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 breakdown:

  • 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 proposed scope of work for class workshop – Due Feb 23, 9.30 a.m. (formative feedback/not graded)
  • Deploy and learn: Strategic social media plan for client to test/implement/assess and aid in execution, including initial assessment of results and recommendations – 25%. Due March 29, 9.30 a.m. (Includes an individual one – two page reflection on the project)

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 5: item 1) Assessment of needs and proposal – 15%.
  • Week 8: Mid-term outline and scope of project. Formative feedback. 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 13: item 2) Strategic social media content plan – 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

Further notes:

Assessment of needs and proposal – 15%. Submit a short (4 to 6 pages) 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 – Formative feedback

Submit a 2 – 4 page working document: what’s going well, what’s challenging, what you’d like help with. Suggested topics:

  • Target audiences
  • Goals and objectives
  • Proposed 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.

  • Suggested headings
  • Executive summary
  • Social media audit
  • Objectives
  • Testing and Findings
  • Recommendations
  • Conclusion