other good things

I've been receiving regular updates of 'The Daily Good' to my inbox for a while now, and occasionally click through to investigate what good people are doing in the world outside of the bubble.

One of the latest is a Brands for the People, highlighted here http://bitly.com/.

Couldn't help but share this with the students, but it really is a lesson to the larger design community to step away from the dollar sign. My only wavering is that it is a bit of an exercise in free pitching, but given that it is towards good causes, I am more settled on the point.

stick-to-it-iveness

Had good review sessions on 14th and 16th February that revealed several things for the students: scope too large, scope too small, no scope at all.

Students suffered the bumps and bruises of some very candid reviewers from the art and advertising world, and are pushing forward with modified projects/goals. Some have already launched their campaigns and are treading water at the deep end of the pool.

As ever, god is in the details. After a first round of presentations and a research paper, they've gone back to re-articulate in great detail exactly what it is they intend to accomplish and how. The how will be the most telling measure of the coupling of their imaginations with the realities of working with a client (be they NGOs or the people themselves). We have stressed preparing for all eventualities, determining what can go wrong and how to work with or around it. 

Some students have met with very direct obstacles: clients who don't return calls, change their minds, even send them cease and desist orders via foreign lawyers. The expected (necessary?) growing pains that every creative comes against.

All said, I am impressed by their stick-to-it-iveness, and am eagerly awaiting their updated plans.

the tedium is the medium

Had a brainstorm that was just corroborated by Paul Sahre's students' Senior Project blogs... http://www.paulsahre.com/work10/sva_senior_project_blogs/

That idea was/is to have each of you create a blog in which you will document your project.

Yes, you read that right...

Put your entire process (inception through completion) up on Wordpress, Blogger or Tumblr.

Include research, phone calls, notes to self, right turns, wrong turns, discoveries, announcements, innuendoes and any other relevant entries on a daily basis.

I want to see what you thought and did, and why you thought and did it... everything in one place as a record of this great and wonderful thing you are doing.

Please share your blog's URL and have your first two or more entries completed by Thursday 9 February.

They will all be linked to this blog: http://manualchange.blogspot.com/

professional reviews

As a part of the course, there will be outside professionals periodically attending to discuss your projects and help guide you on your paths to better solutions.

February 14 & 16, 2-5pm – Review student proposals with them. Students pitch, professionals listen and provide feedback. Half of pros (3-4 professionals) come and see half the students (9-10 students) on 14th, the other half of pros see the other half of the students on 16th.

14th - Mark Lewis / Melissa Bayik / Ramzi Moutran

16th - Roberto Lopardo / Chris Hubert / Shahbaz Khan Zobairi / Mark Shadwell

March 20 & 22, 2-5pm – Review student work in progress. Students present what they've done so far, professionals listen and provide feedback. Half of pros come and see half the students on 20th, the other half of pros see the other half of the students on 22nd.
20th - Melissa Bayik / Chris Hubert / Ramzi Moutran

22nd - Mark Lewis / Shahbaz Khan Zobairi / Mark Shadwell

April 17 & 19 (tentative, based on exhibition date(s)), 2-5pm - Final student presentations. Students present what they've done so far, professionals listen and provide feedback. Half of pros come and see half the students on 17th, the other half of pros see the other half of the students on 19th.
17th - Mark Lewis / Roberto Lopardo / Ramzi Moutran

19th - Melissa Bayik / Chris Hubert / Shahbaz Khan Zobairi / Mark Shadwell

Thus far, we have commitments from the following:
Mark Lewis, Creative Director, LOWE MENA
Roberto Lopardo, Artist, Cuadro Gallery
Melissa Bayik, Independent Designer and Branding Specialist
Chris Hubert, Senior Creative Art Director, Tonic Communications

Shahbaz Khan Zobairi, Creative Director, Promoseven 360

Mark Shadwell, Executive Creative Director, Promoseven 360

Ramzi Moutran, Creative Director, Memac Ogilvy

the research

Month 1: Research - due 16 February 2012

After having narrowed down our 3+ ideas to one, you will set about the task of researching your cause. Identify the problem, the major and/or local players (if any) in solving it, and the possible solutions, whether already existent or proposed. Your research will then go into a ten-page paper with a minimum of 20 sources (5+ offline).

To be included:
1. Introduction: Identify the problem and the proposed solution in 1 to 3 paragraphs. Due Thursday 26 January.
2. Body:
a. Problem, in-depth analysis: who does it affect? how does it affect them? how did it start? how long has it existed? why does it exist? what are political, social, environmental, psychological, religious, or other factors that have created the problem?
b. Solutions, in-depth analysis: who (people or organizations, if anyone) is working to solve the problem? what solutions have been tried and failed? tried and succeeded? What are best practices in approaching the problem?
c. Solutions, your part: why have you chosen this problem/solution? how can you be a part of a current or ongoing solution or initiate your own? what are the specific details of instituting your solution? what will it cost and who will pay the bill? who, if anyone besides yourself, will actively participate in creating/applying/instituting the solution?
3. Conclusion: Who are the major players (if any, outside of yourself) in the solution and how will you be engaged with them? What agreements do you have from the participants and recipients of your solution as to how it will be received or delivered? What is the overall estimated or projected impact of the solution on the problem?

where it began

Manual Change was started in January 2012 as a brief for my Senior Project students at the American University in Dubai.

Change the World


The Brief:

You have been studying for 4 years (give or take) and are about to enter a whole new universe where you might not have time to tie your shoelaces, let alone do something you really care about. Here is your opportunity to take the bull by the horns and kick some asterisk.

Your mission for this course, should you accept it, is to change the world. This may be to change the life of one person or millions, it's up to you. Utilizing your accumulated knowledge, skills and talents within your chosen major, you are to define and execute a self-driven project which engages people/organizations outside of the university to make the world a better place. (Re)brand a non-profit org. (Re)design their website. Launch an awareness campaign. Find an underrepresented community and champion their cause with your professional expertise. Whatever it is, do it now, do it well, and plug in.

Our first week, we will brainstorm ideas for what it means to each of us to change the world. Who, what, where, when and how will be discussed, as will why.

Month 1:
Thereafter, having narrowed down our 3+ ideas to one, you will set about the task of researching your cause. Identify the problem, the major and/or local players (if any) in solving it, and the possible solutions, whether already existent or proposed. Your research will then go into a ten-page paper with a minimum of 20 sources (5+ offline).

Month 2:
Having identified problem and solution, you will begin to engage your project fully. This is the creative part coupled with the practical. Get in touch with those major/local players and start making something happen. Ask them what they need, what you can contribute and decide on best approach. Then execute.

Month 3:
This is the fine-tuning of the execution and determining the logistics of launching your project.

Last few weeks of class:
Launch the project. Exhibit your solutions. Present to the public. Smile.