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Final Report

Due date: Final exam period -Tuesday, Dec. 15, 9:45 - 11:45 am

For this final assignment of the semester, you will be submitting two different sets of materials to complete the proposal you submitted on October 15:

While we have already discussed various aspects of this final assignment in class, I want to provide explicit expectations and evaluative criteria here to make sure that everyone is clear about what is expected of them for this final assignment.

Audience analysis

Your final report and accompanying informational materials should reflect a thorough understanding of who your various audiences are for this project. The written report itself should be pitched to the client audience for whom you are solving the information problem, while the print/electronic materials should address the client's primary and secondary audiences. For example, if you are redesigning the information products for a non-profit group, your written report should be addressed to the directors/managers of this group, while the information materials you have redesigned should address the client's base audience.

In the information deliverables that accompany your report, you should NOT explicitly mention the client's audience. However, your written report to the client should directly address who their audience is and how you have geared your information materials to that particular audience.

Information design and organization

Both the written report and accompanying information materials should reflect a thorough understanding and knowledge of the basic principles of information design that we have discussed throughout the semester.

Visual explanations

Your written report and informational materials should include—where appropriate—graphics and visuals that complement the text of both products and help to further knowledge of your project in your reader's mind. You should avoid gratuitous use of graphics for their own sake; in other words, don't pack your materials with flashy "eye candy" just to show that you know how to place graphics on a page. Think deeply about whether the graphics and/or charts you are using help the reader understand a particular point or process. If you need a refresher course on the use of visuals, review the appropriate chapters in the Document Design textbook.

Formatting and typography

Both your written report and informational deliverables should reflect a thorough knowledge of the principles of document design and typography. Use primary and secondary headers where appropriate and make sure that the terms you use for these headers are ones that are easily comprehended by your audience; in other words, make these short phrases "reader-based" instead of "you-based." Also consider such formatting conventions as the use of white space and color.

As for typography, make sure that you use sans serif fonts for all titles and headers and a serif fonts for body text. Departures from this general rule of typography are acceptable, but you should have a good reason for doing so. Consult Chapter 6 of the Document Design textbook for a refresher on typographic conventions.

Correctness and grammar

Lastly, you should make sure that your written report and information materials are grammatically and mechicanically sound and adhere to the standards of written American English. This doesn't mean that you can't use slang—especially in your informational materials; if that is the type of language that your audience best understands, then by all means, use slang. But make sure your stylistic choices match your audience's needs.

If you know that you are inclined to make certain grammatical or mechnical errors, make sure you review a good source on such matters before turning in your final draft.. At this point in your careers, you should not be making grammatical or mechanical errors that are a common feature of high school and freshman writing. You are now trained professional communicators, and your written words should reflect your professional stature.

Evaluative criteria

So in summary, your written report and information materials should include the following:

If you have any questions about any of the above, please let me know in class or by email.