Assignments
This page provides an overview of the work that contributes to your final course grade, and connects you to descriptions for those projects and workshops through the links below. (Note that no descriptive detail appears on SVSU Canvas for any of these assignments.) I activate assignment pages as we need them, so do not worry if you cannot access all of the descriptions at the beginning of the semester.
Your course grade is computed from the points you earn on 3 projects and 13 workshops. Combined, these assignments total 1400 points.
You can read more about grading and what factors might influence your grade on the Policies page.
Projects
I use the term projects to categorize assignments that are significant undertakings, and that require development and refinement time that may span several weeks of the semester. You will complete 3 projects this semester that collectively contribute 750 possible points to your course grade.
Each project description details several elements of the work, including design requirements, hints and tips, and submission guidelines. Use the links below to access those descriptions.
- RPW Card (RPWC). 250 points. The RPWC project asks you to create a digital card inspired by card-based table-top games that demonstrates your ability to write focused, concise descriptions, and that demonstrates your growing design knowledge, and your technical proficiency with appropriate design tools. The RPWC is challenging because it requires you to harness knowledge of design, genre, media, professionalism, and audience expectations in the production of an authentic content-driven information product.
- InfoGraphic (IG). 250 points. The IG project asks you to produce a 5-panel infographic focused on a data-driven story that you find worthy of telling. The InfoGraphic project is challenging because it too requires you to harness knowledge of design, genre, media, professionalism, and audience expectations in the production of a data-driven visual experience.
- Video Article (VA). 250 points. The VA project asks you to produce a screencast video that teaches viewers about a topic with which you have personal/professional expertise. The VA project is challenging because it requires understanding of design and the ability to communicate effectively using all of the design media with which we work during the semester (text, images, video, sound).
Workshops
I use the term workshops to categorize assignments that are smaller scale than projects, work that can be completed in the space of a single in-person class session, or within the space of a single class week. The concepts, strategies, and practices examined through workshops build and reinforce your working knowledge for the course. You will complete 13 workshops this semester that collectively contribute 650 possible points to your course grade.
Each workshop description details several elements of the work, including design and discussion requirements, and submission guidelines. Use the links below to access those descriptions. Some workshops may require less explanation, and in that case their descriptions will appear in SVSU Canvas. I will direct you where you need to look in the weekly modules.
- Document Design. 50 points. You create a 1-page document that presents your experience with information design.
- Working with Adobe InDesign. 50 points. You recreate the profile document from the Document Design workshop using Adobe InDesign.
- Paper Prototyping. 50 points. You produce a hand-drawn paper prototype in support of your RPW Card project. See the description on the Canvas Discussion forum dedicated to this assignment.
- Working with AI. 50 points. You explore the capabilities of smart tools for writing and design to support your work on the RPW Card project. See the description on the Canvas Discussion forum dedicated to this assignment.
- Preparing Documents. 50 points. You engage in the reproduction of a document, attending to the details of design and document preparation.
- Preparing Images. 50 points. You examine and practice strategies for preparing images for implementation in a document.
- Visualizing Information, Part 1. 50 points. You explore strategies for presenting information through visual media.
- Visualizing Information, Part 2. 50 points. You continue to explore strategies for presenting information through visual media.
- Editing Technical Documents. 50 points. You explore strategies for editing technical content.
- Designing Docs for Screencasting. 50 points. You create a document suitable for supporting a screencast video.
- Recording a Screencast. 50 points. You record and edit a screencast video using the screening document you creating for the previous workshop.
- Creating a Transcript. 50 points. You use appropriate tools to create and edit a transcript of your screencast video file from the Recording a Screencast workshop.
- Reflection. 50 points. You craft a brief reflection on the core content and strategies that were explored during the semester in this course.