Week Three Guide

Welcome to Week Three! Here's how to get started.

1. Read Chapter Three in the textbook about multimedia proposals.
2. Read through the links regarding multimedia proposals below.
3. Read the multimedia proposal linked below and be prepared to discuss what is right and wrong about it.
4. Read and prepare for the discussion questions to be discussed Monday night, September 19, in Webex.

Here are the objectives for Week Two -- in other words, the most important concepts I want you to "get" by the end of our first week:

1. Describe the components of a successful multimedia proposal
2. Describe what a successful multimedia Request for Proposal (RFP) should include
3. Evaluate a multimedia proposal

Let's Talk

Let's talk about about proposals from multimedia, with high points taken from Chapter 3, The Initial Proposal. First, let's talk about an RFP. A Request For Proposal is the document, usually from a buyer, that requests that vendors submit a proposal for developing a product. In multimedia, an RFP requests a proposal to develop a multimedia project. Usually a multimedia RFP outlines as much information about the desired multimedia project as possible, including the creative concept, technical specifications, timeline, multimedia direction, and hopefully the projected budget range. Then vendors take the RFP and craft a multimedia services proposal in response, hoping to win the business.

A good multimedia proposal, according to the chapter, will have the following components:

• Project goal
• Project description
• Market and competitive analysis
• Qualifications
• Breakdown of tasks
• Budget estimate
• Expected expenses
• Timeline for production
• Promotion and maintenance strategy (for launch and post-delivery)
• Any expected training
• Contractual terms
• A signoff sheet

Knowing how to write a proposal is a great skill that crosses over to many aspects of the workplace. Multimedia proposals are just one form of the proposal writing process -- you've probably participated in a proposal process already in your organization. What differentiates multimedia proposals is the need to specifiy as much as possible what the multimedia product will look like in the end and what it will take to produce it successfully.

Now, let's talk about some resources regarding multimedia proposals. 

First, review this practitioner site on how to write a web development proposal:

http://www.tamingthebeast.net/articles/webdevelopmentproposal.htm

Next, I want you to take a look at this proposal for a multimedia project. Examine it and be ready to describe what it includes and what it is missing -- and what might make it a better proposal based on what you read in the chapter. Here's the link:

http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/brownj/edtech511/assignments/projectproposal.pdf

 

Then, take a look at this Request for Quote (RFQ). This comes from the Commerce Business Daily website, which is a listing of all federal procurement opportunities. A request for quote is similar to an RFP, but the buyer is simply looking for cost estimates. Read over this RFQ and see if you can tell me exactly what the government is looking to buy -- what services, on what timeline, including what technologies. These RFQ's are often long and rambling, so you'll have to pick this one apart to find the details.

Here's the link:

http://www.cbd-net.com/index.php/search/show/19136693 (note that this is an older listing)

If you were responding to this RFQ, what would you include in your response? Jot down some notes and be ready to discuss this on Monday night.

Finally, and most importantly, take a look at your organization. Is there an area where a multimedia project might make a difference? Consider training, marketing, human resources, promotion, etc. Think of an opportunity where a multimedia project might improve things in your organization.

For Class Discussion Monday, September 16

Sketch out a simple proposal for your project idea, including the basic components listed in Chapter 3 for good proposals. Don't make this more than one page -- just sketch out the basics, and be prepared to upload your proposal sketch for discussion Monday night. You can make this a Word or PPT file if you like -- Webex doesn't always display pdf documents very well. This exercise will help you as you start to think about Assignment Three, which is still many weeks away (but it doesn't hurt to start thinking of it now). We'll make time for each of you to upload your document and discuss your ideas about a multimedia project in your organization. Email me if you have questions about this simple exercise.

Discussion Topics for Monday night, September 19

1. Prepare to discuss proposals for a multimedia project.
2. Prepare to discuss the additional reading for this week.
3. Prepare a one page project proposal outline for a multimedia project for your organization based on the proposal components in Chapter 3, and be ready to upload to Webex and discuss

Assignments for Week Three

• Due by COB Monday September 16 -- Multimedia Interview Part A
• Due by COB Monday, September 23 -- Multimedia Interview Part B for peer review
• Participate in Webex discussion on Monday night, September 19, from 8pm-9:30pm.  Be prepared to talk about the questions listed above for the chapters and article.