Media Strategy Introduction

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will:

• Inventory the visuals that support Avery's story.
• Define media guardrails for performance, licensing, and consent.
• Outline documentation updates for future collaborators.

Why It Matters

Images and embeds often carry most of a portfolio's emotional weight—but they are also hotspots for performance regressions and accessibility gaps. A strategy-first approach ensures every asset earns its place and respects users' constraints.

Portfolio Pulse Media Audit

1. Collect Source Material

• Case study cover images
• Workshop photographs
• Logo treatments or UI mockups
• Video testimonials or talks

Log attribution, usage rights, and original dimensions in docs/media-inventory.md.

2. Assign Story Beats

Match each asset to the narrative arc:

• Discovery → showcase research deliverables
• Design → highlight UI explorations
• Impact → present before/after snapshots or metrics graphics

Document the pairing in notes/module-3-plan.md with context on why each asset matters.

3. Define Success Criteria

✅ Best Practices

1. Start with Copy

Why: Narrative clarity leads to better visual decisions.

Draft a short paragraph describing the story each asset should communicate before cropping or compressing.

2. Treat Media Like Structured Data

Why: Consistent metadata enables automation later.

- asset: concept-workshop.jpg
  focus: discovery
  alt: "Avery leading a sticky-note workshop during discovery sprint"
  license: "CC BY-NC"

❌ Common Mistakes

1. Choosing Assets Before Setting Budgets

Problem: High-res exports balloon page weight.

Fix: Define max file sizes per asset type before exporting.

2. Ignoring Legal & Privacy Constraints

Problem: Embedding third-party content without consent banners.

Fix: Flag any embed that sets cookies and plan for privacy-gate UI.

🔍 Portfolio Pulse Action Items

1. Create docs/media-inventory.md if it does not exist and log current assets.
2. Update docs/accessibility-manifesto.md with media-specific guidelines (alt text quality, caption timelines).
3. Add a TODO in notes/module-3-plan.md to revisit analytics once media is implemented.
4. Share the strategy outline with stakeholders for async review.

✅ Validation Checklist

• Media inventory created with source, license, and intended story beat.
• Performance and accessibility goals documented.
• Stakeholders acknowledge media plan or provide feedback.
• Retro log updated with strategy risks for Module 3.