⏰ Do Now — Start Here
Read this caption: "I made a poster. I think it looks good." What does it NOT tell you about the actual work?
🎯 Today's Big Question
- How do we write a short case-study caption that explains a project's process, not just what it looks like?
📈 By the End of Today, You Will Be Able To
- Explain why a portfolio caption needs to describe process and decisions, not just describe the final image.
- Draft a process narrative (problem, decisions, outcome) for one finished project.
- Revise the narrative based on peer feedback for clarity and specificity.
🧰 What You'll Need
- A finished project from this year (any medium)
- Portfolio (draft captions, if any exist already)
📋 Your Plan for Today
Day 1: Problem, Decisions, Outcome
- Do Now (5 min, above).
- Mini-lesson (10 min): the 3-part process narrative structure (problem the project solved, 2-3 key decisions and why, the outcome/what you'd do differently).
- Model (8 min): teacher models turning a vague caption into a specific process narrative for a sample project.
- Draft (22 min): draft a process narrative for one of your own finished projects.
Day 2: Peer Feedback & Revision
- Do Now (5 min): read your draft out loud to yourself -- does it sound specific or vague? Peer feedback (15 min): swap drafts with a partner and give one specific note on where it needs more detail.
- Revise (20 min): revise your narrative based on the feedback.
- Post to portfolio (5 min): add the finished narrative as that project's caption.
📚 Key Words
- Process Narrative
- A short piece of writing explaining the problem a project solved, the key decisions made, and why -- not just what the finished piece looks like.
- Specificity
- Naming the exact choice and reason, instead of a vague general statement -- what separates a strong caption from a weak one.
✅ What Your Finished Work Should Include
Process narrative scored with a rubric: names the problem, at least 2 specific decisions with reasoning, and an honest outcome/reflection -- not just a description of the image.
Exit Ticket: Which of your 3 parts (problem, decisions, outcome) was hardest to write, and why?
📊 Before You Leave
Quick, anonymous class check-in -- takes less than a minute.
🎓 ACP Exam Prep
This lesson connects to the Photoshop Adobe Certified Professional exam: Domain 1: Working in the Design Industry
🔗 Want to Learn More?
- No extra links for this lesson.
🚀 The Extra Mile
Cross-Class Connection: This IS an English class skill directly — reflective, structured nonfiction writing about your own process.
Career Connection: Every project on every career page's roadmap on this site names a real deliverable — a process narrative is what turns that deliverable into a case study.
Go further -- turn this into a portfolio piece:
- Write full process narratives for your three strongest pieces this year, ready to publish alongside them in your portfolio. Start here: pick your single strongest piece and write just its narrative first before starting the other two.
- Interview a classmate about their process and write their narrative for them, then trade and compare what you each noticed. Start here: write down three specific questions to ask them before the interview, not just "tell me about your process."