Thesis Proposal

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Applied Project Proposal Outline - Guidelines

Your proposal outline details the applied project that you propose to conduct, the methodology to be used, and the framework for the approach. The purpose of the topic outline is to allow

you to describe your proposed project in sufficient detail to enable the course professor to approve your project for the Applied Project course. This initial vetting serves to raise the

probability of your successful completion of this capstone course by enabling you to begin the course with a firm foundation for your project. You will achieve this by thinking about your project and describing it in writing.

In addition to serving as a description of your project to allow the professor to admit you to the

course, the outline may also be useful as a means of “selling” your idea to a potential project sponsor or as the “kick-off” for your actual project. Therefore, your topic outline must demonstrate clarity of thought on your part and an ability to engage in a meaningful project.

But it should also interest and excite the reader so that s/he is motivated to be your sponsor on the project.

Your outline must contain the elements shown below. There are no specific requirements as to the length of your topic outline submission. Include enough detail to clearly elucidate your

project concept. Remember that this is your preliminary project outline. So do not be overly concerned about providing the Nth degree of detail. You will have ample opportunity to expand

upon the various items during the course itself. However, you need to provide sufficient information so that your project idea can be considered by the course professor for your admission to the course.

1. A Working Title and your Name (cover page). Title should be descriptive and interesting.

2. Your NetID (for example zx1234), 3. Your NYU ID Number, begins with “N” followed by 8 or more digits (for example N12345678)

4. A Table of Contents for the sections of your proposal.

5. The company name “the client” may be a for-profit company or a not-for-profit organization. Note: no remuneration is involved.

6. Company location including country, and city, state. NOTE: US-based organizations are preferred.

7. Name and role of your proposed project sponsor.

o This is the person serving in a managerial role in the “client’s” area benefitting from the project. Once the course begins, the sponsor will sign a document (to be provided later) giving their approval for you to conduct the project and indicating that they will be

available to mentor you. S/he also will also approve the monthly status reports that you will prepare as well as the statement of project completion. The course professor is not

your sponsor.

o NOTE: SPONSOR SHOULD PREFERABLY BE U.S.-BASED AND MUST BE ABLE TO

COMMUNICATE ORALLY AND IN WRITING IN ENGLISH. You are required to state whether your sponsor has these English language capabilities.

8. Sponsor’s location: country, city state where your organization’s sponsor is located.

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9. Description of the client’s business -can be a for-profit business, a not-for-profit, or charity.

10. Goal of the project

Describe the business problem or opportunity you will address and why.

11. Projected business benefit of the project. How will the “client” benefit from the

completed project?

12. Brief description of your project. What will you be doing? What will be the result of your project in terms of a product or service, or process, etc.

13. Your relationship to the client. If you are employed by the client, you should name and describe your business unit and the business unit benefitting from your project. They cannot

be the same unit.

14. Project objectives and Metrics for measuring project success (3-5 objectives/

metrics). Objectives are what you intend to accomplish by the end of the project. Metrics are the means of measuring achievement of each of the objectives, and, hence, project

success. The objectives together with the related metrics, give us a means of determining how we will measure the success of your project. But do not confuse objectives with the tools

for ascertaining the metrics, such as reports, meetings, analysis, etc. Describe in as much detail as you can at this time. You will add more detail later, during the course. Be sure to include quantity and time measures. Objectives should meet the “SMART” criteria. That is,

each one should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Related. If necessary, review these definitions from your Project Management course.

15. Your role in the project. Explain in detail. It is not sufficient to state “Subject Matter Expert,” for example. Remember that in the applied project you have a dual role. You are

both: (a) the person conducting the project and (b) the project manager of your project. Explain what you plan to be doing relative to both aspects of your role.

16. Proposed duration Show both of the following:

a) Expected start and end dates

b) Forecast for total number of hours you will devote to the project. Must be at least 250 hours of your project time, excluding meetings or travel.

17. Expected completion date and semester - What is your forecasted completion date and semester?

18. Resources required E.g., human resources, funding, data, access to systems, equipment,

etc. Describe in as much detail as you can at this time. You will add to this later, during the course.

19. Areas of study in the MS program that would be covered by the project:

o Which areas of study in the MS Program will help you plan and conduct the

project?

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20. Anticipated Learning outcomes: Each applied project must also afford you the opportunity to learn something new. Describe what you expect to learn by conducting this project. Do the

best you can at this point. Much more of this will emerge once you are actively conducting the project.

21. Anticipated Project Findings :

o Potential solutions that you will explore.

o Discuss any limitations you expect to find once the project is concluded.

22. Your SPS Academic Advisor’s Name

23. Your Expected Date of Graduation