project 3: client web

For Project 3, our class will function as a consulting firm whose goal is to serve clients interested in either revising or developing World Wide Web pages. That is, your team will be working with an actual business or organization in the community in order to help it better utilize the potential of the WWW.


project summary

To begin, your team will contact two potential clients who are willing to participate in this project. Then, your team will compose an email where you will describe the feasibility of each of your potential clients for the project. After I have approved one of the clients for your team, you will conduct field research to assess further the client's web needs. Once you have completed your team's initial research, you will prepare and present an oral progress report addressed to our class. Based upon feedback on your oral progress report, your team will draft a recommendation report addressed to your client. Following peer feedback on your team's first completed draft, your team will revise and polish its recommendation report and submit it for evaluation.


project benefits

Throughout the semester our course projects have foregrounded the fact that effective writing is contextualized. This project provides you further opportunity to research and analyze workplace contexts by consulting with an actual client.

Your general project goals are to: 

Become more aware of writing as a social act.

Understand writing as a set of contextualized processes.

Relate writing strategies to workplace contexts.

Learn effective oral presentation techniques.

Conduct and manage a long-term writing/research project.

Gain experience writing persuasive documents.


project requirements

potential client assignment

Following the client criteria, your team will contact and gain commitments from two potential clients by R, 3/2. After collecting preliminary information about your two potential clients (i.e. contact person, location, hours of operation, type of organization or business, clientele served by the organization or business, etc), your team will compose an email to me on R, 3/2 responding to this prompt:

 

  • Who are your two potential clients?
  • Who are your contact persons for each client?
  • What are the phone #s, addresses, email addresses (if applicable), and web addresses (if applicable)?
  • Based upon your initial contacts and the client criteria, explain which client is most feasible for this project?
  • Explain your initial assessment of the this client's web needs.


client field research

After being assigned one of your two proposed clients, your team will plan and conduct field research on your client context. To assess your client's web needs and prepare for the oral progress report, your team will conduct at least one interview and at least one observation as well as collect documents from the client organization. During your client data collection process, your team will meet in ProNoun on R, 3/9 to discuss your field research progress.


oral progress report
(40% of project 3 grade)


After conducting and analyzing your team's initial field research, your team will draft a PowerPoint presentation addressed to our class. Your team will deliver its well-coordinated and scripted, 15-minute presentation on either T, 3/28 or R, 3/30. Be certain to consult "Considerations for OPR" for information concerning the delivery of your team's presentation.


recommendation report
(60% of project 3 grade)


After delivering your oral progress report, your team will draft its recommendation report addressed to your client. To aid in the drafting of your recommendation report, your team will meet in ProNoun on R, 4/6 to discuss its draft. Your team will email its completed first draft to an assigned exchange team and me by 7pm on W, 4/19. After individually reading the exchange team's draft, your team members will meet in ProNoun on R, 4/20 to respond to a peer feedback prompt. Your team's final draft of the recommendation report is due by 7pm on R, 4/27.


Other Client Web Project Links:
Formatting Reference | Client Criteria | Client Field Research | Oral Progress Report | Considerations for OPR | Recommendation Report

421 syllabus | 421 calendar