Defining Your Project Scope
A Checklist for Educational Media Projects
Before development begins, a clear scope saves time, money, and frustration on both sides. This checklist covers the key areas to think through — whether you're planning a museum kiosk, a learning module, or something in between.
Not every item will apply to your project. But each one is worth considering before your first conversation with a design partner.
Our free and fillable workbook walks you through all the key questions to answer for your project:
Your Goals
1. What is this project meant to accomplish?
Deeper engagement? Broader reach? Solving a specific problem?
2. Who is your primary audience?
Visitors, students, general public, stakeholders?
3. What does success look like, and how will you measure it?
Budget
1. Do you have a defined budget range, or do you need help scoping to a number?
2. Is funding coming from a grant with specific deliverable requirements or reporting needs?
3. Is ongoing maintenance and support included in your budget, or does that need to be a separate conversation?
Timeline and Deadlines
1. Is there a hard launch date?
Exhibit opening, grant deadline, semester start, event?
2. Are there institutional review or approval stages that need to be built into the schedule?
3. What's your availability for feedback rounds during development?
Content
1. What content already exists that the project can draw from?
Text, images, video, research, archival materials
2. What content needs to be created from scratch?
3. Who on your team has final approval on content accuracy?
Format and Scope
1. What type of experience are you building?
Touchscreen kiosk, tablet-based module, web-based interactive, something else?
2. How long should the experience take a typical user?
90 seconds? 5 minutes? Open-ended?
3. How many sections, screens, or interaction points are you envisioning?
4. Does this need to work as a standalone piece, or is it part of a larger exhibit or curriculum?
Audience Diversity & Accessibility
1. What languages do you need to support?
2. What age groups or learning levels should the design accommodate?
3. Are there cultural considerations for how content should be presented?
4. Are there institutional accessibility standards you need to meet?
Post-Launch
1. Who will be responsible for day-to-day operation of the finished product?
2. Will staff need training to operate or troubleshoot it?
3. How often do you anticipate content needing updates?
4. Do you need a maintenance and support plan?
This is a sample of frequently asked questions but our fillable workbook delves even deeper into defining project scope.
The more of these questions you can answer going in, the faster you'll get to an accurate proposal and a realistic timeline.
