Project 4, Initial Project Definition Hints

The three main issues in some submissions that will negatively affect the quality of your final project are:

1. Not choosing a worthwhile cause, or at least a service,

2. Not having made contact with the client or client group in advance of the submitting your interim work, and

3. Having not done 1 and/or 2 jumping to a conclusion that the organization "needs a website, or app, or whatever."

Please read the criteria for each interim submission carefully, we are working through the five modes set out in the dSchool documents.

The project focuses on human, or user-centered design -- no client? No successful project.

Yesterday's assignment was to focus on empathizing with a client and defining their needs. Look at your submission carefully. If you didn't do this then you need to do it now before moving forward.

The assignment for next Wednesday builds on this, moving on to the ideation phase, setting out the research for the Case Study. You must apply the methods from the Bootcamp Bootleg, such as those suggested, and document the what you found.

The Prototype Design and Rationale develops out of what you found in your research and should not be "a website" or "an app" in general, but instead should be a prototype in whatever form that addresses the specific issue identified through your case study research. You will test, and evolve, your prototype through interaction with your client and those to benefit from your design -- documenting this process is much more significant than the specific "design" you end up with.

Below are two good examples -- double-click on the image to have a look at them and then review your group's work. In many cases you may need to go back before you move forward. If you missed the mark in any way just re-submit the Initial Project Definition in one document with your Research for Wednesday, 19 November. As always feel free to contact me or your AIs if you have any questions.