Format of the Proposal

Your project proposal should be addressed to your client, not the class or teacher. Formal proposals typically comprise six elements:

• introduction,
• background,
• proposal,
• staffing,
• budget, and an
• authorization request.

Since I'm assuming that you will have talked to the client already, and gotten at least a tentative, oral agreement to work with you, I'll ask you just to focus on only three: an introduction, the background, and the plan:

1. Introduction
This is the "executive summary" of the proposal. Catch the client's attention by giving a clear, succinct idea of your understanding of her needs and what your proposed Web project can do for them. Be creative, but also use everything you know about the client's tastes, values and goals to help ensure that what you propose fits in with the rest of the client's operation. Keep in mind that you're presenting yourself as well as your project, so tone is important.

2. Background
Before writing this proposal, you should talk to and study the client to analyze a problem or challenge the client faces and the ways your proposed project will address it. This section is your chance to show you understand the situation completely. Indeed, in his book Secrets of Successful Web Sites, the Web-design consultant David Siegel says a good designer needs to understand the client's business better than the client does himself-but of course you shouldn't tell your client this!

3. Plan
Here, you'll discuss specifically and practically how you'll go about solving the problem: your methods, materials, software used, the schedule you'll follow, etc. Specify when throughout the process you'll need any content from the client, or when you'll want to meet or be in contact with her, and when you'll be ready to show her the BETA version. Try to make the client a regular part of your process to avoid unhappy surprises or misunderstandings at the end. Remember that you'll also get feedback from the class in workshop on the last evening of class. You should plan on delivering the final project to the client on or before our final exam.