WRITING A PROPOSAL

At the moment the main focus is on drafting a project proposal as it is due on the 21/08/12. The following information consists of helpful tips which can been used in the process of writing a proposal.

Proposals will either be accepted or rejected.  Obviously, you want your proposal to be accepted.  To help make this possible, the six steps below should be closely followed:

1. Your proposal should define the problem and state how you plan to solve the problem. Your proposal should assure your readers that you can solve the problem effectively. Everything in the proposal should revolve around the problem and an effective way to solve it.

2. Do not assume that your readers will believe your solution is the best. The purpose of your proposal is to convince your readers that your solution is the best. You should not be over confident that they will approve of your solution. Do your best to look at the proposal and solution from the reader's point of view.

3. Your proposal should be researched thoroughly. If possible, you should provide readers with examples and facts. These items usually make your proposal more meaningful and convincing. Try to keep your opinions out of the proposal. Opinions are not facts, and most readers will not support them. The best advice is to research other articles and proposals on your topic. You can always include this information in your own proposal.

4. Your proposal should prove that your solution works. Make sure that your solution is possible. You should include an analysis of your plan and possible results of your solution. Try a pre-test of your solution to see if it works.  You may need to revise your solution before submitting your proposal.

5. Your proposal should be financially feasible. Think about the finances of the company or person to whom you are writing the proposal. Make sure that they can afford the solution you are proposing.  Make sure to explain why your solution would be worth their time and money.

6. Your finished proposal should look attractive. The finished proposal should be as perfect as you can get it. This includes the overall appearance of the proposal and the content inside the proposal.

DECIDING ON TOPIC

Investigative Process

• What am I going to do? (Think S.W.O.T)
• Decide on 3 ideas and 3 questions for each idea
• What are the questions you are going to investigate?
• How are you going to answer these questions?
• Align the learning outcomes with the proposal
• To be at least 3 pages

• Technical and Social Knowledge - What are the technical constructs that connect your project to its social environment

• P.E.S.T: 

                       P olitical -How or what legislation may be needed or changed?

                      E conomic - What are the economic implications

                      S ocial - (public/private)Impact on society and environment

                     T echnological - Effects on technology

PROJECT IDEA'S

Shock Absorber Sensor
Design a sensor which monitors the movement of a suspension shock to help determine the life expectancy of a shock in terms of wear. This will ultimately act as an indicator to alert the driver if a shock has failed in operation, in which case it will be replaced with a new part.

Tire Pressure System
Design a sensor system which monitors the tire pressures to help keep the tires at their optimum pressures, therefore improving the overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle.

Trundler Trolley Return Coin System
Design a coin system which requires shopping customers to return trolleys back to their collection bays, which requires a gold coin to activate.

Anti-Fog / Anti-Glare Windows
Design an automotive glass which has anti-fog and anti-glare properties. During summer, sun-strike is a key cause of road accidents; while in winter fog is a constant hindrance. Making such a glass available would make vehicles safer to drive during the harsh weather conditions.

E-Security, Shopping System
Design a system which provides a helpful, interactive, and a safe shopping experience for retail customers, while maximizing the level of security.

Spare Parts Shop
Set up a workshop in Samoa that specialises in Japanese car parts. Due to the recent changes in driving side, there is now a high demand for Japanese cars, with it the demand for Japanese spare parts also increases. This prompts a need for a specialized parts store in Samoa.

Diagnostic Workshop
Introduce a specialist type of workshop into the market which focuses primarily on troubleshooting and fault finding. This concept derives from the lack of automotive electronic knowledge, particularly in the latest automotive technologies in the south pacific making it a viable idea.


Online Automotive Comparison Website
A website based database which compares all automotive related products in terms of price and functionality.

INDUSTRY PROJECT (First Lesson)

In our first lesson, our lecturer Jone gave us the course outline for the upcoming academic year. In order to give us a head start, he provided us with key tasks and important dates in the form of a gantt chart. 

The first task to be completed in order of succession begin with the "PROPOSAL". According to Jone, this should form the basis of the project and must contain the project name, concept, problems, solutions, and all learning outcomes. He recommended that we complete the proposal write up as soon as possible, and preferably within four weeks if we are to be on schedule. At the same time, he suggested that we begin planning our project using a gantt chart, the reasoning being to help set the project scope and keep us up to date with the project tasks. 

I feel this lesson was very productive in the sense that we were provided with the appropriate information required to begin working effectively on the project. I hope to have completed my draft for the proposal this time next week.

BRAINSTORMING INDUSTRY PROJECT IDEA'S

Shock Absorber Sensor

Design a sensor which monitors the movement of a suspension shock to help determine the life expectancy of a shock in terms of wear. This will ultimately act as an indicator to alert the driver if a shock has failed in operation, in which case it will be replaced with a new part.

Tire Pressure Sensor

Design a sensor which monitors the tire pressures to help keep the tires at their optimum pressures, therefore improving the overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle. 

Anti-Fog / Anti-Glare Glass

Develop a type of glass that has anti-fog and anti-glare capabilities, making the glass suitable for all types of weather.

Diagnostics Workshop 

Introduce a specialist type of workshop into the market which focuses primarily on troubleshooting and fault finding. This concept derives from the lack of automotive electronic knowledge, particularly in the latest automotive technologies in the south pacific making it a viable idea.  

Spare Parts Distributor

Introduce a spare parts company that specializes in Japanese vehicle spares.

STARTING POINT FOR FINDING IDEA'S

• Knowledge of an industry, looking for unsuspected  opportunities in a field you know.
• Knowledge of a sport, game or pastime, seeking ways to supply others with that interest profitably.
• Knowledge of an occupation or profession, supplying erstwhile colleagues with some service they need.
• Looking at things for sale on eBay, seeing what strange opportunities exist to sell almost anything.
• If you have contacts in retail or manufacturing, buying cheaply ends of ranges and seconds.
• Getting a job in an SME (small or medium-sized enterprise) and learning how they work.