31: Final Project Guidelines and Grading Guide Overview The final project for this course is the creation of a visual merchandising plan for a major retail store. The plan will include a description of the visual strategies  the retailer is currently using, the development of a new visual merchandising process based upon a specific theme, the development of a visual display  incorporating the principles of design, the development of point-of-purchase and store signage materials, and the development of an advertisement and special  event material. The final product will be the culmination of a comprehensive visual merchandising plan for a specific retailer. The project is divided into five milestones, which will be submitted during various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final  submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Two, Four, Five, and Six. The final submission of the project will be submitted in Module Seven. The completed plan will be submitted in Microsoft Word (alternative software is permissible with approval from the instructor). Outcomes In this assignment, students will demonstrate their mastery of the following course outcomes:  ? Student will become facile with the terminology and concepts used in visual merchandising ? Students will be able to identify creative resources, concepts, and development processes in visual merchandising ? Students will be able to identify core design elements, color harmonies, and atmospherics and use them in a visual merchandising plan ? Students will demonstrate ability to use and assess tools and strategies that will draw a positive response for a targeted group of consumers ? Students will understand the varied requirements for different visual merchandising techniques ? Students will understand the value and the difficulties involved in multimedia visual merchandising Prompt Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: A. Background (CO1) – Milestone One ? Identify a retail store for your visual merchandising plan. Describe how a visual merchandising plan would benefit this company.  ? In your description, use specific terms and discuss why this particular company may need to work on its visual merchandising strategies. B. Visual Store Theme (CO2) – Milestone Two ? Identify a development process based on a theme. ? List three to five creative resources. C. Core Design Elements (CO3) – Milestone Three ? Atmospherics ? Color harmonies  ? Balance, emphasis, proportion, rhythm, and lighting ? Environmental design D. Tools and strategies (CO4) –Milestones Four and Five ? What is the target market? ? Assess and recommend available tools ? Point-of-purchase materials ? Print advertisement E. Conclusions – Final Product (CO5) (CO6) ? Determine the various requirements for the plan (CO5) ? Identify pros and cons involved in multimedia visual marketing (CO6) Milestones Milestone One: Store Selection In task 1-2, you will select a major retail store for which you will complete a visual merchandising plan. The initial plan will include the following elements:  ? Identify the reason for choosing this specific retail store to create a visual merchandising plan. ? Describe how a visual merchandising plan would benefit this company. ? Also, state why this particular company may need to work on its visual merchandising strategies. Your description should use specific terms and discuss why this particular company may need to work on its visual merchandising strategies. This will be a one- to  two-page paper. This milestone should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document with APA citations. The task will be graded as pass/fail. Milestone Two: Visual Store Theme In task 2-3, you will develop a visual merchandising process for your store. This merchandising process must be centered on a specific theme. It should include three to five creative resources. You should also describe and use pictures to create a storefront window display, general store décor, and interior display fixtures  for the store that you have selected for your project. When developing this store visual plan, make sure to develop a theme to create continuity throughout the store. This will help display the brand image. This should be created in Microsoft Word, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, or Adobe Photoshop; however, the  final submission should be in Word document format. This task will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Principles of Design In task 4-2, you will develop a visual display that you think the store you selected would use. You may use downloaded images to develop your display. This  display must include the principles of design (balance, emphasis, proportion, rhythm, harmony, color, lighting, and atmospherics) as well as environmental design  elements that were used. Discuss how these elements would be beneficial for the store. Submit this as a Word document including pictures and text. This task  will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Milestone Four: Point-of-Purchase and Store Signage In task 5-3, examine the blog 5 Elements Essential to the Point of Purchase and Examples to Prove It. Using the retail store chosen for the project, develop two  point-of-purchase materials that you believe a retailer would use as visual displays. One should be signage material, and the other can be your choice. Identify  the target market for these point-of-purchase displays. You may use Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Adobe InDesign to create these  documents; however, the final submission should be in Word document format. This task will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric. Milestone Five: Advertising In task 6-2, you will create a print advertisement and special event for the retail store. Use the same visual concepts that you have used for the prior milestones. Keep the theme concise and continual throughout the prior milestones. This milestone should be submitted in one of the following programs, Microsoft Word,  Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Adobe InDesign; however, the final submission should be in Word document format. This task will be graded with the  Milestone Five Rubric. Final Project Submission: Visual Merchandising Plan In task 7-2, you will complete a visual merchandising plan. The completed plan will be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign; however, the final  submission should be in Word document format. It should include the following sections: ? Cover Page ? Table of Contents ? Visual Strategies Description of Selected Retail Store—Milestone One ? Display Window Theme—Milestone Two ? Principles of Design Concept—Milestone Three ? Point-of-Purchase and Store Signage Material—Milestone Four ? Advertisement and Special Event Material—Milestone Five ? Conclusion summarizing the visual plan and how it will help create a new brand image for the selected store The visual merchandising plan should be a comprehensive plan incorporating the critical elements listed above as well as the instructor’s feedback on each  milestone.