Fast Start
Once you’ve chosen a repair guide topic, the next step is to send us a proposal. The proposal should describe the project you intend to work on. The proposal doesn’t need to be long, but we’ll use it to help start your project off in the right direction—after all, our goal is to publish your final project for all the world to see!
A proposal is required for the project, even if it is informal. Proposals allow us to give you the necessary privileges to work on the site without problems, and to verify that no one else has selected the same project as yours. You can find a sample proposal here. Also, make sure to include a brief message in the email's body to provide context for your proposal.
Proposal Prep
-
Guides for the Fast Fix project should be replacement guides or technique (how-to) guides. Give your guide a short, descriptive title. For example, "How to Patch a Flat Tire," "Toilet Fill Valve Replacement," or "How to Fix a Squeaky Door."
-
Provide a detailed description of your method in a short list of steps. Keep in mind that your finalized guide should be at least six steps. (It's okay to modify this later, but sketch out your procedure as best as you can for now.)
-
List any tools and/or materials you plan to use for your repair. We want to make sure that you have the necessary tools available to you and that your procedure uses these tools in a manner that is both safe for you and your readers.
-
Write a brief paragraph explaining why this particular repair needs a guide and how it will help real people.
-
Are there already instructions available? If so, how good are they and how are yours going to be better?
-
We can't always approve your initial guide topic, so include two alternative topics in case your first choice doesn't meet the guidelines or has already been covered on iFixit. You don't need to include a full proposal for these other topics. A brief summary of your potential process is enough. Just be ready to write a more detailed overview if your first choice is not an option.
-
We suggest linking to each member’s profile page in the signature portion of your proposal. (See sample proposal for example.)
-
Any digital camera of 6 megapixels or greater that can mount to a tripod is acceptable. If you don't have access to a camera, your smartphone is permitted, as long as it can mount to a tripod and you have the permission of your instructor. You can follow our best smartphone photography tips here.
-
What did you discover while completing the Repair Experience Inventory? How will it make your project awesome?
What to Include in Your Proposal
Include a header at the top of your proposal in this format:
Fast Fix: Leaky Faucet (or whatever fix you’ve chosen)
Team tag: CPSU-DOE-F26S1G1
Camera: Nancy's 16MP Canon PowerShot SX170 IS
Group email addresses: abc@university.edu, etc. (These must be the same email addresses that you and your team members used to create your iFixit accounts.)
Don't forget!
Email your proposal in PDF format to techwriting[at]ifixit[dot]com. Include your team tag in the email's Subject field, as well as a brief message in the email body. (It's a nice professional touch—and a general courtesy—to not send a blank email with an attachment.) Remember to CC your instructor and teammates.
It can take the iFixit technical writing team up to two business days to respond to your email, so make sure to plan accordingly.
Once you've got the go-ahead from our tech writing team, you're clear to proceed to Checkpoint 1!
Stop right there!
Do you have the droids you’re looking for? Don’t let a Jedi mind trick fool you—or hurt your grade. Take a moment to review the page and make sure you have met all the proposal requirements. When you are ready, be sure to email your proposal to techwriting[at]ifixit[dot]com. We’ll get back to you and let you know when you’re ready to move on.
