Interactive Development - Beta

Week 1

Instructor Introduction

Course Introduction / Policies

Course Orientation

Starting a Business

Before doing anything please see state, federal and local government guidelines before doing anything

It is highly recommended and beneficial to speak to a lawyer before doing anything

• Consult a Lawyer
• Seek out an accountant
• Business License may or may not be required
• Zoning
• Ficitious Business Name
• Service Mark
• Business Bank Account
• Federal Tax ID
• Sales Tax ID may or may not be required
• Legal Structure
• Liability Insurance
• Domain name
• Phone line

Other Options - Part time employee

• 1099

Starting a Business in PA

• Starting a Business in PA
• Starting an Online Business
• A Guide to Business Registration in PA
• DBA Name Search in PA

Selecting your Business Type

• Types of Companies

Staring Capital

• Hardware
• Software
• Business Supplies
• Filling and legal costs
• Web Hosting
  • A Small Orange
  • Go Daddy
  • 1 and 1
  • Media Temple
• Domain Name Acquisition
  • Network Solutions
  • Go Daddy

Establish the Team

Get into Groups of 2 or 3 and assign roles for each member

Project Manager

Responsible for project coodination, scheduling, task management

Spend the majority of time with Word, Excel, Email, and communcation

Must possess communcation, listening, and leadership skills

Assist in production

Responsible for verifying changes, proof reading, and quality testing

Meet weekly to discuss progress of the project

Developer

Resposible for overall funcationality of the project

Develop frameworks for other group memebers to use to help in production

Fluent in JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and ActionScript

PHP, MySQL, XML is a plus

Assist in production

Designer

Responsible for overall brand integrity, quality of presentation, and all graphic elements

Design graphics, artowork, interface layout, presentations, documents and all printed materials

Must have a strong understanding of design, color, and type

Fluent with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign

Photography skills a plus

Assist in production

Week 2

Project Process and Workflow

Project & Client Workflow

Project & Client Workflow - Interactive

Client Questionnaire

Establish project goals and direction

Define as many parameters of the project as possible

Project Confirmation

Restate Goals

Idetify every client request

Identify client concerns

This should be as detailed as possible

Bullet points are a great way to break up each feature discussed

This should be taken care of within 24-48 hours of initial meeting

Take this as an opportunity to thank the client

Organizational Documents or Plans you will need

Media Sharing Plan

Naming Conventions

Media Backup Plan

Project review process

Time Tracking

This document is used to help you keep track of time and stay on budget.

Time Tracking Sheet(.xls)

In House Organization

Time Management

Different For Everyone

Lists

Calendar

Visible

Must use it

Routines are great

Project Tracking

Project Tracking

Task Sheets

Task Sheet Sample

Who is doing what?

When is it due?

Media Storage and Conventions

Naming conventsions

Backup plans

Media Sharing

Establish a routine or rhythm

Start every class with a calibration meeting - no longer than 5 - 10 minutes

End every class with a progress report and assigned action items - no longer than 5 - 10 minutes

Establish a backup routine

Establish a time tracking routine

Assign Projcts

Week 3

Research

Research is systematic investigation to establish facts and should be the foundation of every project. It's the collection of data that helps you make informed decisions. It gives context to the media, type, color, and designs you work with.

Research can come in the form of

Surveys

Articles

Books

Proof of concepts

Mapping out infomration

Make sure to track all sources of inspiration, for examples books, web sites, etc.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis is designed to give your team a better idea on existing products that may compete with your proposed concept.

Identify 3 - 5 competing company's or brands.

Identify the project or projects that directly compete.

Outline the pros and cons for each competitor solution.

Describe how your concept stands above current competitors.

Brainstorming

The goal is to creatively solve the problem.

Typical problems:

Extending the reach of the brand.

Reaching out to a new customer base.

Communication of a service or event.

Education or awareness.

Brand association.

Brainstorming Techniques:

List creative solutions for solving the clients problem.

This should NOT be a list of technology, but a list of ideas and concepts.

Generate a list of about 20 - 30 ideas.

Narrow the list down to the top 5 ideas.

After about 10 - 15 minuets of listing out conepts boil each concept down to one word.

That word becomes focus point encapsulating the vision for that concept.

Create a Mind Map for each idea.

This should include solutions for pulling off the idea or concept.

In many cases this will contain technology solutions as well as visual and conceptual solutions.

Step away for a few moments.

Determine the portoions or features of the idea that can be achieved within the time frame given.

Create a contingency or back up plan if the main idea pitched doesn't go over well with the client.

Wireframe

Define content and interactive areas of the screen

Wireframing

Website Wireframe Example

Great Example on the process of moadboards and wireframes

Moad board

Define tone, colors, and style of the project

Mood Board Definiation

Mood Board Samples

Sample Mood board website

Tiki Moodboard

Retro Moodboard

Hostess Heaven

British Woodland

Site Maps

Using Microsoft Viso or Illustrator, create a site map of your project

Identify ALL areas of the project

Concept Strategy

What is direction that the design is focused around? List 3 to 4 words that best describe what the design is trying to do.

Costing and Estimates

Project Time Estimates and Costs

How long with the project take?

Break down a list of EVERY task you can think of

Assign an hour amount for each of the tasks

How many total estimate hours?

How many total estimate hours per position?

Are the projections evenly split?

Create a comparison of how you think the time will be spent

Freelance Calculator

Ethical Pricing Guide

How to price a project

Week 4

Talk it Out

A great way to refine your ideas is to pitch them to other people. During the process you'll spot errors or holes in the concpet. Talking it through to an audiences is also a great way to communicate why you made certain decisions.

Be careful to explain and not defend. They sound similar. If an idea isn't working put it away and try again. These sessions are meant to be dynamic and open. If an idea falls flat just accept it and move on to the next idea.

This will officially begin the pitch and revise processes

Use this as an opportunity to work through as many details as possible

Finalize Brainstorming Documents

Use your brainstroming documents as communication devices to give context to your ideas.

Prepare yourself to be flexible. You may change the documents several times durring the Talking out session. You may even need to go back to the drawing board and try it all over again.

Production

Break ground and start designing, developing or animating the concept or idea.

Do this in iterations. Request feedback often

Piece Description

Piece Description Guidelines (.doc)

Piece Description Examples (.doc)

Blank Piece Discrption Document (.doc)

Week 5

Delivering a Project

Prepare Binder

Organize all pre-production materials into a book or binder

Burn all source files, assets, and electronic materials used to make this project to a disk

Demo Project

Prepare a Presentation

Create a slideshow or presentation giving an overview of the project

Demo the project

Allow for feedback

A Professional Presentation

Introduce yourself and your team

Create some sort of print out or hand out

Clients love to jot down notes. This can help to keep things organized and can be used as a distraction if technical problem occur. You can focus on the printouts while the technical problems are sorted out.

Start with an ice breaker

This does not have to be a joke. Try an interesting fact about the product or topic related to your presentation. If in a small group ask for audience participation

Define the project or problem

Outline the solution

Demo features from the solution

How'd you do on proposed features

Recap all features that were proposed and compare at what you have completed. Use stats and graphs to help illustrate.

Summarize if needed

Revisit the cost

Open up for questions

Document any changes needed or action items

Many times clients will have changes, requests or questions that you might not have answers for at the time of the presentation. Jot all of those things down.

Follow up on any requestions within 24 - 48 hours

Thank everyone and shake hands if possible

Send a thank you email or card

Presentation Best Practices

Tell a story don't just show slides.

Rehearse Outload.

Give the presentation to friends, family, or even yourself. It'll give you a great idea on where to improve the presentation.

Time yourself

Know how long you need to speak. Always allow time for questions.

Ask yourself, is this importatnt?

Prepare, prepare, and the prepare some more.

Presentation Resources

• The Seven Keys to Perfect Presentations
• Confessions of a Public Speaker

Revisions

Make all changes by the next class

Update binder

Update burned archive

Tie up any and all loose ends

Creating and sending invoices - invoice example

Tracking, expenses & taxes

Thank you email's, notes, and holiday cards

Lessons Learned

Reflect on the Project

What went well?

What went poorly

What would you do differenly?

If this opportunity presented itself again would you do it?

We're you profitable?

Goals for next time

Week 6

Finish Revisions and Resubmit

Week 7

Project Number 2

Introduction to Project 2

Switch Roles if needed

Review Lessons Learned

Review Project Workflow

Client Questionnaire

Confirmation Email

Contracts

When to use them

Deposits

Bearded Studios Sample Contract

Week 8

Preproduction Development

Week 9

Production for Project 2

Week 10

Finalizing Project 2

Week 11

Final Presentations

Project Presentations

Dress Professionaly

Create a slideshow

Provide handouts

Everyone should have a speaking part

Remember this is a Product Demonstration

Scenerio based presentations

For the slide shows use high contrasting colors. Lights on darks vice versa.

Steve Jobs is excellent at presenting! Watch him speak.

Note his pacing

Consice to the point but allows the audience to be impressed

Final Presentation Guidelines

1. Introduction
2. Hand out materials
3. Ice Breaker
4. Define the project (the problem)
5. Remind everyone what you promised
6. Show promises kept and missed
7. Demonstrate features
8. Revisit budget and your actual cost
9. Q & A

It is a MUST MUST MUST MUST to highlight the features you said that you were going to build. I would suggest showing a slide or check list of the things you promised to be very clear that you met the goals of the project.