The purpose of this part of the assignment was to create a plan to deliver a final project.
Key words from the brief:
- Write your project plan
Project plan
Introduction
The information on this page is a plan for a project, a snapshot in time (accurate as of 09/08/22).
Following agile principles, it is the minimum information required to define the scope, approach and a delivery roadmap for the initiative.
Like all project plans, it will be out of date at the point its published; plans never survive the reality of doing the work, particularly when the work is complex, the solutions unknown and subject to frequent change.
The ‘live’ plan will be maintained alongside other key artefacts such as the backlog, in Miro (an interactive collaboration tool, rather like a virtual whiteboard). It’s available to inspect at any point by contacting @hughhadfield. It will be updated daily, and during production, several times a day.
The plan is iterative and more information will be added as it becomes available. The roadmap will be updated at the end of each phase.
OKRs (objectives and key results)
OKRs are a tool used by Google to organise and manage work to maximise value to customers and their organisation.
OKRs are a way to describe why I’m doing the project and how I know that I’m moving towards the outcomes and goals.
Project description
Oli is a 40 to 60-page comic in a sci-fi genre, written initially as a film script by Juan Blanco, illustrated and designed by Hugh Hadfield.
It’s completely experimental. and there’s a high risk of failure and a high likelihood of learning.
The scope of the project includes:
- Refining the script
- Design and illustration of the interior pages and cover
- Page layout and design
- Production of print-ready artwork
- Publishing and distribution (assuming the quality of the comic is deemed high enough)
- Marketing and launch
Approach
- The initiative is split into four phases that broadly correspond to the four OCA assignments.
- Discovery – shaping and planning the work
- Design – Refining the script, all aspects of design, prototyping and testing
- Production – creating artwork, colouring, layout, proofing, packaging for print
- Launch & next steps – Product marketing and launch, finalising OCA assignments and submission for assessment, planning next steps
- The work will be carried out using lean agile principles
- Work organised and prioritised into a single backlog
- Progress tracked using kanban with WIP (work-in-progress) limits
- There will be regular progress reviews to inspect and reflect of the work and identify ways to improve
Roadmap
The roadmap shows high level activities and outputs arranged across time, with key milestones added to provide context.
Timeline
Work will be timeboxed so that it can be submitted as part of the OCA Spring 2023 assessment. Current understanding is that the final date for submission is 31/01/23 (this target date was ultimately missed).
Stakeholders
This section includes stakeholders related to the delivery of the project NOT indie publishers, print-on-demand publishers, users or customers who are considered in the Marketing Strategy.
| Title | Impact – how much does the project impact them? (H,M,L) | Influence – how much influence do they have over the project? (H,M,L) | What is important to the stakeholder? | How could the stakeholder contribute to the project? | Strategy for engaging the stakeholder |
| OCA tutors and Assessors | M | H | Work that is well constructed, clearly labelled, high quality (as defined in OCA assessment criteria) Assignments submitted on time | Critical friend, providing advice, challenge and guidance | Through standard one-to-one and group tutorial sessions and email |
| OCA students | L | L | Mutual support and learning | As part of design reviews | Through existing support group, regional forums and OCA forums |
| Testers/reviewers | M | L | Support, being part of a project | Design reviews, proof reading | Direct contact |
Users
To be defined as part of research.
Resources
Access to print studio and printmaking equipment.
Budget
Based on initial research, costs should be minimal. Self-publishing and print on demand remove the need for expensive print runs or high distribution costs.
People
- Hugh – illustration, graphic design, project manager
- Juan – Scriptwriter, editor
Bought-in services
TBC – but likely to include one of the one-stop-shop print-on-demand services such as Ingram.
Risks
There is a risk that the comic might not be of a high enough quality to publish. This is a risk because this is the first full length comic that either of the people involved in making the work have been involved with. Evidence from other comic book creators suggests that the first attempt at a major project often fails to meet necessary quality criteria, but is extremely valuable in terms of learning and as a stepping stone towards the next project.
Illustration 
