Week 16: Final 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Met with Client to hand off final product: took 0.5 hours.
Produced "Team" version for team members to use for portfolios: Took 1.0 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics.  This week, I closed out the project by handing materials over to the Client, and posting a final message on the team Google+ page. I also produced a Client-approved version of the instruction so that team members could use it in their portfolios.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

There wasn't much to do this week, since we finished out project last week. It was nice to talk to the Client and hear her (very positive) perspective on the project. My goal was to close the project without delay or complication, which was met.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

I have closed out a few projects before, and I'm likely to be involved in this process again.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Just that the generally positive feelings toward the project continued from the Client.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

The few things I had to do this week were very simple (i.e.: handing a DVD and jump drive to the Client, having a conversation, removing a copyrighted video and republishing the project into a "Team" version), so I guess I did about as well as one would expect.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

Rest.

Week 15 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Assorted content production (updated narration, animation, quizzes, assorted adjustment and review of beta-3 prototype): 100%, took 4.0 hours
Implemented Formative Evaluation Plan: 100% complete, took 6.0 hours
Produced Formative Evaluation Report: 100% complete, took 3.5 hours
Produced Project Evaluation Report: 100% complete, took 3.25 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics.  This week, I met with the final participants of the Formative Evaluation process, collected their results, and made changes to the prototypes. This allowed for the completion of a final product. I communicated with the Sponsor, Client, and my team members.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

This week marked the end of the formative evaluation process, and the finalization of the project itself. It's importance is obvious: we were able to learn of some changes to put the final polish on the product, so that our Client would be pleased with the result. My goals of completing the formative evaluation on time and with good feedback, were met.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

I have performed formative evaluations in the past, and will almost certainly do so in the future, as part of future projects. Project completion will be a part of any project I am a member of, and particularly any project I am leading.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

That good preparation of material yields the most useful formative evaluation information.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

The formative evaluation went very well. We did have some problems with last-minute cancellations of formative evaluation participants, but fortunately those that did attend gave very useful feedback. The project completion phase presented some challenges with communication within the team. As at the beginning of this project, I could stand to communicate more openly. Since my actions make sense to me, I tend to assume my teammates will understand them without much explanation. It is a personal failing I need to address.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

My plan is to deliver the final product to the client, and close out the project.

Week 14 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Assorted content production (updated narration, animation, quizzes, assorted adjustment and review of beta-1 prototype): 100%, took 12 hours
Prepared for Project Showcase: 100%, took 4 hours
Presented at Project Showcase: 100%, took 0.5 hours
Implemented Formative Evaluation Plan: 50% complete, took 4.0 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics.  This week, I heard back from the SME, scheduled meetings for formative evaluators, and met with two students for the One-to-One portion of the formative evaluation. SME suggestions led to development of the beta-2 prototype, of which I made updates to narrations, quizzes, animations and videos. I helped plan for the Project Showcase, and participated in it. I produced a demonstration product for the showcase. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The importance of this week's work was to the improvement process and presentation process. My goals were to make improvements to the beta-1 prototype (which we were able to do well), schedule the remainder of the formative evaluation interviews, and present a thorough review of our project in the Project Showcase. I feel that these goals were met mostly, though the Project Showcase review could have done with a little more structure in retrospect.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

The updates made were similar to last week's activities. The Project Showcase presentation was similar to other such proposals I have made in the past. I would imagine that both are similar to what I will do in the future, many times throughout my career.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

There is a relationship between quality of presentation and the amount of time spent preparing, though I would suspect it is not linear. It is likely a curve that begins as a positive relationship, levels off at a certain point, and perhaps becomes inverse near the end.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

This week's production went well. Updates to the project were positive and easy to make. I could improve on my preparation for presentations.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

This week is the final week of work, so I will complete the project.
I will meet with one more one-to-one evaluator, and have the team create a resulting beta-3 prototype.
I will meet with a small group of evaluators, and have the team create the final product,
I will return all project materials to the client.
I will deliver the final product materials to the client.
I will complete the formative evaluation and final project evaluation documents.

Week 13 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Assorted content production (narration, animation, quizzes, video production, assorted adjustment and review of alpha-1 prototype): 100%, took 21 hours
Created Formative Evaluation Plan: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Implemented Formative Evaluation Plan: 10% complete, took 0.50 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. I also completed the assigned reading for the week. The vast majority of my work this week was on production of the alpha and beta-1 prototypes, along with beginning to implement the Formative Evaluation process. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The importance of this week's tasks are obvious: they help build the actual project, and assure that it is effective. Most of my goals were met, though the birth of my daughter caused me to miss the deadline for completion of the alpha prototype by 24 hours.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

Though I seem to be repeating myself, to answer both questions, other projects.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Apart from the inverse relationship of the age of my computers and the relative efficiency of production, no.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

Quite well, this week. In what could have been a very chaotic experience, I found time to produce high quality content. My teammates also did so, allowing for the production of a solid beta-1 prototype.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I will send the beta-1 prototype to the SME for review. My team and I will receive the SME recommendations and create a beta-2 prototype from them. I will continue to schedule student evaluators for the remaining portions of the formative evaluation.
I will prepare for the meeting on Tuesday with my team, and the Project Showcase on Thursday.

Week 12 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Recorded narration for course site: 40% complete, took 1 hour.
Added narration and content to Lead eLearning Developer's Articulate Course: 40% complete, took 3 hours.
Recorded video for eLearning course with Lead Instructional Designer: 100% complete, took 0.75 hours.
Created Formative Evaluation Plan: 90% complete, took 4 hours
Created Formative Evaluation Plan screencast: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. Contained within this list is a considerable amount of development of narration and eLearning content, through Articulate Studio 2. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

This week, many disparate requirements came due. Some were involved in producing parts of the content, while others were involved in planning the formative evaluation. These were important because they have direct implications to the satisfactory completion of the course.
I was able to meet my goals, with the exception of sending the formative evaluation plan for Sponsor and Client send off by Friday.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

In other projects, in both cases. Also, the content production activities were similar to some of what I did last week.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Not so much, apart from a regrettable procrastination (i.e., waiting for the weekend to complete the Formative Evaluation Plan), which seems to come up more often than I would like.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I feel that most of my assignments were done well (other than the lateness of the Formative Evaluation Plan, as noted above). The narration came out very nicely, and the content I produced worked well, minus a technical hiccup that will be fixed in the next iteration. The formative evaluation plan is solid and useful, I think.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

This week, I will receive Client and Sponsor sign-off on the formative evaluation plan, and communicate with the Client regarding the identification of eight to eleven candidates for one-to-one and small group trials.
I will record remaining narration, based upon the Lead Instructional Designer's content requests; create web-streaming video from the video clips we recorded on Thursday, and add these learning objects to the Lead eLearning Developer's Articulate course.
This alpha prototype should be uploaded on Tuesday, giving my teammates and I the better part of the week to perform design review and finalize a beta-1 prototype.
As soon as the beta-1 prototype is completed, I'll send it on to the Client for SME evaluation.

Week 11 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Uploaded Lead eLearning Developer's course skeleton: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Reviewed Lead eLearning Developer's treatment and course skeleton: 100% complete, took 2 hours
Created narration proof-of-concept: 15% complete, took 2 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. Additionally, I completed the assigned readings for this week. I also communicated with my team and our instructor several times throughout this week via email. Overall, it was a light week for me in terms of course work.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

Most important this week were my communication and collaboration activities, which helped bring the course content along very smoothly. Also, the proof-of-concept I created helped bring some definition to a previously ethereal concept.
I did not meet my goal of recording all the narration. What I did record had an annoying hum in the background due to a low quality microphone. I plan on recording in the IDT Studio this week with better equipment.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

These collaborative and communicative actions are similar to what I have been doing this entire semester, with variable levels of success. I'm sure it will continue throughout the semester, and into future projects as well.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

As I indicated above, I think I'm getting better at communication and leadership in general.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

What I did this week was done well. The audio recording did not work due to technical problems, and will be improved with better facilities this week. I did fail to identify that the Content Analysis was coming due and remind the Lead eLearning Developer. This oversight in my Project Management responsibilities led to her having to put in some late hours to complete the project,

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

Next, I will contact the Lead Instructional Designer about having more content approved, record narrations, and work with the Lead eLearning Developer to update the presentation with the new content. As Lead Evaluator, I will create the course evaluations that have been approved, and develop the Formative Evaluation plan. I will likely request that the client identify 15 TAs or PIMs who would be willing to review the first prototype.

Week 10 15/5s

Team-Assigned Tasks

Instructional Strategy: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. Reviewed final draft and made some suggestions.
Treatment Description and Rationale: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. Reviewed final draft and made some suggestions.
Formative Evaluation Plan: 10% complete, took 1 hour. Developed rudimentary outline. Will develop more detail as we proceed closer to the due date.
Meet with Team: 100% complete, took 2.0 hours. We discussed the instructional strategy, treatment design and rationale, treatment report, and formative evaluation plan deliverables. We discussed SCORM and eCourseware, and the plan for building content going forward.
Worked on content: 5% complete, took 5 hours
Created some possible content for Lead Instructional Designer's review.
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. Additionally, I completed the assigned readings for this week. I also communicated with my team and our instructor several times throughout this week.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

This was a busy week; important because it marked the beginning of the content development process. This being such a vital week led to the potential for problems, based upon poor communication. The importance of communicating with my teammates in a clear way was evident.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

The nuts and bolts of analyses, content planning, content production, communication, and meetings are similar to other projects I have been involved with. I assume they will be similar to future projects as well.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

The relationship between high-quality communication and improved team performance was made obvious this week, as was the power of leading by example.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

This week was very frustrating in some ways, but ultimately quite rewarding. As I intimated above, possible problems were solved with better communication. I have learned once again that a hands-off approach of communicating will not bring about the appropriate results. Going forward, I must be more deliberate in my communication.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I have just heard from the Lead Instructional Designer that about ten pages of content have been approved. Next, I will communicate with my teammates to determine the best method for creating the content and our roles in each. My plan is to be transparent and obvious in all decisions and requests, so that all team members understand what is required of them, where the project is going, and how efficiently it is arriving there.