David Ogborn (dktr0)
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MEDIAART 3D03: Project 2

Project Requirements

The purpose of the second project in this course is to continue to explore the six areas/learning outcomes in a project that is demonstrably more ambitious than the first project. A text proposal for the second project is due by 10 PM on Fri 13 Mar (on Avenue). The project itself is due by 10 PM on Thu 2 Apr (on Avenue), and will be exhibited during a public showcase during the last class meeting (Mon 6 Apr, during the regular class meeting time).

The requirements of project #2 are as follows:

  • it must be demonstrably more ambitious than project #1
  • it must generally align with the submitted proposal (except as discussed further with me)
  • its code elements must be made using a text editor, with no copy-pasting or code generation
  • it must be implemented with standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (including the potential use of JavaScript libraries)
  • it must be possible to submit it in a self-contained format such that all of your original codework can be directly read and assessed
  • it must engage somehow (potentially very loosely) with any of the ideas we've discussed in connection with one or more of the "Codes", "Web Pasts, Presents, Futures", and "Generative Art and Live Coding"

Projects that meet all of the above requirements will count as "ACHIEVED" for the purposes of the final grade. Projects that are submitted in good faith (i.e. clearly represent a substantial quantity of work aimed at the requirements) but which do not quite meet the requirements will be given the chance to RESUBMIT within one calendar week of the date on which feedback is given (normally within 2 weeks of submission), up until the date of the final exam after which no further resubmissions are possible.

As if with the first project, it's quite important that you write the code yourself for this project. Iterative, direct contact with code that you write, read, and change yourself is the best way to learn about how that code works (and thus also good preparation for the final exam in this course). In addition to the time we'll spend hacking together on things in our class meetings, I am always happy to meet with people outside of class to think about project challenges, strategize about how projects can be kept manageable and realizable, etc.

Ideas about ways to make the second project more ambitious

This is a non-exhaustive list of some ways to extend the topics from the first part of this course in more ambitious directions:

  • Incorporate things discussed in the middle part of the course, such as static-site generation (and markdown), databases, QR codes and QR code art
  • Work with translating more substantial or complex knowledge/data into web-based form
  • Go further with JavaScript programming, including using carefully selected JavaScript libraries for various purposes
  • Go further with incorporating generative art and live coding features into a website (especially if you didn't do this in your first project)
  • Explore deploying a "directly authored" website to a cloud-based webserver with a purchased domain name (this probably isn't ambitious enough by itself, but could be an element of an overall plan to make something more ambitious in this and other ways)
  • Explore deploying a "directly authored" website to a globally accessible home server (with or without a domain name) (also probably not ambitious enough by itself, but could be an element of an overall plan to make something more ambitious in this and other ways)

More about the proposal

A text proposal for the second project is due by 10 PM on Fri 13 Mar (on Avenue). This proposal has several purposes:

  • To help get you thinking about and working on the project sooner rather than later
  • To ensure we both (you and I) have a clear understanding of the specific way(s) the project will demonstrate the additional ambition required
  • To ensure there is a clear and feasible plan for how the project will be completed.

With that said, here are the requirements for the proposal for project #2:

  • it must be written by you (not someone else, not a chatbot)
  • it must be submitted in PDF format on Avenue
  • it must clearly define what the project will do / what it will be
  • it must clearly identify how this is genuinely more ambitious than your first project in the course
  • it must clearly identify any dependencies of the project, if there are any (e.g. JavaScript libraries)
  • it must contain a schedule of work for how the work will be completed, with at least 5 stages/milestones

Before you ask: No, there is no minimum or maximum length requirement for this. Any proposal that meets the 6 requirements above will count as "ACHIEVED" for the purpose of the final grade (and will be a sufficient basis for me to give you feedback). I don't care about spelling, grammar, or the format looking pretty (so long as I can read it). I do care about it meeting the requirements above and it being a genuine statement of your own ideas about the project and the topics in this class.