University of South Florida Feasibility Stress Related Progress Report

Team Feasibility Report

Percentage Weight of Final Grade: 40% comprised by the full report and smaller deliverables.

Feasibility reports are used to assess whether an idea or plan is practical. The feasibility report presents possible solutions and assesses their feasibility. It does not select a solution and recommend or propose its implementation. Feasibility reports answer questions such as:

 Deliverables (40% total):

Deliverables (40% total):

•             Deliverable 1 (Due Sunday, April 12 in Canvas): Team Charter and Action Plan Memo (10%)

o             Approximately two-page memo explains the team’s planned course of action for the project

o             The memo consists of 1. a Team Charter and 2. a Work Plan (who will do what by when):.

?             Click here for an example of a team charter. (Links to an external site.)

?             Click here for a second example of a team work plan (links to an external site)

•             Progress Report with Draft Feasibility Report (10%)

•             Final Feasibility Report (15%)

•             Note: The digital presentation has been replaced with a self/team evaluation memo (5%)

This unit asks students to write a feasibility report focused on one, local, real-world problem. Students with research a problem and write a feasibility report that describes the problem and describes possible solutions, then present their reports to the class. Students work collaboratively on the report. The project requires significant research and the creation of a formal report.

Learning Objectives

Report

•             Understand and apply the conventions of a report

•             Address a specific problem and develop realistic potential solutions to that problem

•             Integrate evidence gathered from research to support an argument

•             Use data visualizations to integrate data in support of an argument

•             Apply the stylistic conventions of professional writing to craft an effective argument

•             Apply principles of document design to create a visually appealing document designed for readability

Presentation

•             Use visual design principles to develop appealing and appropriate slides

•             Practice effective presentation skills

Collaboration

•             Work as a team to collaboratively produce a successful formal report

Topic Selection

Topics for the report project should come out of the Research Summary.  Unless students choose to change your topic, you can maintain the research topic from Project 3. 

The problems students will examine should be real issues on campus, in the workplace, or in the community. The only stipulation to the topic is that the subject should be related to the students’ major or discipline. The goal is to transfer student knowledge and apply it to a situation occurring in the real world.

Even so, students will need to do additional research, as the research component of the unit is significant.

Feasibility Report Project

In completing the Feasibility Report assignment, students will select a real, local problem and complete the following activities:

•             Further research the problem, to include background, context, statistical data, and qualitative data (i.e., interviews, etc.), as appropriate.  Although you already researched the problem in Project 3, there is additional research that must be completed to fully describe the problem to your readers.

•             Develop explicit decision criteria (at least three) used to assess the feasibility of potential solutions

o            

?             For more information about decision criteria: Choose the Right Decision Criteria (Links to an external site.)

•             Generate and research possible solutions (at least three) that significantly improve, if not fix the problem.  This research is different than Project 3, because Project 3 was only about the problem, itself.  Now you must also research at least 3 solutions to compare.

•             Write a feasibility report that synthesizes their research with their decision criteria to argue to what extend each solution is feasible according to the decision criteria, and also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each solution.

NOTE: The report should include data visualizations, like graphs and charts, to establish the scope of the problem and/or potential impacts of solutions. The most original figures and visuals are those you create yourself based on your own primary research.  However, in workplace writing, sometimes the best option is to use and cite a fitting visual that someone else has made.  Each feasibility report must include four visuals.  I suggest placing one in the problem sections and one for each of the solutions being examined.  This is not a requirement, so you may place the visuals wherever they fit in your report.

Assignment

Working in teams, students will write a formal feasibility report about a specific, real issue on campus, in the workplace, or in the local community. The report will analyze the issue, present at least three possible actions/solutions that address the situation and assess the feasibility of each solution using decision criteria relevant to the problem and supported by research. Research is essential to both the analysis of the situation and as support that the students’ decision criteria are applicable and that their solutions are feasible. Additionally, solutions must be realistic.

Feasibility reports are used to assess whether an idea or plan is practical. The feasibility report presents possible solutions and assesses their feasibility. It does not select a solution and recommend or propose its implementation. Feasibility reports answer questions such as:

•             What is the problem and what are the best approaches for solving it?

•             Is a particular course of action likely to succeed?

•             Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

•             What are the pros and cons?

•             What are the alternative courses of action?

•             Should anything be done at all?

•             Is the timing right for action?

The answers to these must be based on research.

Presentation

A persuasive presentation is key to making a successful recommendation that would result in action. Presentations can be given in the final week of the semester. Student teams should create and present a final presentation that outlines their report, including a description of the problem, decision criteria, and potential solutions. The presentation format would follow the format of the written report with rhetorical choices to edit content and facilitate maximum audience impact. Slide design should be emphasized, and all team members should speak during the presentation.

Collaboration

Successful collaborative writing is a major objective of the project and should be emphasized in class discussions. Students should be asked to consider their work habits and the implications of those habits when working collaboratively. Encourage students to leverage their strengths in the workflow and in assigning duties--i.e., math skills, attention to detail, writing skills, visual design skills, strong organizational skills. And also encourage students to build into their workflow ways to negotiate work habits like procrastination or perfectionism to ensure that all team members complete work on time and up to the teams’ specifications. The initial memo deliverable includes a Team Charter that should be developed through exercises that ask students to be both critically reflexive and honest with the team about their work habits, and to think through how the team will work together. Collaborative skills are further developed through regular Team Progress Reports. The efficacy of the team’s collaborative efforts is reflected in the Individual Team Evaluations submitted at the end of the semester.