This version of course will be available for Fall 2015 term
New York City College of Technology
The City University of New York
Department of Advertising Design and Graphic Arts
CDMG 2406: Project Management I
Course Description
An overview of the core competencies that CDMG communications project managers need to develop in
order to plan, execute and complete media projects on deadline, within budget and to the quality standards
required for the end product. Students craft Request for Proposals (RFPs), create schedules, budgets, and
learn techniques for monitoring and reporting on a project’s progress and quality. Lectures focus on
learning key terminology related to contracts, advertising and copyright in the media industry by
examining standard contracts from industry.
Case studies and a research-based oral presentation project enable students to develop critical thinking
skills that aid them in communicating effectively with both internal team members and vendors. Students
hone collaboration skills through a studio budget project and an oral presentation project. Industrystandard project management software is used in the classroom so that students can manage projects using
the principles discussed in class lecture and during labs.
3 Credits, 4 Hours (2 lecture, 2 lab)
Co/Prerequisites
CDMG 2300 Cross-Media Color
CDMG 2317 Cost Management I
Course Objectives
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
ASSESSMENT
For the successful completion of this course, Evaluation methods and criteria
students should be able to:
Develop the terminology of media project managers RFP project, Studio Budget Product, Oral
in writing a Request for Proposal and a budget
Presentation, Midterm and Final Exam
based on the needs and requirements of a particular
end product
Identify and determine critical comparisons among Class Discussions, Lab Exercises, Midterm and
various print production methodologies and online Final Exam
content delivery services
Examine and evaluate standard industry contracts,
case studies and pricing for both web and print
projects
Class Discussions, Oral Presentation, Lab Exercises
Understand the basic principles of Color
RFP project, Midterm and Final Exam
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Management across different color spaces and
devices
Understand the Importance of Industry Standards in Oral Presentation, Class Discussions, Case Study
promoting efficiency, sustainability and cost control Summaries and Final Exam
in manufacturing
General Education Outcomes
General Education Outcome covered:
How the outcome is assessed:
Thinking Critically
The student will demonstrate the ability to
determine whether certain conclusions or
consequences are supported by the information
provided.
RFP project, Oral presentation, Midterm and Final
Exam
Writing
The student will demonstrate the ability to write
clearly articulated thoughts in a professional,
informed manner.
Evaluate how well students absorbed and
consequently applied the learning through
CDMGded written portions of projects.
Quantitative Literacy
The student will demonstrate the ability to interpret
and represent mathematical information or symbolic
models such as CDMGphs, tables, units of
measurement or distributions.
Evaluate the student’s presentation of research in
charts and CDMGphs they are required to develop
for their oral presentation, RFP Project, Student
Budget Project
Oral Communication
Speaking: The student will demonstrate the ability
to articulate himself using relevant industry-specific
language
Evaluate through class discussion and through the
student’s oral presentation if students demonstrates
the ability to articulate their research and
conclusions using appropriate industry vocabulary.
Information Literacy
Evaluate through class discussion, RFP project and
The student will demonstrate the ability to research oral presentation how well student was able to
subjects with alacrity, find proper resources and
research independently a specific topic.
formulate relevant queries
Teaching/Learning Method
This class has a mixture of lecture, class discussions, and individual as well as small group project work.
Students are expected to articulate their thoughts during class sessions in the form of lab exercises,
discussions and presentations. A written midterm and final exam will cover topics presented in class
during lecture, lab and homework assignments.
Blackboard and/or OpenLab are used in this course to provide course materials, and allow students to
collaborate inside and outside the classroom.
Required Texts
Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide by Gregory M. Horine, Que Publishing, (2013)
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AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services at http://www.aiga.org/design-business-andethics/
Glossary of Interactive Advertising Terms at http://www.iab.net
Suggested Readings/References
Interactive Project Management by Nancy Lyons & Meghan Wilker, Peachpit Press, (2012)
A Guide to Graphic Print Production by Kai Johassen, Peter Lundberg and Robert Ryberg Eric Kenly,
John Wiley & Sons, (2011).
Additional Readings
Drawn from current and relevant industry publications, websites, and journals such as:
Advertising Age http://www.adage.comhttp://www.adage.com
Wired http://www.wired.com
Journal of Digital Asset Management http://www.palCDMGve-journals.com/dam/index.html
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Simon & Schuster, 2011
International Standards Organization: http://www.iso.org
Folio Magazine http://www.foliomag.comhttp://www.foliomag.com/
Whattheythink.com http://www.whattheythink.comhttp://www.baumfolder.com/
Make Magazine http://www.makezine.com/
Paper Specs 19 Ways to Save Paper Costs http://www.paperspecs.com/
Attendance (College) and Lateness (Department) Policies:
A class roster roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. Only two absences may be allowed. After
two absences, a student may be withdrawn because of unsatisfactory attendance (code WU). Students
arriving after the roll is taken will be marked “late.” Students may be notified at the earliest opportunity in
class after they have been absent or late. After being absent two times or equivalent (2 lateness = 1
absence), a student may be asked to withdraw from the class (code W before the College drop deadline)
or may be withdrawn from the class (code WU).
Academic Integrity Standards
You are responsible for reading, understanding and abiding by the NYC College of Technology Student
Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities,” section “Academic Integrity Standards.” Academic
dishonesty of any type, including cheating and plagiarism is unacceptable. "Cheating" is misrepresenting
another student's efforts/work as your own. "Plagiarism" is the representation of another person's work,
words or concepts as your own.
Grading
• RFP Project (print & screen based project)
• Oral Presentation
• Studio Budget Project
20%
20%
20%
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• Midterm
• Final Exam
15%
25%
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WEEK
Lecture Topic
Laboratory Topics
Homework Assignment
1
Orientation/Defining the
responsibilities and role of the
project manager. Review
requirements and rubrics for class
projects: the RFP, budget and the
oral presentation.
Introduction to Industry
Specific Sources in CUNY’s
Ebsco Database and from
industry associations. Students
use library databases to
research case studies of
successful and unsuccessful
media projects.
• Relevant Industry
Articles on RFPs
Elements to Define a Project:
Goals & Objectives for Project,
Stakeholders, Assumptions,
Constraints, Risks, Policies and
Standards, Preliminary Costs,
Schedule and Resource Estimates.
• Students are introduced to
project management software
such as Microsoft Project or
omnipage to demonstrate
various principles discussed in
lecture. Students work on
reviewing creating new projects
using different sample
templates in project
management software
• Read Chapter 3,
Essential Elements for
Any Successful Project
& Chapter 4 Defining a
Project
• Students develop a
spreadsheet in class to compare
costs and other RFP elements
from three online print vendors
& for website development at
sites such as
http://www.designquote.net/
• Read Chapter 5 ,
Planning the Project &
Chapter 6 Developing
the Work Breakdown
Structure
2
3
Creating an RFP: Lecture covers
essential elements of two different
media RFPs, one for print and one
for web. Comparisons highlighted
between the two types of
proposals. Emphasis in lecture is
on demonstrating importance of
communicating accurate project
specifications to internal and
external stakeholders.
• Read Chapters I,
Project Management
Overview and Chapter II,
The Project Manager in
Required Text
• RFP project
Assigned/Due in four
weeks.
• Current Article
assignment such as
“ How much does it cost
to Build a Small website
in 2013?”
http://www.executionists
.com/blog/websitedesign/cost-to-buildwebsites-2013/
• Work on RFP project
4
Developing Schedules &
Assigning Tasks
• Students develop a schedule
for their for their oral
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• Read Chapter 7
Estimating the Work in
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Samples schedules of different
media projects, highlighting
differences and similarities
between traditional manufactured
media products and digital
interactive media projects.
Discussion of team members and
their roles.
.
5
Contracts & Negotiations &
Vendor Management:
Techniques for Effective
Negotiating. Case studies, sample
contracts, standard agreements
advertising ratecards are analyzed
for students to be exposed to
industry terminology and business
models.
presentation using project
management software
Required Text and
Chapter I in suggested
Text Interactive Project
• Student post sample schedules Management.
on Google Docs site for
classmates to review and
• Revise RFP project
comment on during class
based on classmate
feedback.
• Students exchange RFP
documents and electronic files • Identify oral
with classmates for review and presentation topic &
feedback
post on class web site.
• Students work in groups to
• Read Chapter 21,
investigate how to deliver their Managing Vendors in
RFP project electronically to
Required Text
the target audience.
• Download and Read
• Students use project
“Ten Common Print
management software to create Buying Errors at
a schedule, assign tasks and
http://wwwprintprocure
estimate pricing for electronic ment.com/ebook/http://
delivery of the RFP project.
www.mohawkmakerea
dy.com/topic/paperbasics/
http://www.mohawkm
akeready.com/topic/pa
per-basics/
• Review IAB glossary
of terms
• Continue research for
oral presentation
6
Utilization of Industry
Standards and Specifications to
Manage Costs and Maintain
Consistent Quality: Lecture
explains the important of key
W3C, ISO and ANSI standards in
the media industry such: html 5,
XML, PDFX, JPEG, SVG, AJAX,
XMP, ISO 15076-1:2010,
• Students calibrate their
monitors using Color Munki
spectrophotometers.
• Industry Relevant
Articles on Sustainability
from Conservatree,
Whattheythink.com and
• They virtually proof their RFP AIGA. Readings on
project files using different ICC Electronic vs. Print
profiles in Photoshop.
Media sustainability
issues.
• Students work on Tablet or
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ISO14001, ISO27001 and
IS09001.
web version of RFP project and • Submit Revised RFP
use collaboration tools in
project
Project Management software.
• Continue research for
oral presentation
7
Supply Chain Management:
Instructor Introduces Students to
to Paper Specifying Tools and to
the Pantone Color Bridge books
so that students can get a better
idea of substrate selection using
Professional tools. Substrates such
plastic, foils, etc. are examined
and evaluated.
• Students work with various
• Study for Midterm
online paper spec books to
identify and find specific types • Continue research for
of paper and other substrates. oral presentation &
share outline using PM
• Students work with color
software for
bridge book to adjust their RFP presentation with
project for printing
classmates for review
and comment
8
Midterm Exam
9
Developing a Project’s Budget:
The principles of an effective
budget, its creation and common
budget challenges.
• Students research and develop
a budget for setting up a one or
two person freelance design
studio, including software,
hardware, maintenance
agreements, personnel costs,
space, etc.
• Read Chapter 9
Determining the Project
Budget in the Required
Text
• Continue research for
budget project.
• Continue research for
oral presentation
10
Digital Asset Management
Importance of creating and
maintaining a project’s digital
assets . Naming conventions,
metadata defined and industry
standards for metadata introduced.
Importance of data for Variable
Data Printing (VDP) and other
forms of targeted marketing
emphasized
• Industry Relevant
Articles on Digital Asset
Management Assigned
from the Journal of
• Students enter metadata for
Digital Asset
their RFP project files in
Management or other
Photoshop using IPTC codes & pertinent periodical
relevant keywords
• Students find and read
• Students develop a timeline in Case study on VDP
project management software direct mail campaigns
for creating a database of the
and post summary online
class’s RFP projects
on class web site.
• DAM software vendor sites
reviewed and compared
• Continue research for
oral presentation
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11
Managing Project Changes,
Project Deliverables & Quality:
Techniques for managing and
tracking project changes.
Checklists, templates, reviews,
completion criteria, independent
audits, internal standards, V
method and quality assurance
plan. Examples identified of how
media project managers use these
strategies.
Students visit websites of
Business Publications Audit
Worldwide and Alliance for
Audited Media to compare and
contrast independent auditors
of media industry
• Students develop a checklist
to oral report presentation in
project management software
• Industry Relevant
Articles and Webinars
on Emerging tablet
specifications from
industry sources.
• Summarize an article
from readings on class
discussion board.
• Students work on finalizing
budget project
12
Oral presentations
• Students self-assess their oral Students read assigned
presentations and also provide chapter of the Steve Jobs
feedback to peers using
BioCDMGphy
instructor provided rubric.
• Students post final
oral presentation on
class website.
13
Legal & Copyright Issues
Related to Media Industry:
Trademark, copyright, rights and
permissions contracts in the
multichannel media industry
• Students research legal cases
related to font use, image
manipulation and post
information learned on
classroom discussion board
Industry Relevant
Articles on 3D Market
from Wired, Make
Magazine,
Whattheythink.com
• Final Budget Project
Due
14
Managing Technological
Change
• Field trip to 3D Printing site
on or off campus to see a
demonstration of this new
Disruptive new technologies in the disruptive technology.
media marketplace.. The concept
of disruptive analyzed within case • Final Exam Review
studies of current and previous
technological advances such as the
internet, the scanner, the digital
camera, 3D Printing, etc.
• Industry Relevant
Articles on 3D Market
from Wired, Make
Magazine, etc.
15
Final Exam
N/A
N/A
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