Thoroughly research the prior work that relates to your proposal. Prior work includes techniques and methods, as we as other solutions to the problem / approaches to the scenario that you are addressing. Use Google, Google Scholar, the ACM Digital Library, CiteSeer, the patents collection, and TAMU LibCat, as well as the papers already on our reading list. When you find a relevant article, use it to find others through citation chaining. Consider commerical and freelance applications, as well as academic papers. Create a bibliography, with the entries alphabetized and formatted properly.

What is the research contribution of your project? What new ground does it break? What new knowledge will you create? As in CHI:

These are stated in two sentences, as shown in the following examples:

1. Describes an adaptive technique for improving focus-targeting in distortion-based visualizations, that flattens the view based on pointer speed. The technique can significantly reduce targeting times and targeting error.
2. Describes a sound-enhanced system based on Instant Messaging, supporting presence awareness and opportunistic interactions among mobile, distributed groups. Can help mobile people stay connected in a lightweight, enjoyable way.

The prior work collection is an essential component of research and invention. It involves collecting published materials that are relevant to the innovation at hand. There are three kinds of prior work: needs, resources, and precedents. Needs are preexisting conditions that drive the process of innovation. They motivate the relevance of the innovation, answering the question, "Why is this important?" These include stories and statistics about citizen behavior, interview data, and projections about future conditions. Resources are ingredients and raw materials that will be used for constructing the new invention. These include enabling technologies, design methods, processes, and materials. Precedents are points of departure. They are prior methods, systems, and services that are similar to the innovation at hand. Enumeration of precedents, with comparative analysis, serves as a basis for differentiating the new invention from what has been done before.

Write a thorough and incisive description of the relevant prior work. When you cite prior research make sure to be clear and explicit in describing what in particular is relevant about that work, and how you will apply it in your project. Also, as appropriate, state how your approach will differ. When there is a prior implementation, do everything possible to use it yourself, or interview one or more people who have. Use Nielsen's principles to perform a heuristic evaluation of the prior artifact.

Revise your prior project plan, based on what you have learned from the prior literature. What things do you need to change? What things can be ommitted? What can be strengthened? Do you want to shift the focus or framing a bit? How, and why? Draw from the prior work to set your priorities. Make sure to innovate.

How will we know if your system works? What does "working" mean? What kind of data can support your case? How?

Develop a mixed-methods plan for evaluating your project. Who are the users? What tasks will they perform? How does this correspond to the scenarios you are developing? You MUST make this realistic!

What are your hypotheses? How can they be tested? What independent and dependent variables will you define? Make sure your evaluation plan is specific, clear, and well-defined.

How will you develop the project? Consider both the prototype time period, and the longer term. What software and hardware technologies are involved? What functional modules do you envision? How will they interconnect? What is the systems architecture? Of course, this is only a first cut. But consider and describe the functional operating environment as best as you now can. Pay special attention to the relevant functional characteristics of key technologies such as sensors and wireless networking components.

Develop scenarios for how your applciation/device will be used. These are informal stories, which include hypothetical characters, who may have well-defined differentiated backgrounds. Interview potential users as necessary to help you deveop these.

This is sort of, but not exactly a summary of your paper. It is also an expansion of the contribution statement.

Write clearly and concisely. Use language as consistently as possible. Take the work to the Writing Center early and often, as you able to. The entire document should be prepared in the ACM CHI publications format.