MM4403 Senior Project Development

MM4403 Senior Project Development

Session/Year: Winter 2009

Section/Meeting Time: Section A. 11 weeks. Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, room 015. Punctuality is expected. Points are deducted for excessive (more than 2) tardies.

Contact Hours Per Week:  33 hours: 11 Lecture, 22 Lab

Credit Value: 2 credits  

Course Prerequisites: MM3323 Advanced Web-based Programming

Required Textbooks:
none

Technology Needed: Access to a computer with an Internet connection and installed software.  Storage media to save work.

Course Description:
Design and production of advanced interactive project.

Core Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Research a topic and formulate an effective project proposal.
• Design, write, and present an effective project proposal.
• Analyze, prioritize and sequence project tasks.
• Organize project materials into information structures and interface designs.
• Effectively prepare assets for implementation.
• Produce an original interactive project that incorporates multimedia elements.

Download Microsoft Word version of syllabus

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Student Evaluation Methods of Assessment:

• Tardies, as well as attendance, will affect your grade.
• Class time will be spent in a productive manner.
• Grading will be done on a point system.
• Points for individual activities will be announced.
• All work must be received by the set deadlines.
• Late work, if accepted, receives partial credit. Please discuss any inability to meet the posted deadlines with your instructor.
• On-time projects may be redone with instructor approval.
• ABSOLUTELY NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL CLASS MEETS WEEK 11.

Instructor Name: Sharon Kaitner, M. Ed.

Instructor Contact Information: skaitner@aii.edu or Sharon@casabasa.com

Instructor Availability Outside of Class: Tuesdays at noon, room 015, or immediately following class. Please let me know if you need additional assistance. I may leave for lunch if no students appear (by 12:15).

Grading:

Grading Scale
25%	Professional Conduct: Class Attendance, Discussion, Participation and Teamwork
45%	Lab Assignments and Homework
15%	Midterm Project/Test
15%	Final Project
A	100-93		C	76-73
A-	92-90		C-	72-70
B+	89-87		D+	69-67
B	86-83		D	66-65
B-	82-80		F	64 or below
C+	79-77		Late work, if accepted, 50% or less

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MM4403 Weekly Schedule

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Weeks: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Week 1: Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Please complete my student survey.

Researching a topic: defining target audience and project objectives.

Lecture: Introduction and discussion of course content. What should your project deliver? Discussion of course aims, as well as your personal goals. What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the course? Creating an effective project proposal.

Lab: Begin research for conceptual development for project. Before approval of your senior project, you must be able to clearly 1) define your target audience using published research; 2) clearly state your project's objectives; 3) show a need for this project as it relates to your degree; and 4) convince me it is a project worth doing. This week is the research. Lab #1 .pdf

Homework: Assignment #1: Create a web page for your final project and email me your url. Include a definition of your target audience, your project objectives, current need for the project as it relates to interactive media design, and its value to society. Properly cite your resources. Due next week. (ex. Jennifer's project for Senior Project Studio)

Useful Links:

• Writing-a-project-proposal

Week 2: Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Critiques of Projects and your Proposals

Lecture:

Examination of the design process in relation to your project proposal.

Lab:

Review of your final project. Class discussion on your proposal as it relates to your suggested project. What are the potential design and technical pitfalls?

Important update for inserting Flash: Read Adobe's Technotes

Homework:

Assignment #2: Using Microsoft Projects or similar software, create your timeline to get your project completed. This should be updated on a regular basis with key milestones marked as they are completed.

Add to your Project Proposal document. Take a look at this online project proposal pdf for a look at a "real" proposal. Student example: http://drs375.aisites.com/

Week 3: Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Knowing your target audience         

Lecture: The Human Factor.
Lab: As a group, discuss how the target audience can change a project. Then discuss creating user personas.
Homework: Maintenance of your site. Assignment #3: create a style guide for your proposed project. Upload to your homework site.

Helpful Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_guide and MHRA Style Guide. A good template of the components can be seen at: http://www.pebbleroad.com/article/creating_maintaining_a_web_style_guide/

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Week 4: Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Analyze, prioritize and sequence project tasks        

Lecture: Discussion of information and navigation design. Identifying needs and establishing requirements. Critique #1
Lab: Optimizing for search engine results
Homework: complete lab assignment

Week 5: Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Produce an original interactive project that incorporates multimedia elements.

Lecture: Sound, motion, interactive multimedia.
Lab: As a group, explore some multimedia sites that you frequent. What about them encourage you to return time and time again?
Homework: Research web sites similar to your project, as well as scientific documentation available online and via the website. Find 2-3 that you like. Create a critique page with links and screenshots (if appropriate). Be sure to cite research using MLA recommendations. Link to your homework page. Email me when uploaded.

Week 6: Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Prepare assets for implementation       

Lecture:

• Examination of roles of design and usability in conceptual development.

Lab:

• [Presentation] work to date, status of project. Critique Form.
• [Critique #2] Goal is to show you are on track with project plan
• Continue with information, screen and content design. Please review the Yale Style Guide on web design for further information.

Homework:

• Continue work on project
• If necessary, write a paragraph on how your will resolve any timeline issues

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Week 7: Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Organize project materials into information structures and interface designs       

Lecture: Examination of roles of design and usability in conceptual development.
Lab: Discuss usability, heuristics for user interface design. Research questionnaires and prepare pre and post testing.
Homework: Continue work on your final project.

Week 8: Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Produce an original interactive project that incorporates multimedia elements.

Lecture: Discussion of user testing.
Lab: lab
Homework: Continue work on your final project.

Week 9: Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Effectively prepare assets for implementation.

Lecture: Critique #3. In class usability Testing
Lab: Test each others work and critique (written). Critique form.
Homework: Continue work on your final project.

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Week 10: Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Lecture: Discussion of projects, timelines and presentation. Final project is due. I will test and then you will revise one last time.

Lab: Revisions of projects to date.

Homework: Continue work on your final project.

Week 11:Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Lecture: Course closure and evaluation. Final presentation.

Lab: Presentation of final project, design documents and critiques.

Homework: None.

Student Information

Click on this individual score link to access scoring information on your completed projects.  Enter your name and id (password) exactly as you provided in the student survey.

I upgrade my grades every Sunday, usually no later than 2 p.m. I may update points for work received after this time, but before 7 p.m. only.

If there are any questions at all, please feel free to email me. I usually respond the same day and sometimes immediately, or at least within the hour.

If you have any problems, email me.

Student Sites

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Winter 2009

Past Students ~

Summer 2008

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Past Student Work

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Spring 2008

Fall 2007

Dana Sheik

http://drs375.aisites.com/

Joseph Schmidt

http://mostlyharmlessdesigns.com/

dustin.weatherford

http://www.onewelcomesone.com/

Spring 2007

Summer 2006

Jason Laurea  

Assignments 

Dechen Wangdi

Assignments 

Spring 2006

Deontae White

Timothy Forgach

Matthew Woodruff

Aaron Hee-Stacpoole

Winter 2006

Unavailable

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~ peace, polka and piwo