Applied client project: 40% of course grade
Students will work in groups on a social media project for a client. This collaborative project is intended to be a practical, hands-on exploration and implementation of what we’ve covered throughout the course.
Project assignments:
- Discovery: Assessment of needs and proposal (including an assessment of suitable HS Pro plugins) – 15%. Due Feb 2 9.30 a.m.
- Outline of social media ideas and scope of work for class workshop – formative feedback/not graded. Due Feb 23, 9.30 a.m.
- Deploy and learn: Strategic social media plan to client to test/implement/assess and aid in execution, including initial assessment of results and recommendations – 25%. Due March 29, 9.30 a.m.
Project breakdown and logistics:
• Week 2: team formation, allocation of clients and in-class activity to allow you to get to know each other.
• Week 3: discovery meeting with client (outside of class time)
• Week 4: item 1) submission, due. Assessment of needs and proposal – 15%.
• Week 8 item 2 ) submission due. Mid-term analysis on project – formative.
Class discussion on how your projects are going. This will be an opportunity for you to get preliminary feedback on your project to date.
• Week 9: Social media content plan should be ready to be deployed in the next four weeks
• Week 13: Final analysis of project, including an assessment of results and recommendations -25%
We will discuss the projects in class in a workshop session. Though there won’t be formal presentations, the groups should be prepared to discuss what worked and what didn’t work.
• Week 14: Class time set aside for meeting with client. Final peer evaluation using iPeer.
Further notes:
Assessment of needs and proposal – 15%. Submit a 4 – 6 page working document that provides the team with a workplan, and provides a basis for Instructor assessment and feedback. Suggested headings follow:
- Challenges and opportunities identified in client discovery meeting
- Social media audit
- Research plans – Pilot program (hypotheses) testing plans
- Workflow: who does what and when?
- Questions, issues, areas of concern.
Analysis: Outline and scope of work
Notes on what’s going well, what’s challenging, what you’d like help with. Suggested areas to address:
- Target audiences
- Goals and objectives
- Proposed content strategies and tools
- Criteria for evaluation
Assessment of results and recommendations – 25%
Submit a 6 – 8 page report that assesses the content testing, analyses the results and provides a set of recommendations that can be adopted by your client. There are two audiences for this document: your client and your professors. Look to add value so that this is a practical and useful workplan that flows from good analysis and strategic thinking. The report should start with an executive summary that summarises the needs of the client, based in your earlier work. It should include the results of the testing and the main recommendations.
Examples of final report from past classes