Designing, Implementing and Managing Interactive Projects

ATEC 4340.501
M 7:00 – 9:45
Fall 2010
Professor: Michael Lynch
ATEC 1.102

Instructor Contact Information:

Cell Phone: 214-228-5146
Email: mdl064000@utdallas.edu
Email: mlynch@lightningpod.net , please put subject as: ATEC 4340

Course Description: This course teaches students how to design and manage interactive
projects from a marketing, management, financial and behavioral perspective. Emphasis is on tools
and techniques appropriate for interactive project design.

Learning Outcomes:
• Introduce students to full, multi-dimensional, interactive project development “process” from a
design, planning, development, marketing, financial, testing and implementation viewpoint.
• Introduce scientific principles behind project design and management.
• Introduce students to principles of good leadership, team membership and client
management.
• Introduce students to business principles behind project design and management.
• Introduce students to “constantly evolving” environment in which they will be working.
• Develop a sense of ethical and cultural implications of technology development
• Introduce students to career and project opportunities.
• Create portfolio piece.

Required Texts:
The following texts for the class are required. Students are expected to complete weekly
readings before class:
• Web Redesign: Workflow that Works 2.0, Kelly Goto and Emily Cotler, New Riders Publishing, 2005 (WR)
• Additional Readings will be assigned throughout the course and will be included on exams.
Class Grading
Team Grading
• Team Project Proposal: 5 percent pass / fail
• Due September 13
• Software design/prototyping strategies (what will you use for your project): 10 percent
• Due September 27
• Team Status Reports (3)(Submitted Online): 5 percent all pass/fail
• Due September 27
• Due October 25
• Due November 22
• Team Usability Test of Prototype and oral and written report: 10 percent (grade)
• Due October 25
• Final Team Project: 20 percent
• Due December 6

Individual Grading
• Individual Research Paper: What kind of a team member am I? What kind of a manager am I?
• 10 percent
• Due October 4
• Midterm Exam: 10 Percent
• Due October 13
• Individual Take Home Final Exam: 20 percent
• Due December 15 (5pm CST)
• Class Participation (All Weeks): 10 percent

All assignments based on 100 point basis.

Class Calendar
Week 1 - August 23:
Topic: Class and instructor introductions, course objectives, team and project work experience.
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Review Course Project
Week 2 - August 30:
Topic: Project Management Overview
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Goto: Chapter 1-3
• Form Teams
Week 3 - September 6: Labor Day

Week 4 - September 13:

Topic: The Interactive Customer and Customer Analysis/Global and multicultural considerations in
Project Design, Working with Clients
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings: Goto, Chapters 4-6, 10
• Team Project Proposals Due
Week 5 - September 20:
Topic: Information Architecture, Usability and Prototyping
Assignments:
• Discussion
• Readings: Goto: Chapter 8
Week 6 - September 27:
Topic: Project Management Leadership. Management styles and managing creative teams. Being on
a team.
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings as Assigned
• Team Software Design / Prototyping Strategies
• Team Project Status Report
Week 7 - October 4:
Topic: Project management collaboration tools.
Assignments:
• Readings as Assigned
• Individual Research Paper Due: What kind of a Manager am I? What kind of team member am I?

Week 8 - October 11:

• Test: Midterm Exam

Midterm Grades are due on October 15th

Week 9 - October 18:

Topic: Marketing Considerations in Project Design
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings as Assigned

Week 10 - October 25:

Topic: Prototype and Usability Workshop (attendance required)
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings as Assigned
• Team Project Status Report Due
• Prototype Usability Test
Week 11 - November 1:
Topic: Financial Considerations in Project Design
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings as Assigned

Week 12 - November 8:
Topic: Lessons Learned from Usability Testing
Assignments:
• Team Usability Presentations
Week 13 - November 15:
Topic: Ethics in Project Management
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Readings as assigned
Week 14 - November 22
Topic: Analyze Prototype
Assignments:
• Discussions
• Team Project Status Report Due
Week 15 - November 29:
Assignment:
• Workshop time for projects
Week 16 - December 6:
Topic: Wrap up
Assignment:
• Post Final Class Project
Finals December 9 – December 15
Assignment:
• Take home final exam due to instructor by 5pm CST.
Class Policies:
• In fairness to other students, no late assignments will be accepted without prior approval. To
request an extension, email instructor with the request date before the deadline. You must keep
records of all correspondence. Late assignments are highly discouraged.
• Attendance at class is expected. Please discuss absences beforehand with instructor and your
team. This is a project oriented class and your team depends on you. For each unexcused
absence, 50 points will be deducted from your total grade.
• Responses to phone calls or emails from instructor are expected within 24 hours.
• Students are expected to have done weekly assigned readings prior to class.
• Professional conduct as a team member is expected. Teams are encouraged to work without
need for supervision by instructor; however instructor is available for coaching and consultation on
subject matter.
• However, should a team encounter non-participation (lack of attendance in class or at other team
meetings) by a team member, communication with the instructor is encouraged and appropriate
grade reflection will occur.
• Team members are required to communicate with each other on a consistent basis and to meet
team established deadlines.
• Team members will be evaluating each other as part of team presentations. Students who
uniformly receive unsatisfactory evaluations from other team members may receive a decrease in
team project grade, after review by the instructor.
• No extra credit is available. You must be able to work in a cooperative team environment to
complete the class.
• Please be courteous with the use of cell phones, pagers and surfing during class. Please do not
do your homework for other classes in this class.
• Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated.
• The instructor reserves the right to make adjustments to the syllabus as needed.
• Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance: It is the policy of UTD to provide reasonable and
appropriate accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities. This college will adhere
to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing
reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity.