Starting a DECA project can feel overwhelming, but the best way to make progress is to break the work into smaller, manageable steps. You do not need to have every detail figured out right away. Start with a clear goal, decide how you will work together and create a plan that keeps the project moving forward.
Start With the Goal
Before jumping into research, visuals or presentation ideas, make sure you understand what you are trying to accomplish.
Review the event guidelines and evaluation form and ask:
- What problem, opportunity or need are we addressing?
- Who is the target audience?
- What do we want the project to accomplish?
- What will a successful final entry look like?
The event guidelines should serve as your roadmap throughout the entire project.
Assign Roles and Set Expectations
If you are working with a team, decide early who will take the lead on different parts of the project. Play to each person’s strengths, whether that is research, writing, design, budgeting, outreach or presenting.
Consider creating a simple team contract, too. Agree on expectations for communication, deadlines, meetings, workload and what happens if someone cannot complete an assigned task. Setting expectations early can prevent confusion and frustration later.
Set Milestones Before the Final Deadline
Do not let the competition deadline become your only deadline. Work backward and create smaller milestones for completing research, developing the project, drafting the written entry, creating visuals and practicing the presentation.
Building in extra time also gives you room to get feedback, make revisions and deal with unexpected challenges.
Document Everything!
Keep track of what happens throughout the entire process. Save your research, meeting notes, survey results, outreach, decisions, changes and results. If you experience a delay, dilemma or failure, document that too.
Not everything will go according to plan. Do not get discouraged. Pivot and proceed. How you respond to a challenge can become an important part of your project story and demonstrate strong project management.
Write the Executive Summary Last
Your executive summary may appear at the beginning of your written entry, but it should be one of the last things you write. The executive summary should capture the whole picture: the goal, what you did, the results and the biggest takeaways from the project.
Finish the project first. Then step back and tell the complete story.
Take the First Step
The hardest part of a DECA project is often simply getting started. This week, choose one action that moves your project forward. Review your event guidelines, choose your goal, meet with your team, create your team agreement or build your timeline.
A strong DECA entry does not come together all at once. It is built one decision, milestone and pivot at a time.
