignment 0b Project completion plan
Write a brief report on the project concept (one page). Prepare a schedule for completion of the project (the project and its evaluation need to be completed by Aug 16). The schedule should be presented in the following format:


 * **No** || **Date** || **Activity** || **Comments** ||
 * 1 || Date by which the activity will be completed. Start with the earliest date. || List the activity. For example, “Touch-up all photographs for the About Us section”. || Briefly describe what it will take to complete this activity and list known challenges to completion. For example, “I am assuming that photographs will be available by August 1”. ||

Assignment 1. Project Beta Version
This is the completed project that has gone through preliminary testing but may not be perfect. The project needs to be complete and fully functional.

Assignment 2. Project evaluation
How can you be confident that you have designed and developed an effective project? Are there issues that remain to be addressed? How will you know?

Plan and conduct an evaluation of your project. The methodology, instruments, data collection, data analysis and reporting, should focus on establishing the current effectiveness and potential success of the project in achieving its stated goals. The objective is NOT to prove that you have a perfect product but to critically evaluate its effectiveness and potential for success.

A successful research/evaluation project should be supported by strong background research on methodology, process and data analysis. In doing this, your personal detachment and objectivity are important (not easy but still critical).

This version should have gone through a thorough quality assurance, evaluation for effectiveness (assignment 2) and be ready for hand-over and wrap-up. Make sure web projects are cross-browser, cross-platform compatible.

Prepare a **presentation** **(fifteen minutes)** on your project. You should hope to persuade the expert panel about the effectiveness of your completed project and your mastery over the process, technology, concepts, and methods that went into developing the project.

In addition to presenting the actual **project**, be sure to present the outcomes of the **evaluation process**.

You may also want to present interesting facts about your project (technology used, hours spent on developing the project, inspiration for the project, what you learned while working on the project and so on). Your presentation should demonstrate depth of thought, attention to detail, effective and strategic communication, an ability to respond to tough questions, confidence, planning, preparation and professionalism. Prepare a brief (one page) handout.

The presentation will be followed by about **five minutes of discussion**. The panel may ask questions and make critical comments. Please be prepared to answer the questions to the best of your ability and respond to comments in a dignified and professional manner.

Prepare a professional report for the project. The following sections could be included in this report:
 * Cover
 * Table of contents
 * Executive summary
 * Introduction to the project
 * Project goals
 * Target audience
 * Background research
 * Proposed solution (design concept, comps)
 * Technical feasibility
 * Project milestones
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Success evaluation
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Quality assurance
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Summary
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">References
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Appendices (if relevant)

The final grade will be based on the following:
 * **Deliverables** ||  Title  ||  Points  ||  %  ||
 * 0a || Jump page || 0  ||  0  ||
 * 0b || Project completion plan || 0  ||  0  ||
 * 1 || Project beta version || 100  ||  10  ||
 * 2 || Project evaluation || 100  ||  10  ||
 * 3 || Completed project || 500  ||  50  ||
 * 4 || Project report || 150  ||  15  ||
 * 5 || Project presentation || 150  ||  15  ||