Outline

Introductions and Syllabus

Structure of the course – hybrid – online and in-person

• Idea Generation and Design Thinking
• Research Project – group project
• Prototype and Website Development
• Senior Portfolio

Online classes will include videos, readings, Slack discussions and short quiz (TRACS)

Jobs in Digital Media
Jobs Presentation

Slack info – you will be invited to our Slack team, innovationtxst.slack.com. You can use this on the web or on the Slack app. You will have discussion assignments on the online class days to a different Slack channel each week. We will discuss in class.

Assignments due by midnight Jan. 24:

• Slack Post. You will be invited to a Slack team – In the #general channel, introduce yourself. Describe a few of the problems you’d like to see being solved by some sort of innovation or disruption. What type of a career do you see yourself in after graduation. Describe the role of technology to your professional future.  I’ll invite you to our Slack team (innovationtxst.slack.com). Once you join, if you can’t find the channel, you may have to click the word Channels in the sidebar to be able to browse and add a channel. Find the place where you can put your photo on your profile and do that.
• Quiz 1 on the Intro material and Syllabus on TRACS

Jan. 27 – online; complete by midnight

Innovation

Read Chapter 1 Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Developing the Entrepreneurial Mindset

Watch Videos

Review these articles:

Intersection of Technology, Media, Innovation

• The Most Innovative Companies 2019 – Fast Company
• 11 Innovations That Changed History – History.com
• 40 Greatest Innovations of All Time, The Startup Guide
• Five Key Steps to an Innovation Mindset – 2018

Failure

• Creating an Innovation Culture: Accepting Failure is Necessary, Forbes 2012
• Why Failure Drives Innovation, Stanford Graduate Business
• Why Failure is the Foundation of Innovation, Inc. Magazine

Other Innovation Readings

• Apple – A Brief History of Innovation
• History of Computers – A Brief Timeline – Live Science, 2015
• History of Computers – Computer History Museum
• History of Computers – Explain That Stuff, 2016
• History of Computers Documentary
• History of Networking and Web – Computer History Museum
• History of the Internet

Assignments:

• Slack post – #innovation. What are some of your favorite examples of innovation? Why? Reference the Fast Company list of innovative companies above. Which of those do you use and why do you think the were included on the list? What role do you think innovation will play in your professional future? Can you be innovative without being an entrepreneur? How?
• Also: Begin updating personal website/portfolio. We will discuss during our next class meeting. Review the Portfolio requirements on the Assignment page. You can use Bootstrap or a self-hosted WordPress for this site on your own domain, but you cannot use WordPress.com.
• Take Quiz 2 on TRACS

Jan. 29 – in person

• Before class read and watch these items:
  • What is design thinking? – video;
  • “Creating Innovation” Classes at Stanford, Medium, 2017
  • IDEO on 60 Minutes
  • David Kelley – TED Talk – Creative Confidence, 2012
  • How an IDEO Designer Created a Yelp for Refugees – Fast Company 2019

Senior Portfolio and LinkedIn discussion

Idea Generation and Design Thinking 

Design Thinking – discussion

Exercise: Problem to Prototype: Post your solution to the #solutionprototype channel. Comment on at least two others.

Work on Senior Portfolio/LinkedIn

Start thinking about problems you’d like to solve. Talk to people about their key problems and issues.  Next week, we will do some exercises to focus a specific problem (how young people get news and information) that you can apply to your own problem and allow you to begin working on your idea profile.

Feb. 17 – online; complete by midnight

• Watch Nonny de la Pena TED Talk – The Future of News? VR
• Read Chapter 6 Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Freelancing as Entrepreneurship and Consulting as Business Models
• Slack — #nonnydelapena – What were the most important elements of her talk? How might you integrate VR in your career?
• Take Quiz 5 on TRACS

Feb. 19 – in person

• Review the following reports before class:
• Mary Meeker, 2019 Internet Trends
• Journalism, Media and Tech Trends 2019 – Reuters
• Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards, 2019

Media Trends Discussion – what are the most important trends in these reports. Why do you think so? How do you think these trends will affect you during your career?

Idea Profile is due –  Post a pdf of your paper on the #ideaprofile channel

Feb. 24 – online; complete by midnight

• Read Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Startup Funding 

• Read and Watch:
  • What Exactly Is Venture Capital? -Forbes 2016
  • Angel vs. Venture Capital – Revision3
  • What are Startup Funding Rounds – Revision3

Assignments

• Slack – #startupfunding Based on the chapter, describe some of the different types of funding a business can receive and why based on the type and stage of business.
• Take Quiz 6 on TRACS

Feb. 26 – in person

Lean Canvas

Review Running Lean book before class

Group Assignments for Research Project; initial meetings with group

Project Management and Productivity Tools

Lean Canvas Resources

• Running Lean presentation
• Running Lean – This is the entire book, but focus on the Lean Canvas chapter
• Capture Your Business Model in 20 Minutes
• Lean Canvas Template
• Startup Toolkit

Lean Canvas Exercise – post your Lean Canvas from your group to #leancanvas channel on Slack. Just one post per group, but include the group members names who worked on it in the post.

March 2 – online; complete by midnight

Pitching and Developing a Media Product

Chapter 8 Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Pitching Ideas

Pitch Resources – read and watch all these items

• How to Create an Elevator Pitch – video
• Crafting an Elevator Pitch
• Six Tips for Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch – video

• Ultimate Pitch Deck – Forbes
• Best Pitch Decks
• Build the Perfect Pitch in 5 Steps – entrepreneur.com
• Best 3-Minute Pitch
• HUDLog Pitch
• Demo Day Pitch

Assignments:

• Slack – #elevatorpitch – Individually, write an elevator pitch for the problem-solution your team is working on. 
• Take Quiz 7 on TRACS

March 4 – in person

Complete Lean Canvas

• Paper Prototype Exercise
• Work on Group Research Project
• Submit your Lean Canvas to #leancanvas

• Complete Senior Portfolio Website March 4 at midnight. Submit the url to the #seniorportfolio Slack channel.
• You will have time to work with your group in class.

March 9 – online; complete by midnight

• Chapter 9  Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Marketing Your Venture to Audiences
• Work on Group Research Project

Assignments:

#marketingventure – do a post discussing at least three brands and how they are effectively marketing to their audiences.  Specifically discuss the ways they use social media and content marketing.

Start thinking about Prototype and Final Website projects.

Take Quiz 8 on TRACS

March 11 – we will not meet in person. Check your emails or TRACS Announcements

I will be in touch about these assignments and their due dates. Please complete the critique of your peer’s portfolio by midnight, March 11.

• Make a paper prototype
• Introduction to free prototyping tools: Use Proto.io, Adobe XD (students can install Adobe XD for free) or Figma (student free option).
• Figma Demonstration
• Discussion of Prototype and Final Website projects
• Submit your paper prototype to #paperprototype channel.
• Complete Critique Student Senior Portfolio by midnight March 11. You are assigned to review the next person on the roster under your name. We will discuss in class. Do this in a document and create a pdf and post in the #seniorportfolio channel (start a thread on the post that he/she used to submit their portfolio and include their @name in your post).