Prototype/Project Leader: Peter Allmaker

Organization: MCLA “Breadcrumbs to the Portal”

Dept. Computer Support Date: July 17, 2004

Phone: __________ Fax: _______________ E-Mail: __________________

1. Briefly describe the focus of your prototype, I.I. (1) area for improvement, (2) seizing and opportunity, (3) where you have a sense of urgency, or (4) to get closer to a target or destination.

Improve student's sense of control and satisfaction with the College through giving them a voice in their digital living conditions. Augment the College's digital student life in ways they find interesting. Use these augmentations to enhance communication between the College and students in other ways.

2. Select one strategy that, if successful, might address your challenge. Briefly describe the assumption behind the strategy. “If I/we did they…. This would occur…”

Many aspects of digital life fascinate students. If we can learn to attract some of the activity that they engage in – instant messaging, blogging, browsing – to a College run site with an MCLA brand or twist to it we will have succeeded in moving up on their hipness scale. Asking them what features they would like while planning will give them a sense of control and delivering those things would prove they have influence. Driving a reliable volume of traffic through a certain site will give us a place to keep the dialog going and broaden it to other sorts of issues. It will also give us a place to catch their attention when it is time to roll out the expected academic and administrative on line services that will be aimed at them.

3. Describe the first few steps of the prototype that flow from the strategy you selected. (Remember to keep this project small. The total test time is 6-8 weeks.) What will you do differently in practice, what new design or approach will you test? When and with whom?

Attempt to get students to participate in a weekly electronic poll that seeks their opinions on current events. A simple survey tool will be added to the Webmail login screen. Results to weekly questions will be tabulated. This will gage their responsiveness and possibly habituate them to the idea of interacting with the site.

4. What short-term and longer-term results are you seeking? What learnings are you hoping your prototype will generate for you? What, for/by whom…?

We will get an estimate of the potential for involving students in this way. In the longer term we will prime them for more meaningful interaction through the same mechanism.

5. What resources do you need to carry out your prototype? (Include here time, approval, money, or anything else that’s essential.) Remember, prototypes are intended to be small tests, and your primary resource is you and your sense of urgency and energy.

Nothing but a little time.