UTCF Project Management
The Project Brief: Managing the Connexions Francophones (UTCF) project for the University of Texas has been both a challenging and rewarding endeavor. The project aimed to create an e-French textbook to provide an immersive learning experience for students. My role as the project manager involved overseeing the creation of digital assets, including banner graphics for chapter breaks, PowerPoint presentations for lessons, and curating appropriate images to complement the textbook content.
The Process: The process of creating these assets requires meticulous planning and execution. One of the first tasks I undertook was to develop a comprehensive tutorial on creating graphic assets, specifically the banner for chapter breaks. This tutorial covered everything from image editing in Photoshop to banner creation in Adobe Illustrator. It was designed to guide my team members, ensuring consistency and quality in our outputs. For instance, the tutorial detailed steps for cutting out images, adjusting their contrast and exposure, and then incorporating these images into banners that align with the textbook’s aesthetic and pedagogical goals.
Simultaneously, I developed a system to keep track of assignments and their progress. I created a detailed spreadsheet that listed each lesson’s specific tasks, such as green screen effects, banner creation, and backdrop development. This spreadsheet included links to Basecamp and Box folders for each task, allowing team members to easily access and upload their work. It also tracked the project status and due dates to ensure we stayed on schedule. This level of organization was crucial in managing the complexity of the project and facilitating effective collaboration among team members.
One of the significant challenges was ensuring that all the digital assets we created—whether banners, images, or presentations—were not only aesthetically pleasing but also pedagogically effective. This meant selecting images that accurately reflected the cultural and linguistic content of each lesson and designing banners that would visually segment the textbook in a way that enhanced students’ learning experience.
Another challenge was the collaborative aspect of the project. Guiding coworkers through these processes required clear communication and patience, especially when introducing them to new software or design principles. I held regular meetings to discuss progress, address challenges, and share feedback. This collaborative environment not only improved the quality of our work but also fostered a sense of community and shared purpose among the team.
The Outcome: The outcome of our efforts is a visually engaging and educationally rich e-French textbook that stands as a testament to our team’s dedication and skill. The textbook’s design, enhanced by custom graphics and carefully curated images, provides an immersive learning experience that we hope will engage students and facilitate their exploration of the French language and francophone cultures.
Overall, managing the UTCF project has been a deeply fulfilling experience. It has challenged me to grow as a leader and a designer, taught me the value of meticulous organization and effective collaboration, and ultimately allowed me to contribute to an innovative educational resource that will impact French learners for years to come.
