Project Third Engine
Audience Brainwriting Exercises
May 16, 2019 Kickoff Meeting
Welcome!
Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today.
What is this project about?
Leveraging the news and magazine websites, we wish to create a new, centralized hub of content that tells the story of UMBC.
What do we gain by telling our story?
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Support relationship building with alumni and local communities
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Secure financial support and goodwill for University, from state funding to corporate and foundations, research funding to individual donors
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Increase applications and yield of undergrads at University
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Increase community participation in UMBC events and programs
-
Enhance visibility and quality of reputation (perception as a top tier institution)
"I like the bold, but clean, typography. I like the use of white space. I like the use of vibrant color. I like the crisp and colorful photography, and also that they are large images. Overall, it has a clean, approachable, and enticing look. It doesn't feel cluttered or overwhelming. And of course, I like the subject matter."
"Includes a lot of content without feeling like it's a lot of content."
"...many of the stories are sprinkled with beautiful photos, videos and other digital surprises (maps, exciting ways of showing data, etc.)..."
Survey Says...
Who are we trying to reach?
For today's meeting, we'd like to focus on the two following audience types:
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UMBC Alumni
-
Program Funders
Agenda
| First activity | UMBC Alumni | |
| Write Answer for Questions | 5 min | |
| Group discussion | 10 min | |
| Post it | 5 mins | |
| Present highlights to the whole group | 10 mins | |
|
Break: refreshments and time to vote
|
10 mins | |
| Second Activity | Program Funder | |
| Write Answer for Questions | 5 mins | |
| Group discussion | 10 mins | |
| Post it | 5 min | |
| Present highlights to the whole group | 10 mins | |
|
Break: refreshments and time to vote
|
5 mins | |
| Conclusion | ||
| Discussion Relevant ideas | 5 mins | |
| Burning comments? | 5 mins | |
| What's next? | 4 mins | |
| Thank you and where to send additional ideas | 1 min |
Activity Explanation
Assembling content ideas to reach our target audience and motivate them.
Do's & Dont's
UMBC Alumni
| Pitch a full story or spend too much time on any one piece. |
| Select content that has nothing to do with UMBC |
| Get stuck in the resources and time restraint |
| Focus just on the wildcards that you've drawn, use the base persona as well. |
DO
| Help determine the kinds of content that might attract our target audiences |
| Include a call to action on every content type |
| Draw from the UMBC universe |
| Allow yourself to get beyond the restraint of resources and time |
| Use both the base persona details as well as the wildcards |
DON'T
What did we like?
Break time, Vote time
Vote for someone else's idea, you selfish jerk!
PROGRAM FUNDER
| Pitch a full story or spend too much time on any one piece. |
| Select content that has nothing to do with UMBC |
| Get stuck in the resources and time restraint |
| Focus just on the wildcards that you've drawn, use the base persona as well. |
DO
| Help determine the kinds of content that might attract our target audiences |
| Include a call to action on every content type |
| Draw from the UMBC universe |
| Allow yourself to get beyond the restraint of resources and time |
| Use both the base persona details as well as the wildcards |
DON'T
Break time, Vote time
Vote for someone else's idea, you selfish jerk!
What did we like?
Next Steps...
Thanks!
Have additional thoughts and ideas?
jbryan@umbc.edu
Project Third Engine - Audience Exercises
By Bryan Barnes
Project Third Engine - Audience Exercises
A brainstorming activity for the Magazine / News mashup.
