Spring 2013 — UC Irvine — Information & Computer Science — ICS 139W — David G. Kay
Changing the System: Peer Editing Guidelines for the Promotion Piece
Because this assignment is very short, you
should have at least two of your classmates edit it (and you should
edit two of your classmates' papers). Try to work with people you haven't
worked with before. (There's a separate page of guidelines for the
résumé and cover letter; consult that one if you're doing
that alternative.)
Here are two excerpts from the assignment:
Any change in an existing system is likely to disrupt the system's current
users. If your change were implemented, you would want to reassure the
current users that the new system will be better for them—to "sell
them," in other words, on your changes.
Finally, you will prepare a one-page flyer, brochure, memo, or web page
announcing, describing, and promoting your change to the current users of
the system. This "promotion piece" may be one- or two-sided and
may be relatively informal in tone—just so that it gets the message across
without its readers dismissing it as a joke.
Great flexibility is possible in the form and content of these pieces, but
(a) they must do the job (in this case, make the users of the current system
want to use the changed system), (b) use clear, correct, grammatical English,
and (c) follow the principles of good design and typography.