Group Project Proposal

CS491/591 • Spring 2026 • University of New Mexico

Due: Week 10, Thursday, March 26, 2026
Format: 3-5 page written proposal + 10-minute presentation
Weight: 10% of project grade (5% of overall course grade)

Two Options

Option A: All team members contribute to ONE HFOSS community, and will produce a single-community analysis in the final paper.

Option B: Team members work on 2-3 different HFOSS communities connected by a common theme, and will produce a comparative analysis in the final paper.

Section 1: Project Selection (0.5-1 page)

For each community, answer the following:

1. Name and brief description in 1-2 sentences
2. What problem does the community address? Who does it serve?
3. Why did you choose this community? What makes it meaningful to your team?
4. Evidence of project health: Recent commits, active issues/PRs, responsive community (summarize in 2-3 sentences or add 2-3 screenshots).

For Option B teams only, also answer:

5. What is the common theme connecting your communities? Summarize in 2-3 sentences. (E.g., accessibility, crisis response, education, environmental justice, community organizing)

Section 2: Contribution Plan (1-2 pages)

Building on your work from Exercise 2, answer:

1. What will you contribute? (Be specific - which features, docs, designs, etc.)
2. Why these contributions? (Community need? Team skills? Impact?)
3. Division of labor: Who will lead what?
4. Timeline: What will you accomplish weeks 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, and 16?
5. What do you need to learn/prepare? (Technical skills, tools, community guidelines)

Section 3: Critical Framework (0.5-1 page)

Choose ONE framework from the course materials:
Postcolonial Computing, Feminist HCI, Social Justice Design, ABCD, Participatory Design, Action Research, Repair, Post-Growth.

Answer:

1. Why is this framework relevant? (1-2 sentences)
2. What questions does it raise about your community or communities? (2-3 sentences)
3. How will this framework shape your contribution approach? (2-3 sentences)

Section 4: Risks & Backups (0.5 page)

What could go wrong? How will you adapt? For example:

• Do you have backup contribution ideas if the technical barriers are too high?
• If maintainers are unresponsive, do you have alternative communication strategies?
• If a team member's availability changes, how will you reallocate work?

Please note: Plans change, life happens! Just make sure you have done enough research into your community to give your best attempt at a real contribution. Your final paper and presentation will grade you on a demonstration of effort, the community analysis, and a reflection of your experience. It's ok if you cannot make a contribution or if your PR gets rejected, you will not be penalized for this.

Presentation

We will hold proposal presentations during our Week 10 workshop day (Thursday, March 26). You don't have to prepare slides if you don't want to. Simply use this time to get feedback from peers and instructor.

Up to 10 minutes total:

• Communities and why you chose them (2-3 min)
• Contribution plan and division of labor (3-4 min)
• Critical framework (2 min)
• Risks & backups (1-2 min)

Everyone on the team should speak.

Grading

Submission

• PDF, 3-5 pages, single-spaced
• All team members' names must be included
• Submit via Canvas by Thursday 3/26, 11:59 PM