Do you have what it takes to break down technical work for broader audiences? Can you prove it?
At the moment this is just a concept. If people show interest I’ll make it happen. So if you want it to happen, make sure to sign the interest list.
There is nothing wrong with writing thorough, dense, and highly technical reports and resources. But if you want your insights to drive action, you have to intentionally break them down for other people. It’s practical work requiring skills that don’t often get taught to prospective researchers and evaluators in grad school.
But with practical work, I find the best way to learn is to practice. So I had this idea to launch a set of challenges that simulate real-world data design and dissemination projects. The kind of work I do on a regular basis with clients.
What would the FreshSpectrum Challenge look like?
There would be a set of very specific mini-challenges. For each mini-challenge, you start with a real-world dense technical report. Then it will be up to you to take on the work of breaking it down. I’ll have activities relating to strategy, storytelling, copywriting, illustration, graphic design, and more.
The goal would be to test your skills and push your limits.
One thing I’ve learned working as an information designer and dissemination strategist is that in actual practice, clients rarely give you a perfect design spec sheet. They give you a 70-page PDF and ask you to make it useful, pretty, or more engaging.
So the challenges will be a bit fuzzy. You’ll need to make design choices, and be able to defend the choices you make. There won’t be a right or wrong answer.
Will it be self-paced?
Yes. It will be self-paced, you can do as little or as much as you want whenever you want.
Will there be webinars or a community?
Depending on interest I might have associated webinars. But I’m also thinking I’ll build a Discord community so that there is a place to share your work and connect with others in the broader FreshSpectrum community also taking on the challenges.
Would there be a cost?
Nope. It would be free to join and participate for everyone.
The incentive for me is that the skills you would use to complete the challenges are also things I teach through my workshops and offer through my consulting services. So while I wouldn’t get money directly, a few of you might decide to take one of my future trainings or bring me in to help support your own team’s reporting efforts.
Interested?
Would be interested in joining the FreshSpectrum Challenge? Tell me so by adding your name to the interest list. This will help me gauge interest, and if we move forward, you’ll be the first to know.
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