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Client Project Setup

What needs to be clear for the client project to work is clear expectations of what you're offering and what your client needs to do to fulfill that end of the bargain.

This is an editing project--therefore:

• Client has an existing "document"
• Editing in this case means feedback, both in terms of text and layout/design

The design feedback doesn't have to be earth-shattering, resulting in a completely redesigned document. It does need to cover some issues, substantive and textual.

So what you need from them is an initial version, and a revised version, and a bit of participation.

Deliverables:

• What you will give them is the feedback and any supporting explanation, if needed.
• What you will turn in to me, is the original document, whatever documents supply the feedback, hopefully a revised version of their document, and a short report that contextualizes the client, document, and situation, and that reflects/explains some significant direct applications of what we've been learning, and some direct examples of the working-with-people side of editing. The first part of this document--the contextualizing and situation analysis--should not simply state the situation as if it were a given, but rhetorically analyze it, breaking down the concept of purpose the writer has, misunderstandings of audience, use of the document, etc., and explaining ways to build your credibility through testing, research, or explanation.

The Contract: What I need to have from you, soon, is some form of written contract between you and the client, that clearly explains the project, what what will be exchanged, what you're offering, and the limits of what you'll do (as far as the course is concerned--if you can turn this into a consulting project on your own, more power to you). This document needs to have contact info and signatures.

Developing your Report on the Editing Project: There is a great deal of valuable experience--communication and activity--inside the client project. We'll start parsing that out here, offering as big a list of the types of learning and/or new activities you take on in the project. The report is your chance to make the case for what you have learned or put into practice in the client project.

• A functional, user-oriented approach
• Establishing authority
• Issues in coaching, teaching the client
• Issues in methods--how to deliver feedback
• Drill down on a portion of the document, and build sections from that
• Purpose of context (Carrie S.)
• Building a relationships--getting the client to understand his/her users/audience (Carrie S.)
• Giving the client choices so they feel like they haven't lost control (Cherie E.)
• Catering to the needs of the audience rather than focusing on being "artistic" (Cherie E.)
• Problem Solving (Alicia V.)
• Making and giving surveys to suggest edits based on what works for the audience (Kaylyn K.)
• Let client know I work for them and don't be afraid to speak up if you don't like my approach (Kaylyn K.)

But whatever you do, you need to have your report demonstrate depth in your own awareness of all the processes involved.