Small Projects

Overview

For your Small Projects (2), select tasks that you can work on for a few weeks during the semester and that has multiple dimensions of design, content, and production. You'll be asked to identify your two projects by Week 5 and then come up with dates for peer review and then final presentation to the class, client, or public. You should work individually. Everyone should keep a small project log starting in Week 5 with your proposal of three possible small projects (from which you'll select two). Projects that complete all the steps in the process successfully will earn an A.

Elaboration, Suggestions, Examples

What counts as a Small Project? You'll work that out in the early stages through negotiation with your peers and me. Key criteria, though, are that it consist of multiple dimensions of design, content, and production; that it be sustainable and finishable over a few weeks; that it interests you professionally and personally; and (hopefully) that it serves some broader purpose than simply personal satisfaction. Because I want you to view your work as creative and scholarly, you may want to focus it on a project that will a) build on the work of others; b) create a resource or example for others to elaborate or extend to new contexts; or c) solve some problem, fill a need, and/or teach important principles. It may be helpful to think of this project as engagement with the wider creative and intellectual community and network with which you identify.

Here are some sample Small Projects that someone could tackle. Each of these would help you meet major course goals in the areas of Project Management, Project Desing, Peer Review, Public Presentation, and Technology. (See the Course Description for more on what those goals are.)

1. Develop and produce a nice printed brochure for a program or area in the English Department, such as Professional Writing, Rhetoric and Composition, ICaP, or Creative Writing. You'll want to receive permission from the program directors and will need to spend some time researching the subject matter, interviewing the clients and audience, etc.
2. Develop and produce a large poster for an event on campus. Work with the event organizers as your clients.
3. Revise or develop the interface for your personal website or projessional portfolio.
4. Develop a new CV for print, Web, or other forms of presentation, creating a design that works will in any medium.
5. Create a Blurb book (cookbook, travel book, photo album, etc.) and have it printed.
6. Develop a logo and stationery design for yourself or a client.
7. Design a book cover, including front, back, spine, and ornaments for a client or author.
8. Develop an interface for presenting your design portfolio.
9. Modify an existing Drupal theme for use as a professional portfolio.
10. Make a short movie for YouTube about some aspect of design, professional writing, or another topic in your field.

There are many more possibilities. I've only listed a few here just to stimulate your own ideas.

Steps in the Process

With only a few exceptions (as we get started and then conclude), the due dates for each of these steps are self-determined. You'll develop and stick to a project calendar near the start of the project.

A. Project Proposal

• Post a blog entry (tagged "Small Project Log") in which you present three possibilities for your "Small Projects." You don't need to go into great detail (yet), but you should throw out some possibilities, explain why you're interested in the project(s), and elicit feedback from your peers. (Due Week 5.)
• Commit Yourself. After further discussion, reflection, and conversation, write a more detailed project log entry (tagged "Small Project Log") in which you commit to two project ideas. This will be the second entry in your project log for the Small Project. (Subsequent entries will use the exact same tag so that you can track them all easily.) (Due Week 6.)

B. Project Logs

• Log It. Once started, keep a project log in which you report on and document your progess on the two Small Projects. Read the Project Log Guidelines handout for ideas about what to include.
• Surveil It. Each week (in-class) read through the project logs of your peers to find out what they're up to. Comment now and then when you have suggestions (tools, further reading, encouragement, tips, etc.) One element of your project log each week should be a discussion/critique/evaluation of the technologies that you're using to complete your work.

C. Project Planning and Management

• Drop It. Create a drop.io site for managing the files and other resources for your Small Projects, then create a blog post (tagged "drop.io big project site") in which you give us the URL. Everyone should use the same access password so that we can each access the resources.
• Book It! Develop a brief project calendar in which you identify a) the date you will have each of the small projects ready for peer review; and b) the date you plan to submit final versions of each. Put this calendar either in your Small Project Log or on your Google Calendar.

D. Asset and Model Collection

• Archive It. Early in the process you should begin collecting assets (more than you may actually use) at your Small Project drop.io site and that may at some point find their way into your project. Assets can include images, font choices, color palettes, audio, animation, illustrations, lightboxes (at something like http://www.istockphoto.com, for example). Always keep track of rights information as you go so that you will have it for reference later. You shouldn't publicly publish any work that is copyrighted.
• Inspire It. Start collecting links, copies, etc. to work that a) seems to do well what you would like to do with your project, on the whole or maybe just in a part; b) inspires you; c) does something with design or a tool that you want to attempt yourself. Post this information, with notes as needed, to your drop.io site.

E. Peer Review

• You can request peer review at any stage of your project development, but you must have your work reviewed before any public presentation. You will need to request peer review in class ("live") or in advance with a "story" post (tagged: "review request"; look under "create content" to see that content type; stories are automatically posted to the front page). Please provide the material to be reviewed (a link, a document, an image, etc.) in an accessible form.

Grading

Each of the small projects counts for 10 percent of your course grade. Your work will be judged by how well you achieve the goals outlined in your project log, the quality of the work, whether you met deadlines, and your participation in peer review. You will also receive written feedback during the semester to let you know how you're doing on the Small Project. Remember that you have to ask for this feedback.

Questions

You will need to take the initiative to ask questions and request peer review whenever needed or desired. Since many of the project components are self-directed, asking for help throughout the process will be very important. If you need individual help, ask me or come see me in my office.