Project Guidelines

The following outline is intended to give you an idea of what should be included in a typical proposal for a master's project, not to prescribe the specific content of your proposal. You can and should make necessary changes and additions to describe your proposed project clearly, concisely, and thoroughly to your committee.

We recommend that you develop a one or two page précis of your intentions and share it with your project supervisor before writing an entire project proposal.

1. Statement of Intent

• Describe the product you will build.
• Describe the need for the product.

Questions you may address in the Statement of Intent:

• Is it useful?
• Has a client identified a need?
• Is the product innovative?
• Does the product have significance in the field?
• Does the product demonstrate the an approach of theoretical interest?
• Describe the main components and people involved in the product.
• Who is the client?
• Are there any potential funding agencies?
• Is there a design team?
• What roles do team members play?

2. Supporting Literature and Information

• Describe the key variables you must consider to complete your product.
• Discuss what key literature says about your topic and your approach to it.
• Describe the model of instructional design you are following
• Contextual variables? (schools, businesses, commercial entities, universities, technical institutes, homes)
• Design variables?
• Learner/user variables?
• Usability testing and formative evaluation strategies?

3. Production Blueprint

• What needs to be done in what sequence?
• Time lines for completing each step?
• Human resources and committee support required?
• Client approvals required and how you will obtain them?
• Copyright issues and release forms?
• Equipment/software needed and access you may require?
• Financial resources required and the plan for acquiring them?
• Media releases, permission forms and ethics committee approval?