Digital Project Management | New School University 
Keith Alexander, Instructor
keith@nootrope.net


Course description:
This course covers all of the elements required to define, price and manage 
an array of digital projects. Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project will be 
utilized. The focus is on the Agency experience. 
Classes last 2.5 hours. 12 classes over 6 weeks.

Course pre-requisites:
A solid understanding of computer operation including opening and saving files,
navigating the file structure and disk drives, Internet navigation and search. 

Course requirement:
Students will be expected to attend at least 75 percent of the course, and be
able to demonstrate proficiency and understanding of the material presented.

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Day One
Qualities that make a good project manager:

Analytical thinking
Conceptual thinking
Business acumen
Commitment to quality
Problem solving skills
Taking the initiative
Presentation / writing skills
Research capabilities
Flexibility
Personality
Political savvy
Forethought
Humor
Multi-tasking
Understanding emerging tech

Day Two
The Basics:

The creative brief
The define document
The functional specification
The technical specification
The preliminary timeline
The process document
The sign-off / approval document

Tactics:

Determining the project's scope
Identifying Stakeholders
Building the team
Identifying constraints
Clarifying assumptions
Assessing risk
Establishing conditions for satisfaction
Determining Work Breakdown Structure
Determining task durations 
Establishing milestones
Determining critical path
Executional considerations
The importance of status reports
Maximizing intranets and extranets
Team meetings / internal reveiws
Record keeping / meeting and call reports
Best practices and methodologies

Day Three
Utilizing case studies
How to run a post-mortem

Developing a Process: 
Define, Discover, Develop, Debug, Deploy

Examples:
How the Vision is Realized at Frog Design         
   
* Phase 0: Investigation
We start by understanding the issues you're trying to resolve and then
forming a project plan. 

Analyze your company, brand, industry and competition 
Listen strategically to define your needs and objectives 
Determine technology requirements, delivery platforms and media 
Generate "blue sky" concepts    

* Phase 1: Exploration
Phase 1 is about creativity — synthesizing Phase 0 conclusions into
idea-driven solutions.

Explore design and technical possibilities 
Create concepts, inventions and visualizations 
Investigate ergonomics and human interface 
Build prototypes and test uncertainties 
Define content and technical architecture    

* Phase 2: Definition
Next, we prove our ideas work and optimize the complex relationships
between all elements. 

Refine and validate our concepts 
Deliver color comps and control drawings 
Produce finished models or conceptual prototypes 
Develop 3-D CAD surfaces and tooling 
Source vendors 
Initiate user testing    

* Phase 3: Implementation
In Phase 3, we get down to brass tacks and prepare all specifications
for production. 

Gather tooling quotes and costs of materials 
Process third-party vendor bids 
Complete videography, motion graphics, audio 
Continue with programming and user testing 
Finalize artwork; outline production specifications    

* Phase 4: Preparation
Preparation for production begins, including tooling, pre-production
builds, programming and printing. 

Coordinate tooling and vendor management 
Coordinate pre-production builds 
Create assembly documentation 
Set quality standards 
Create and approve production of "first articles" 
Finalize programming and user testing    

* Phase 5: Production
Finally we help you ramp up for production. You ship and watch it go
gold or even platinum! 

Prepare for manufacturing and production 
Resolve final production issues 
Optimize processes 
Execute final tooling, website implementation and CD-ROM mastering 
Launch publicity efforts ((c) 2000 frogdesign)

Day Four
Understanding the creative process from the designer's perspective
   Discovery / Development / Production
Understanding information architecture
   Usability engineering and testing, navigation and site map creation
Understanding digital asset management
   Search tools and data mining 

Dealing with third party vendors
Freelancer rates in NYC (by discipline)

Day Five
Understanding ROI
Understanding quality assurance / quality control
   The VeriCode Process
Understanding and leveraging log reports 
   Webtrends
Understanding rich media
   Streaming, Unicast, Enliven, AudioBase

Day Six
Understanding media buys and metrics
   CPM, Click-thru, conversions, reporting and analysis
Understanding account management
   Internal vs external clients
Understanding marketing
   Strategy and tactics, driving traffic, search engines
Understanding wireless
   Enterprise, consumer, the future

Day Seven
Creating Budgets with MS Excel
   Basic Animated .GIF

Day Eight
Creating Budgets with MS Excel
   Rich Media
   Basic Web Site
   Advanced eCommerce Web Site

Day Nine
Understanding resource allocation

Creating timelines using MS Project
   Basic animated .GIF
   Rich media

Day Ten
Creating timelines using MS Project
   Basic web site

Day Eleven
Creating timelines using MS Project
   Advanced eCommerce web site

Day Twelve
Review
Resources
Q&A

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