Module Descriptor

This project comprises a major portion of the final year, about one third of the students' effort. The project is student lead and negotiated through close liaison with an allocated supervisor, and developed from a students particular interest in an aspect of the Bsc/BA (Hons) Digital Art and Technology and Multimedia Production & Technology programmes. The project comprises of a significant interactive multimedia production that should be creative and experimental in its approach and placed within a critical theoretical context.

BSc MPT

To provide an opportunity for each student to study some aspect of an engineering/business problem to a greater depth than is practicable elsewhere in the undergraduate programme. It also presents the student with a design, experimental or other investigative problem appropriate to the objective of relating theoretical studies to practical application. Wherever possible projects will be based on problems originating from industry - perhaps those brought into the final year of the course from the student’s immediately preceding industrial placement experience - or from current research projects.
The student will be expected to display initiative, creativity, ingenuity, planning and presentational skills in delivery of the project achievement.

Indicative Syllabus

Students will select their own topics (subject to negotiation with your supervisor) to enable you to develop greater expertise and practical experience in areas of particular interest.

Approved topics will have a substantial design and problem-solving content, with an emphasis on the use of clear analytical techniques, creative and experimental approaches, good design methodology and thorough critical evaluation.

Projects will be supervised by means of regular meetings with an assigned project tutor.

Introduction

The Project comprises a 40 credit module and allows the student to tackle a significant practical problem solving task and demonstrate individual initiative. As such, the student is able to apply many of the design skills developed during the course to a substantial multimedia product. As the Project is an essential element of the course, compensation is not available in the case of the Project if an Honours degree is to be awarded.

Requirements: The project forms an integral part of your final year studies and counts as a double module (40 credits) over both terms and as such contributes one third of the marks available for the year. You should anticipate spending at least one day per week on your project. The project should tackle a significant practical problem solving task and demonstrate individual initiative enabling you to apply many of the design skills to a substantial multimedia product. Each student will produce an individual project. Group work will not be allowed, although elements of the production process which require other peoples help will be negotiable with staff.

Website / Blog

First things first - you should develop a website/blog to document your projects progress. All students are expected to set up and maintain a website/blog to manage the project with key stages published online by deadlines set by the Module Leader, this will include the project outline, model, demo and prototype.
This website/blog is essential to allow your project tutor to see and understand your progress through the project.

[Early Project Development]
On returning to University in September you will soon be required to submit your Project Outline (see below for more details); a short document that outlines the scope of your project, your creative and technical intentions and any references to authors, exhibitions, digital and non-digital artworks, technical projects that have guided and influenced your aspirations.

To prepare yourself in the best possible manner for writing your Project Outline you should begin by finding a field of study or idea that excites you. It is vital that what ever idea you choose to run with, it is one that you are truly excited by and is not something that you think tutors will like! Be prepared to visit galleries, read books, see new technologies, listen to people and digest as much new and old media as possible.

Do not despair if you do not come across an amazing idea to begin with, many of you will develop your thought processes properly once you return to being a student. Your allocated project supervisor will help you hone and develop your ideas into an exciting form.

Keep a journal or workbook to begin documenting your research, and use it to develop ideas. Collect gallery guides, images, URL's, quotes - anything that will allow you to focus the many ideas that you will go have.

Timetable

7th October 08
Induction to Final Year Project

15th October 08
hand in of the project outline via email (gianni.corino@plymouth.ac.uk)

17th October 08
mail to communicate tutor assignation

22nd November 08
MODEL hand in digital form through your blog/website. The model could be presented in any medium or format you find best communicates (i.e. interface mock up, storyboard, mind map, diagram, use case scenario....). Discuss it with your supervisor.

23rd January 09
DEMO presentation, Location: TBC
The DEMO is a vizualization or a simulation of your project to be presented and discuss with tutors and your classmates

3rd April 09
PROTOTYPE presentation, Location: TBC
The PROTOTYPE is a practical demostration of the proven ability to engage in the production of your project, The protoype has to be presented and discuss with tutors and your classmates

Hand in deadline: The Friday 22nd of May @ 12pm

25-29 may 09
PRESENTATION, schedule will be defined later