Assignments
This page provides an overview of the work that contributes to your final course grade, and connects you to descriptions for those projects and workshops through the links below. (Note that no descriptive detail appears on SVSU Canvas for any of these assignments.) I activate assignment pages as we need them, so do not worry if you cannot access all of the descriptions at the beginning of the semester.
Your course grade is computed from the points you earn on 5 projects and 13 workshops. Combined, these assignments total 1400 points.
You can read more about grading and what factors might influence your grade on the Policies page.
Projects
I use the term projects to categorize assignments that are significant undertakings, and that require development and refinement time that may span several weeks of the semester. You will complete 5 projects this semester that collectively contribute 1000 possible points to your course grade.
Each project description details several elements of the work, including design requirements, hints and tips, and submission guidelines. Use the links below to access those descriptions.
- Team Profile (TP). 100 points. The TP project results in a brief report that details the individual and collective knowledge and abilities of your design team. The TP project challenges you to frame yourselves as production assets in the context of information design & project management.
- Project Contract (PC). 100 points. The PC project results in a contract that lists & describes the deliverables to which your team commits individually and collectively on behalf of your clients. The PC project is challenging because it requires careful planning and critical self-awareness in determining how your team might effectively serve its clients.
- Prototype Set (PS). 200 points. The PS project results in working prototypes of the deliverables to which your team committed to produce on behalf of your clients. The PS project is challenging because it requires you to execute your individual and team plans within the framework of the course. This milestone is followed by a brief period (Weeks 13 & 14) of prototype assessment and refinement.
- Lessons Learned (LL). 200 points. The LL project results in a screencast report that examines and reflects upon the challenges your team has faced, how you overcame them, and how your knowlege of information design and project management has evolved during the semester. The LL project is challenging because it requires reflection, targeted storytelling, and honest assessment of your individual and collective work on behalf of clients.
- Client Project (CP). 400 points. The CP project results in a deliverables that you construct individually and collaboratively on behalf of your project clients. The CP project is challenging because it requires you to invest your accumulated design knowledge and ability in the execution of professional-level, user-centered, empathic design work.
Workshops & Methods Explorations
I use the term workshops to categorize assignments that are smaller scale than projects, work that can be completed in the space of a single class session, or within the space of a single class week. The concepts, strategies, and practices examined through workshops build and reinforce your working knowledge for the course. Eleven of these assignments represent explorations of methods for experience design & design thinking, including empathy building, gamestorming, and more. You will complete 13 such assignments this semester that collectively contribute 400 possible points to your course grade.
Each workshop or methods exploratory description details several elements of the work, including design and discussion requirements, and submission guidelines. Use the links below to access those descriptions. Some workshops may require less explanation, and in that case their descriptions will appear in SVSU Canvas. I will direct you where you need to look in the weekly modules.
- Knowledge + Ability Inventory. 50 points. Reflection on & description of your professional knowledge and abilities relevant to information design and project management.
- Situating Empathy, Ask 5X Why. 50 points. Exploration of empathy-driven design thinking methods and methods for understanding projects & problems in the context of project management and client connection.
- Design Principles, AEIOU. 50 points. Exploration of design thinking methods for understanding projects & problems & for observation in the context of project management and client connection.
- Context Mapping, Been There, Goin' Where?. 50 points. Exploration of design thinking methods for understanding perspective in the context of project management and client connection.
- NABC, Pre-mortem Analysis. 50 points. Exploration of design thinking methods for ideation in the context of project management and client connection.
- Task Analysis, Minimum Viable Product. 50 points. Exploration of design thinking methods for prototyping in the context of project management and client connection.
- Scrum Processes 50 points. Exploration of Scrum-based principles a&nd strategies for project management.
- I Like, I Wish, I Wonder. 50 points. Exploration of design thinking method for reflection in the context of project management and client connection.