Guiding Questions: Digital Media

This document guides teams through the questions they should consider as they plan their entry. For detail on how entries will be scored, see the Scoring Rubric for the Digital Media event.

Critical Thinking

1. What problem did you intend to solve?
   State the problem your team solved and explain why it is reasonable in scope. Also describe the factors you considered to ensure that the solution was achievable.
2. Who will benefit from your entry?
   Describe your target audience in detail and how your solution addresses the specific needs of this audience.
3. What unique value does your entry offer to users?
   Provide compelling evidence to show how your solution is innovative and useful to your target audience. Use the data you collected while conducting interviews, surveys, observations or field studies, and research at the library or online.
4. Did you effectively solve the problem? How do you know?
   Before you finalize it, test your solution with members of your target audience. Discuss how you tested and revised your solution based on these tests. Then, provide evidence that your final solution effectively solves the problem for your target audience. If there are any remaining issues with your solution, explain why they remain, or how to resolve them in the future.
5. What impact did this project have on your team? What did you learn by participating?
   Reflect on how your team as a whole developed and learned as you worked on your entry. Also describe how this learning experience will help you in the future.

Communication

1. Is the content of your entry well organized, and is the writing style consistent throughout?
   Does the entry provide ways to explore the content more deeply, if desired?
2. Is all text polished (i.e., clearly written with correct grammar, punctuation and spelling)?
3. Is all text written in students' own words or quoted properly from cited sources?
4. Does the entry provide a comprehensive and formatted reference list?
   Did you conduct sufficient research to support the design of your solution?
5. Does the entry provide citations near the work/ideas being cited (inline citations)?
6. Where appropriate, are language/text labels used consistently throughout the entry?
7. Where appropriate, does the entry demonstrate appropriate word choice for commands & functions?

Technology

1. Do all digital media tools chosen by the team effectively convey content?
   Are they well-suited to the overall user experience?
2. Does the entry provide an intuitive structure for fluid and logical navigation?
3. Do all of the entry's design elements help create an appropriate look-and-feel for the target audience?
4. Does the entry perform well under most circumstances?