Week

To Do/To Complete

1:

W. Aug. 31sth

·        Introduction to the course – syllabus and other course materials

·        Review of concepts of “strategic opportunities” and “just noticeable difference”.

·        Student introductions, and form teams (probably 3 teams)

·        Exchange personal contact information, availability, strengths, weaknesses, and interests

As groups:

·        Identify clients

·        Prepare to interview clients for compatibility in schedules, availability, needs (theirs, not yours), skills (yours), and personalities.  Read the SBIÒ Student Consultant’s Manual before your interview meeting.

·        Call your clients to arrange a meeting.  Interview the clients at their places of business.  (Dress in professional or business casual attire.)  Use the SBIÒ Interview Guide (download from website) for your interviews.  In contacting clients, be professional and responsible.  However, in these initial contacts you should not yet commit to doing specific tasks. Be clear in explaining that you want to maximize the mutual benefit in the project, choosing a set of tasks that best fits your abilities and interests, as well as matching your and the client’s availability.

·        Start keeping your consultancy journal with logs of all time spent on the project, including meetings, research, writing, revisions, etc. Logs should contain the date, duration, description, and location of the work.  (Download from course website.)

Week

To Do/To Complete

2:

W. Sep. 7th

Meet in classroom for approximately 1h45mins as a class; review of concepts of “strategic opportunities” and “just noticeable difference”.

Then in groups by appointment:

·        As a team, before this class meeting, prepare a short summary of the team’s activities and progress to date (including the results of your client interviews), a list of questions and/or concerns, and a plan for next week.  Bring these to class.

·        Choose a meeting time with Dr. Vigneron for the weeks indicated in the course schedule (I am available for these meetings during scheduled office hours and class time.)

·        Turn in your “headshot” photograph to Dr. Vigneron

As groups:

·        By today you should have interviewed potential clients (see instructions for Week 1).  Show your completed interview form and review it with Dr. Vigneron as necessary.  Select your client and inform Dr. Vigneron.  

·        Discuss with Dr. Vigneron whether a technical advisor is needed. This faculty member should have relevant expertise with at least one aspect of your project, such as research needs, industry, type of plan, etc.

·        Prepare a draft Letter of Engagement (download letter template from course website). (Dr. Vigneron must approve the Letter of Engagement before you show it to the client.)  Call your client and arrange to proceed with the project.

·        Turn in weekly consultancy logs for, and signed by, all group members - these will be due each week during the class meeting or in your meetings at Dr. Vigneron’ office

3:

W. Sept. 14^th

 Meet in classroom as a class; review of concepts of “strategic opportunities” and “just noticeable difference”.

Week

To Do/To Complete

4:

W. Sept. 21st

 Meet in classroom as a class; review of concepts of “strategic opportunities” and “just noticeable difference”.

5:

W. Sept. 28th

M. Sept. 20th

Meet in classroom for mini quiz then in groups by appointment.

Mini Quiz on concepts of “strategic opportunities” and “just noticeable difference”. 40 questions in 40 minutes.

W. Sept. 22nd

Meet in classroom

·        Bring your signed Letter of Engagement and Confidentiality Agreement.  Have four (4)copies signed: one for your client, one for you, one for my files, and one for the final report you will give me.  You will have 2 final report at the end of the semester. On for me (including a CD with your report saved in it) and another copy for the client.

·        Provide name of committed faculty advisor (if applicable)

·        Show evidence of trade book ordered/purchased.

·        Turn in initial consulting proposal with research plan to Dr. Vigneron (this should be approximately 2 pages in bullet-point format)

·        Turn in progress report on secondary research with proper citations and references

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

6:

W. Oct. 5th

WFC

Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140)

Turn in to Dr. Vigneron:

• Secondary research (to date) with proper citations and references
• Revised proposal and research plan
• Proposed preliminary research instrument(s)
• Weekly consultancy log

Discuss with Dr. Vigneron:

• Information learned through secondary research
• Proposed research instrument(s)
• Proposed schedule of meetings with client and technical advisor
• Teamwork concerns, if any

7:

W. Oct. 12th

  Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140) to discuss Situation Analysis, and data analysis

·        Turn in complete draft of Situation Analysis and SWOT, and receive feedback

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

·        Conduct data collection

·        Conduct data analysis

8:

W. Oct. 19th

  Meet in classroom (1125) for progress updates and brainstorming session

·        Present to the class (1/4 Bootcamp PowerPoint slides) your analysis of the client’s situation, including what you have learned from secondary research and client-provided information. Summarize in SWOT.

·        Present research plan

·        Pretest primary research instrument(s) (e.g., surveys) on class

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

·        Outside class, continue to work on Situation Analysis and SWOT

Week

To Do/To Complete

9:

M. Oct. 26th

Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140) to discuss results of analysis, and additional work needed

·        Data coding and initial statistical analysis should be completed; submit written analysis of findings and supporting data/analysis

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

10:

W. Nov. 2nd

WFC

Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140)

·        Submit written update with initial recommendations

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

11:

W. Nov. 9th

  Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140) to discuss revisions

·        Turn in complete first draft.  This should be submitted as though you believe you are finished – i.e., it should be thorough, and your best written work, edited and proofread

·        Prepare Celebrating Success poster boards, and present to the class for feedback

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

12:

W. Nov. 16th

  Meet in classroom to brainstorm

·        Present to the class (2/4 Presentation Bootcamp with ppt), including:

ü      Brief reminder of situation analysis

ü      Research instrument(s) and methodology

ü      Findings from data analysis

ü      Specific recommendations regarding strategy, tactics, and implementation details

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

13:

W. Nov. 23rd

 Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140) to discuss revisions

·        Work on revisions and do additional work as necessary

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

Week

To Do/To Complete

14:

W. Nov. 30th

Meet with Dr. Vigneron in groups by appointment (JH 4140)

·        Work on revisions and do additional work as necessary

·        Finalize posters

·        Prepare presentation for Celebrating Success event

·        Keep filling out weekly consultancy log, but turn in next week

15:

M. Dec. 7^th

=Submission date

Meet in classroom

·        Turn in completed final project to Dr. Vigneron in both hard copy and electronic form. This is the official due date.  You may not consider the report ready for binding until you have approval from Dr. Vigneron. Once you have approval, prepare two bound copies (one for your client, and one to be turned in to Dr. Vigneron and housed in the Wells Fargo Center).

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

·        Formal project presentation (3/4) TO CLASS.  Bring two bound copies of report (see Week 14).  Dress in professional business attire.

·        Submit Letter of Receipt to client, including a stamped envelope addressed to Dr. Vigneron.  Advise client to please return it no later than end of last month of class (see below).

·        Turn in weekly consultancy log

16:

W. Dec 14th

Finals Week

Formal project presentation (4/4) TO CLIENT and invited guests.

 ·        Turn in Peer Evaluations no later than on the first day of finals week if not before.  You may slide your completed form under Dr. Vigneron’ door at JH 4140.

·        Original Letter of Receipt is due from your client by the same time.  You are responsible to organize that the client mail this letter back to me no later than this date or before this date.  The original must be received directly from the client for your grade to be final and for your grade to be submitted.

·        Turn in final weekly consultancy log if applicable

Congratulations!  You are done!    J