THE PROJECT PLAN
Project Name
The Society for Technical Communication: Laws & Recruiting Materials Documentation Project
Prepared by:
Jelilat Adesiyan
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
Version 1.0
Project Overview
Discusses:
-
Project background
-
Cursory discussion of project deliverables
This documentation project aims to update and redevelop 3 legacy documents into more its usable, accessible, useful documents. I will be editing the Society for Technical Communication (STC) constitution, bylaws and recruitment materials, a PowerPoint, to make it more usable overall.
The STC constitution and bylaws hold general charter information and procedural rules as well as officer duties. STC has recently had some governmental changes and is having one even as I write. With this change comes gap in offices. It is therefore important that duties are outlined and re-imagined. Upon meeting with the STC officers, they were able to confirm that this was a need. This project will work towards making some of this information more explicitly available using the legacy documents.At the moment, officer duties are currently shifting within the organization due to the availability of officers. As a result, certain officer duties are also not clear, such as the executive committee duties.
Furthermore, recruitment information is contained in a 24 slide PowerPoint that holds way more information than in necessary for the intended audience, mostly future STC members. This information could be repackaged for different audiences and occasions.
As a result, this project aims to create 2 deliverables;
-
A website that holds the constitution, bylaws and recruiting materials.
-
A booklet that holds recruiting materials that can be handed out at STC events.
​
Audience Overview
Discusses:
-
The 3 audience types
There are 2 primary audiences, and one secondary audience. They are as follows;
STC Officers [primary audience] – This audience already has a high level of expertise with websites and how to use them. This audience might not have memorized the constitution and bylaws, and so the website will provide quicker, more usable access to the materials. Previously this audience either had to log in to the google drive or be aware of the WordPress website.
​
Future STC Members [primary audience] – This audience is already familiar with how websites and booklets work. The booklet and website would function as an advert to future STC members. Since the booklet will have a QR code and website address, this audience can have an alternate way to view what is available in either medium.
​
Current STC Members [secondary audience] – This audience is already familiar with how websites work. Current members can use the website as a reference and would even function as primary audience in regard to getting the latest news on the organization and chapter.
Usability Analysis
Discusses:
-
User's reactions to deliverable types
The website will value ease of access and will be organized based on the audience’s need. This means that the webpage is probably going to be organized by procedures i.e. How do I do this action? So, for the inexperienced officer, information will be easy to access.
The STC officers are likely to be more technologically inclined than any other type of audience because they work with technology like the web very often. As they already have access to the google drive, they might be more likely to go there first because it is what has originally been available to them. They will initially need to be convinced that the website is more useful and easier to navigate than the google drive.
Potential STC members might lose the booklet. Booklets are still pervasive but are not the most technologically inclined form of communication. Potential members might lose the booklet, but it is still a quick way to disperse information for people who don’t want to have to go through another step to get the information they require. These potential members can be convinced to scan the booklet QR code as soon as they get the booklet so that in case they lose it, they have the web link in their history.
These potential STC members will also probably be technologically inclined, and could probably be convinced to use the web if they don’t want to carry a booklet around.
Project Goals/Vision
Discusses:
-
Mission of the project
The final goal of the interactive website is to have one space that holds everything a future member needs to know, as well as what STC officers and current STC TTU members need to know.
The final goal of the booklet is to hold information that future members would need to know at a glance. It also works as an advertisement for the organization.
Project Scope/Description of Deliverables
Discusses:
-
User's reactions to deliverable types
The Website
The organization currently has a WordPress website that has the constitution and bylaws, but it is simply a transplant of what is available in the google drive without any changes. The web pages could be better designed to hold the information in a way that is useful. will be determining what is useful by conducting an interview with the STC officers regarding what procedures would be most useful for them based on what is written in the constitution and bylaws. As a result, this will include a lot of how-tos. As they have already expressed need for duties to be available, those will definitely be included.
The website is also not as engaging as it could be. A new more engaging and useful website is therefore needed. I will be using a new website platform to host the new site.
I will also be creating new information based on my meeting with the STC officers. They require information about procedures for spending money for organization events, what steps to take once an event has been decided upon, how can the organization earn community points from events, and how can they earn community points overall in order to forward the organization nationally. Community points help the organization generate awards, funding and more prestige for the organization.
The recruiting materials for the website will be much more expansive than the booklet. Only because of the availability of hyperlinks. I plan for the page to be slightly deeper with links to hidden [not on the menu] pages. This method ensures that only the important information is currently present, with more inquisitive minds having links to go down the rabbit hole. So, all the information present on the PowerPoint will technically be available, it just won’t be available in the same direct space – a constraint of the current PowerPoint.
​
The Booklet
As the STC holds a few events each semester, a booklet would be useful to have around. Rather than bogging guest down with speeches and presentations at every event, they can be given information that they can peruse at their own time. This information is going to be derived from the recruiting materials as well as the constitution and bylaws. Once I am able to survey this audience, the exact content that can be reused from these documents will be clear.
​
The booklet will have a QR code that will hold the website address, as well as the website address itself. It will hold information about the advantages of joining STC such as free webinars, opportunities for internships. I will also include a testimony on the last page [just a 4th of the page] from a student who got and internship and a job via STC. It will also hold price information.
​
The website will also hold recruiting information based on the primary user’s needs, which will be gathered through research.
Content Strategy and Informational Development
Discusses:
-
Content strategy plans
Audience analysis and content auditing are my key strategies. I plan to conduct an analysis of the legacy documents to see what can be reused based on a audience needs. As stated earlier, I will be interviewing current STC members to further understand which information will be the most useful from the constitution and bylaws.
As part of this audience assessment, I’ll also be conducting research using interviews and surveys to figure the type of potential new members want to hear about. The STC is having its first meet and greet on the 24th, and so I plan to conduct interviews with potential new members there.
Schedule Narrative
Discusses:
-
Discusses the phases of the information development life cycle and the outputs, milestones.
Planning Phase
The planning phase will focus on creating a project plan, meeting with some of my primary audience, getting some user needs from them and discussing the project plan with them.
Output: The project plan & Information on what is needed from the STC officers & potential members
Design Phase
The design phase will focus on conducting user analysis, defining the deliverables structure and look, re-estimate resources, budget, and schedule, and communicating the design plan to all stakeholders
Output: Design Plan, Authoring Guidelines & Revised project plan
Development Phase
The development phase will focus on developing new content, revising old content, general editing and identifying and resolving any problems that come up in development.
Output: Draft Content, Revised Design Plan & Revised project plan
​
Production Phase
The production phase will focus on production edit such as ensuring correct placement of graphics, double checking metadata tags, ensuring that the pages planned for are all included etc. It also includes delivering content to the final user.
Output: Production checklist, successfully completed tests, draft content ready for final production & final content fully rendered in the appropriate output deliverables.
Evaluation Phase
The evaluation phase will focus on identifying any problems based on user feedback. It will also include preparing the project’s final presentation.
Output: User feedback & Project’s final presentation.
​
​
​
Below is a table outlining the phases, milestone, tentative dates and deliverables
Click to magnify image.
Budget
Discusses:
-
Budgetary needs
At this time, I plan to use Wix for my website hosting and design. A combo plan at $13 dollars a month equals 156 dollars. Printing costs for the print deliverable must be a budgetary consideration for the customer [STC].
Project Dependencies & Assumptions
Discusses:
-
Project risks & contingencies
The external and internal dependencies listed below discuss the potential problems and risks that I might encounter during the duration of this project. I have also included a contingency plan for dependencies with a risk level higher than 3.
External Dependencies
Product Stability
Risk Level: Very Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
It is unlikely that my legacy documents will change anytime soon. As a member of the organization, if the documents change, I will be privy to that discuss and can take notes of any changes that occur.
Information Availability
Risk Level: Very low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
The legacy documents were created by other technical communicators and is a high quality version of the document. Hence, information availability risk is low. In places of low quality, I can always reach out to previous officers to get further clarification.
Prototype Availability
Risk Level: Very Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
STC TTU already has a website so I am able to extrapolate their previous and current needs from there. If the website goes down for any reason, I have access to the google drive. I plan to also download the documents so that I can have access regardless.
SME Availability
Risk Level: Very Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
As an officer of the STC and a technical communicator, I fall into the audience group and can be considered an SME myself. In order to move beyond myself, I have included the major STC officers in the process.
Review Experience
Risk Level: Very Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
Reviews will be thorough, complete, and timely. I have access to current STC members who will be able to help review the deliverables. Discussing the process early with them should mitigate any potential pitfalls.
Internal Dependencies
Technical Experience
Risk Level: Medium (3 out of 5)
Composite Score: 1.00
The technical matter being discussed is something I have experience with. The material is not very difficult to understand nor is it too long, so in places that I need more technical experience, I have access to material that I can understand.
Writing & Design Experience
Risk Level: Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
I am confident in my writing and design experience. As the sole team member, without any team writing team dependence, the risk level is low.
Audience Understanding
Risk Level: Low (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
As a primary audience myself to the deliverable, I have insider knowledge and have access to the other primary audience type. I have also scheduled interviews with the primary audiences to get more audience understanding.
Team Experience
Risk Level: Medium (1 out of 5)
Composite Score: 0.90
As I am working solo, I do not have to worry about team dependencies.
Tools Experience
Risk Level: Very High (4 out of 5)
Composite Score: 1.05
While I have a lot of experience with InDesign and Wix as design tools, I do not have any experience with XML.
Contingency Plan: I plan to utilize some online and textbook research material to develop my XML
The overall score is less than 0.50. According Hackos, “any number below 1.00 indicates an easier than average project. Any number above 1.00 indicates a more difficult than average project. The value 1.00 indicates an average project. Using Hackos’ project dependency categories, I estimate this project to be of easier than average difficulty.
Project Resource Requirements
Discusses:
-
Tools needed for project
This project will utilize the following;
​
-
WIX: It is a web based tool that I will be using to create the website. It is a free tool, however one had to pay for hosting services. Hosting services at its cheapest is about $13 dollars a month if one pays the full yearly amount upfront. If one were to pay monthly, it’d be $17 a month. Either price provides the user with a free domain and no adverts. It does have a storage limit of 3GB and only provides 30 minutes of video storage. However, within the scope of this project, we do not need much storage space for video or otherwise.
​
-
Adobe InDesign: This tool will be used in creating the booklet. My proficiency level for this tool is quite high. It is also a tool that I already own and will therefore be cost free. It will also help me generate the QR code that would be included in the booklet.
​
-
Images: The STC logo is free for use on the main STC website and would not pose a problem. This will go on the website and the booklet.
​
-
Testimony: As an officer of the STC, I have access to members of STC who can provide some testimony for the booklet.
​
-
Microsoft Word: I will be writing the web copy and booklet copy on this tool based resource. It is also a tool that I already own and will therefore be cost free.
​
-
Visual Basics: It is a text editor that will help me markup the legacy document for reuse, as well the newly developed document for future use. It is also a tool that I already own and will therefore be cost free.
​
-
Technical knowledge of XML: I will need to learn XML. XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language and will help me mark up the legacy documents, as well as newly developed materials for reuse. I am currently taking a class that will educate me in this language.
​
Conclusion
Discusses:
-
Need for project
After speaking with the STC officers today, the urgency of this project was further impressed upon me. There are several procedures that these officers, new in their position as they are, need to have available online. The development of these deliverables will constitute a timely intervention that would greatly benefit this year’s officiating team, as well as future officiating teams.