Enterprise Solutions for Medium to Small Business

Competency 405.2.1: Project Proposal – The candidate prepares a project proposal according to the guidelines specified in the program guide.
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Task 2: Proposal

Introduction:

The technical writing assessment will consist primarily of a proposal for a major IT project. Your proposal serves two purposes. First, it allows you to demonstrate your competency in the technical writing domain. Second, it helps you organize your ideas for the project so you can complete the project as efficiently as possible. The proposal for your project will explain how you plan to approach and carry out your project. Your proposal will be evaluated on the necessary components and on the proficiency of your technical writing.

Your proposed project will take one of the following four formats (see the attached “Project Format Descriptions” for further information and project examples):
•  intellectual product/service
•  physical product/service
•  event or activity
•  system improvements or enhancements

Work performed on contract for a third party or for an employer is their property. You must obtain their permission to include the work. Your work for task 2 will not be evaluated until the appropriate form(s) in task 1 have been submitted.

Requirements:
A.  Identify a topic for your project that aligns with your degree program.

B.  Create a proposal (suggested length of 15–20 pages) that will be a narrative description of your project, including the following components:
1.  Cover Sheet: Provide a cover sheet for your proposal that includes the following elements:
•  project name
•  your name
•  your degree program
•  your student mentor’s name
2.  Introduction (suggested length of 2–4 pages): Provide an overview of your project.
3.  Review of Other Work (suggested length of 3–5 pages): Provide a review of what other third-party work has been done on this topic.
4.  Rationale (suggested length of 2–3 pages): Provide a rationale for your project.
5.  Systems Analysis and Methodology (suggested length of 2–4 pages): Provide a systems analysis and methodology by doing the following:
a.  Provide an analysis of the current state of the project environment.
b.  Provide a methodology for executing your project.
6.  Project Goals and Objectives (suggested length of 3–5 pages): Explain the goals and objectives for the project, including the following information:
•  identification of goals and objectives
•  description of goals and objectives
•  criteria that will be used to measure the objectives
7.  Project Deliverables (suggested length of 5–8 pages): Explain what types of deliverables your project will provide.

Note: Your project will include some sort of formal report. It will likely also include a technical IT product and/or a user’s manual or other documentation.

8.  Project Timeline with Milestones: Provide a projected timeline with milestones for your project.

C.  When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

DDT Task 2 (0215)
value: 0.00     value: 1.00     value: 2.00     value: 3.00     value: 4.00     Score/Level
Articulation of Response (clarity, organization, mechanics)    The candidate provides unsatisfactory articulation of response.    The candidate provides weak articulation of response.    The candidate provides limited articulation of response.    The candidate provides adequate articulation of response.    The candidate provides substantial articulation of response.
A. Topic
The candidate does not identify a topic for the project that aligns with the candidate’s degree program.    Not applicable.    Not applicable.    Not applicable.    The candidate identifies a topic for the project that aligns with the candidate’s degree program.
B1. Cover Sheet    The candidate does not provide a cover sheet for the proposal that includes the given elements.    Not applicable.     Not applicable.     The candidate provides a cover sheet for the proposal that includes some of the given elements.    The candidate provides a cover sheet for the proposal that includes all of the given elements.
B2. Introduction
The candidate does not provide a logical overview of the project.    The candidate provides a logical overview of the project, with no detail.    The candidate provides a logical overview of the project, with limited detail.    The candidate provides a logical overview of the project, with adequate detail.    The candidate provides a logical overview of the project, with substantial detail.
B3. Review of Other Work
The candidate does not provide a review of what other third-party work has been done on the topic.    The candidate provides a review, with no detail, of what other third-party work has been done on the topic.    The candidate provides a review, with limited detail, of what other third-party work has been done on the topic.    The candidate provides a review, with adequate detail, of what other third-party work has been done on the topic.    The candidate provides a review, with substantial detail, of what other third-party work has been done on the topic.
B4. Rationale
The candidate does not provide a rationale for the project.    The candidate provides a rationale for the project, with no support.    The candidate provides a rationale for the project, with limited support.    The candidate provides a rationale for the project, with adequate support.    The candidate provides a rationale for the project, with substantial support.
B5a. Systems Analysis
The candidate does not provide a plausible analysis of the current state of the project environment.    The candidate provides a plausible analysis, with no detail, of the current state of the project environment.    The candidate provides a plausible analysis, with limited detail, of the current state of the project environment.    The candidate provides a plausible analysis, with adequate detail, of the current state of the project environment.    The candidate provides a plausible analysis, with substantial detail, of the current state of the project environment.
B5b. Methodology    The candidate does not provide an appropriate methodology for executing the project.    The candidate provides an appropriate methodology for executing the project, with no detail.    The candidate provides an appropriate methodology for executing the project, with limited detail.    The candidate provides an appropriate methodology for executing the project, with adequate detail.    The candidate provides an appropriate methodology for executing the project, with substantial detail.
B6. Project Goals and Objectives
The candidate does not provide a logical explanation of the goals and objectives for the project that includes the given information.     The candidate provides a logical explanation, with no detail, of the goals and objectives for the project that includes the given information.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with limited detail, of the goals and objectives for the project that includes the given information.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with adequate detail, of the goals and objectives for the project that includes the given information.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with substantial detail, of the goals and objectives for the project that includes the given information.
B7. Project Deliverables    The candidate does not provide a logical explanation of what types of deliverables the project will provide.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with no detail, of what types of deliverables the project will provide.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with limited detail, of what types of deliverables the project will provide.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with adequate detail, of what types of deliverables the project will provide.    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with substantial detail, of what types of deliverables the project will provide.
B8. Project Timeline with Milestones    The candidate does not provide a projected timeline with milestones for the project.    The candidate provides a projected timeline with milestones, with no detail, for the project.    The candidate provides a projected timeline with milestones, with limited detail, for the project.    The candidate provides a projected timeline with milestones, with adequate detail, for the project.    The candidate provides a projected timeline with milestones, with substantial detail, for the project.
D. Sources    When the candidate uses sources, the candidate does not provide in-text
citations and references.     When the candidate uses sources, the candidate provides only some in-text
citations and references.     When the candidate uses sources, the candidate provides appropriate in-text citations and references with major deviations from APA style.     When the candidate uses sources, the candidate provides appropriate in-text citations and references with minor
deviations from APA style.     When the candidate uses sources, the candidate provides appropriate in-text citations and
references with no readily detectable deviations from APA style, OR the
candidate does not use sources.