Project 3: Drupal. Case Study, and Recommendation for Potential Users

Overview

• This project prepares an open source software implementation and feasibility report for a real client. To accomplish this project, you should work as a member of a team to learn about the historical and contemporary contexts and applications of Drupal, a very popular open source software. You will learn to use the Drupal website to work on your case study of one of the following profile types:

1. Personal Web Sites
2. Aficionado Sites
3. Intranet/Corporate Web Sites
4. Community Portal Sites
5. Resource Directories
6. International Sites

During this stage, teams will produce three deliverables:

1. An informal project proposal (2 pages) Identify the profile type, the type of potential users, and the range of possibilities they can make use of Drupal as their websites.
   • Conduct detailed case study of the existing sites to explore possible / creative ways to adapt Drupal to serve different business / individual purposes.
   • Why do you think the use of Drupal is feasible for your type of clients?
   • create an issue for your case study profile on Drupal (including writing up and describing what you are doing) and keep the feedback for each case study separate.
2. A formal interview/survey questionnaire posted on the Drupal: offer them for community review and feedback on drupal.org in the issues that you create. A formal report:
   • Give a general overview of the site in terms of how it fits the profile, and background information on it,
   • Give a general overview of the site in terms of how it fits the profile, and background information on it,
   • Interview some site reviewers and members about their site and how Drupal works for them,
   • Explain what Drupal features/modules/main communication elements the site is making use of.
   • Explain why Drupal can be useful to your specific category of clients in general
   • Then later, post any drafts that you create.
3. A PowerPoint presentation summarizing your findings for the class
   • Submission of your final revision of business research report to Drupal website – get your first online publication!

Purpose

• gain experience working for real client and interacting with professionals in the field
• practice finding resources that already exist (Drupal.org) and/or gathering and analyzing new information (interview, survey)
• learn to summarize findings and suit the summary to the audience
• collaborate with others on the Drupal project

Business formal report

• Formal report selects a specific topic related to professional communication and of value to a particular audience, research that topic to locate useful resources (mostly web based, but maybe some print), evaluate and annotate those resources, and report the findings.
• Formal report can serve as the start point for recommendation report, in which you provide a brief overview of the methodology you used in conducting the study, discuss and evaluate each of the options that you are considering as a possible solution to address the client’s need or problem, and use tables or charts to arrange information and to present your findings visually.
• You would also include a recommendation section, in which you provide a detailed discussion of your recommendations to the client In a paragraph or two (or in a formatted list). You should explain complexities involving implementation of recommendations and willingly admit that “further research is needed” or that “the results are inconclusive” rather than recommend something hastily. Recommendations should also include some discussion of the cost to the client—and the expected benefits.

Formal report components & specifications

The formal report includes:

Front Matter

1. title page
2. information about preparer
3. abstract

Body

1. executive summary
2. introduction of the specific profile type
3. methodology: case studies of websites fits into that type: useful Drupal features/modules/main communication elements
4. conclusion / research findings: what are the important features and functions of Drupal? What are the limitations and drawbacks?
5. recommendations: should users with similar need use Drupal? What are the benefits and defects? What about the cost?
6. conclusions based on audience and findings
7. references / work cited

PowerPoint presentation

the PowerPoint presentation will present your findings to the class in a succinct manner that is suited for members of the class as your audience.

PowerPoint components & specifications

a PowerPoint presentation should:

• use visuals to enhance the information being provided
• consider the audience and presentation conditions when designing the background and/or color scheme
• provide enough text to keep the audience focused on the information being presented

Calendar

week 1: Formal report introduction

• introduce Drupal
• introduce business research report
• form groups, define roles and responsibilities, start research
• work on interview / survey questionnaire and get feedback
• Oct 28: interview / survey questionnaire due both in your turnin folder and posted on to Drupal website
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 2: case studies of at least three websites

• writing the case study and workshopping it in class
• Nov 2 Informal project proposal due
• Nov 4 case study due for peer editing
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 3: report results of interview / surveys and recommendation to clients fitting into the profile category

• oral presentation of findings in your project
• assessment of how the results fits into your analysis of existing websites
• Nov 11 results of interview / survey and recommendation repot due for peer editing
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 4: First draft due for peer editing and instructor review

• stylistic revisions
• workshop revisions of the paper
• Nov 16 internal review and work on the first draft of business research report
• Nov 18 small group conference in my office Heav 409, no class
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 5: group work outside class

• no class Nov 23: meet and work in groups online or in person
• post your revised formal report on Drupal
• Nov 25: Enjoy the Thanksgiving break!
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 6: peer editing session

• Nov 30 PowerPoint due for peer editing
• Dec 2 Revised formal report due for peer editing
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog

week 7: PowerPoint presentations

• Dec 7 PowerPoint presentations
• Weekly individual post on project progress and individual contribution in group blog
• Dec 9 all items due:
• Semester reflection (growth as a professional writer > 3 pages)
• Final formal report
• PowerPoint
• Project reflection
• Course E-portfolio
• Project Management