Technology Consulting in the Community

Week: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Finals

Date	Session Topics	Session Materials	Assignments
Week 1
Course Overview and Requirements, Pre-Test	Course Information Handout Course Introduction Slides	Assigned: Ayole Homework
Capacity-Building Consulting and Alternative Consulting Models	Consulting Models Slides Consulting Models Chart CART Video	Due Today: Ayole Homework Assigned: Read Apprenticing with the Customer Read: Technology Literacy Benchmarks for Nonprofit Organizations Read: Southwestern Pennsylvania Nonprofit Technology Survey 2008
Gathering and Analyzing Information	Gathering Information Slides Context Description Chart	Due Today: Read: Apprenticing with the Customer Read: Technology Literacy Benchmarks for Nonprofit Organizations Read: Southwestern Pennsylvania Nonprofit Technology Survey 2008 Assigned: Mess Map Homework
Structuring unstructured problems	Structuring Unstructured Problems Slides	Due Today: Mess Map Homework due before class Assigned: Hunger Alliance Homework
Establishing Relationships, Preparation for the Initial Community Partner Meeting	Relationships & Preparation for Initial Meeting Slides	Due Today : Hunger Alliance Homework Assigned: Initial CP research and meeting planning
Initial Community Partner Meeting		Due Today: Initial CP research and meeting planning
Researching alternative approaches	Slides: Initial Meetings Review Status Reports Literature Review CFD-Checks	Assigned: Read: (Due Sep 17) Introduction to Technology Planning and follow the links and read the 7 planning stages . Arts/Boston Technology Planning case study A Consumers Guide to Low Cost Donor Management Systems Comparing Open Source Content Management Systems: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Plone Browse the articles available at Idealware Browse articles available at TechSoup Assigned: (UPDATE: This report now due Saturday Sep 19) About the Organization Report Assigned for Thu Sep 24: Literature search, as described in Literature Review Slides
Buy / Build Alternative Web-Based Solutions Technology Planning	Buy/Build Slides CMS and Hosted Application Slides Technology Planning Slides	Due Today: multiple readings Assigned: Scope of Work Planning Workshop Preparation Due Saturday Sep 19: About the Organization Report
Scope of Work Planning Workshop Frank's group Neethi, Tubtim, Sean, Trisha Hamburg Hall 2110 Joe L.'s group Joshua, Veda, Brian, Ashley Hamburg Hall A202 Joe M.'s group Ju Young, Samer, Amanda, Alan Hamburg Hall 2101E		Due Today: Review everyone's About the Organization report Scope of Work Planning Workshop Preparation
Context Analysis, Scope of Work Report, and Work Plan	Slides: Context Analysis slides Measurable Outcomes slides Handouts: Context Analysis Template Context Analysis Requirements and Grading Criteria Peer Review Presentation Requirements Work Plan Examples: Example one Example two Context Analysis Examples: Sustainable Pittsburgh Community Technical Assistance Center Caveat per the use of examples: These are examples of past students' good work. They are not ideal solutions, however, and some parts may not be good. Therefore look at them with a critical eye and use them as examples not templates. Also be aware that your requirements are in the Context Analysis Requirements and Grading Criteria, and the requirements for these reports could have been slightly different.	Due Today: Literature search, as described in Literature Review Slides Submit to Blackboard before class. Assigned: Context Analysis Report Send to Peer Send to Mentor Send to Community Partner Submit to Blackboard
Communicating your plan Peer reviewing an other's plan	Peer Review Slides Purpose, Value, and How To Review Consulting Reports Peer Review Presentation Requirements	Due: Context Analysis Report Send to Peer Send to Mentor Send to Community Partner Submit to Blackboard Assigned: Review of Peer's Context Analysis Report Assigned for Thu Oct 8: Revised Context Analysis Report
Context Analysis Workshop Frank's group Neethi, Tubtim, Sean, Trisha Hamburg Hall 2110 Joe L.'s group Joshua, Veda, Brian, Ashley Hamburg Hall A202 Joe M.'s group Ju Young, Samer, Amanda, Alan Hamburg Hall 1111 (new room!)		Due Today: Review of Peer's Context Analysis Report
Discussion of Content Management Systems (no formal class, attendance not required).
Reviewing Work Plans		Due Today: Revised Context Analysis Report and Work Plan Bring 4 paper copies of your Work Plan to class
UPDATE: No class		Due Today: Bring 4 paper copies of your Work Plan to class Assigned: Read: Modeling Technical Skills Read: New Metaphors for Understanding the New Machines (This document is available from the ACM Digital Library from on campus or when connected via the library VPN from off campus) Do: Communicating Technical Ideas homework
Modeling Technical Problem Solving Communicating Difficult Technical Concepts	Modeling Technical Problem Solving slides Communicating Difficult Technical Concepts slides	Due Today: Two readings Communicating Technical Ideas homework Submit to Blackboard before class. Bring a copy to class
No class
Documenting and Analyzing Outcomes	Documenting Outcomes slides	Assigned: Outcomes Homework
Outcomes Workshop	Outcomes Workshop slides	Due today: Outcomes Homework Assigned for Tue Nov 3: Initial Analysis of Outcomes Submit these to Blackboard Email them to your mentor & peers for discussion next class.
Formulating Recommendations	Recommendations slides Report Criteria Outcomes Analysis & Recommendations	Assigned: List of Potential Recommendations Submit to Blackboard Email to your mentor & peers for discussion next class. Assigned for Thu Nov 12: Analysis of Outcomes and Recommendations Report
No class		Due Today: Initial Analysis of Outcomes List of Potential Recommendations Submit these to Blackboard Email them to your mentor & peers for discussion next class.
Recommendations Workshop Frank's group Neethi, Tubtim, Sean, Trisha Hamburg Hall 2110 Joe L.'s group Joshua, Veda, Brian, Ashley GHC 4101 (The normal classroom) Joe M.'s group Ju Young, Samer, Amanda, Alan Hamburg Hall 1111
Recommendations Affinity Exercise
Writing the Final Report Discuss Recomendations	Final Report Requirements Final Report Template This template uses the same formatting styles as previous templates.	Due Today: Analysis of Outcomes and Recommendations Report Send to Peer Send to Mentor Submit to Blackboard
Review for Exam Final Presentation	Final Presentation quidelines and Final Exam review questions Consulting Model Overview slides	Due Today: Peer Review of Analysis of Outcomes and Recommendations Report
No class	Example Outcomes Example Recommendations	UPDATE: Due Saturday Nov 21 by 9:00am firm: Revised Analysis of Outcomes Recommendations Report submitted to Blackboard Email Full Consulting Report to Community Partner and Mentor
Exam
Thanksgiving Holiday No class
Reflection
No Class or Meetings		Due: Full Consulting Report
Finals Week
None		Due Today: Final Presentation PowerPoint Slides
Community Technology Forum Noon - 4:30 p.m. University Center - Rangos 3 Open to the Public		Due Today: Conduct Final Presentation