Technology Readiness Level 5
The twelve-session pilot course
TRL 5 moves the validated prototype out of the browser laboratory and into a relevant environment: a supervised MBA classroom of 20–30 learners running the full curriculum on a fixed calendar with common rubrics, a control section and baseline-to-post measurement. Use this page as the facilitator syllabus and as your own pilot logbook — every tick is stored on this device.
Your pilot standing
Sessions logged
0/12
Pilot progress
0%
Unit confidence
—
Gate criteria met
0/5
Session plan
Week 1 · Programme
Cohort induction and baseline diagnostic
Onboard 20–30 MBA learners, secure research consent and capture a baseline capability score.
- Programme contract: 12 weeks, expected weekly effort, assessment points
- Consent form for anonymised research use of progress and score data
- Baseline knowledge check attempt recorded before any module study
- Device check: install the app, confirm local progress saving works
Deliverable
Signed consent record and baseline score for every learner.
Evidence captured
Baseline mean score, completion of induction, device compatibility log.
Week 2 · Unit I
Fundamentals studio — definition, scope and communication
Build a shared vocabulary for advertising and apply the source–message–channel–receiver model.
- Facilitator framing of Unit I modules 1–4 (20 minutes)
- Learners complete modules 1–4 in-session with timed reading
- Pair exercise: diagnose the weakest link in a live campaign
- Plenary debrief on promotional-tool trade-offs
Deliverable
One-page communication-model diagnosis of a chosen live campaign.
Evidence captured
Time-on-module data, module completion rate, facilitator rubric score.
Week 3 · Unit I
Objectives, segmentation and persona clinic
Convert vague intent into SMART objectives and defensible segments with one working persona.
- Modules 5–8 self-study with checkpoint questions
- Objective rewrite drill: three weak objectives into SMART form
- Persona build with a single-sentence insight statement
- Peer challenge round: is the insight a truth or a description?
Deliverable
SMART objective set plus one persona with insight statement.
Evidence captured
Unit I checkpoint rating, peer-review scores, rubric pass rate.
Week 4 · Unit II
Media planning workshop
Select vehicles on reach, frequency and cost logic and build an eight-stage media plan skeleton.
- Modules 9–12 study block
- CPM and reach/frequency calculation drill
- Build a one-page media plan skeleton for an assigned brand
- Schedule pattern defence: continuity, flighting or pulsing
Deliverable
One-page media plan skeleton with a labelled 12-week schedule.
Evidence captured
Calculation accuracy check, plan completeness against an eight-point rubric.
Week 5 · Unit II
Digital, social and programmatic lab
Structure paid social, search and programmatic activity with guardrails and creator selection logic.
- Modules 13–16 study block
- Three-tier social funnel design exercise
- Creator shortlist with fee logic and one KPI per tier
- Programmatic guardrail checklist review in groups
Deliverable
Digital activation plan with funnel tiers and a six-rule guardrail list.
Evidence captured
Unit II checkpoint rating, group peer scoring, facilitator observation notes.
Week 6 · Unit III
Execution, KPIs and ROI clinic
Coordinate channels on a timeline and defend a metric tree with honest attribution caveats.
- Modules 17–20 study block
- Six-week readiness timeline with three named risks
- Dashboard specification: one primary KPI, four diagnostics, two guardrails
- ROI versus ROAS computation and decision debate
Deliverable
Campaign readiness timeline plus a KPI dashboard specification.
Evidence captured
ROI calculation correctness, dashboard rubric score, timeline realism rating.
Week 7 · Unit III
Agency simulation and creative brief
Operate the client–agency relationship and write a defensible one-page creative brief.
- Modules 21–24 study block
- Role-play: client briefing meeting with assigned agency teams
- Ten-criterion agency scorecard build with weights
- Brief writing sprint and consolidated feedback round
Deliverable
One-page creative brief plus a weighted agency selection scorecard.
Evidence captured
Unit III checkpoint rating, brief quality rubric, role-play observation sheet.
Week 8 · Unit IV
Sales promotion design sprint
Match promotion mechanics to behaviour, life-cycle stage and channel objectives.
- Modules 25–28 study block
- Mechanic-to-behaviour mapping exercise
- Life-cycle placement and promotion mix decision
- Penetration versus retention budget split defence
Deliverable
Promotion mix recommendation with cost per incremental buyer estimate.
Evidence captured
Estimate plausibility check, rubric score, facilitator challenge notes.
Week 9 · Unit IV
Consumer, trade and event activation
Design consumer mechanics, loyalty structures, trade terms and an event plan with follow-up.
- Modules 29–32 study block
- Three-tier loyalty programme design with earn rules
- Trade promotion with compliance checks and payout conditions
- Event plan: pre, during and post activity with two targets
Deliverable
Activation pack covering loyalty, trade terms and one event plan.
Evidence captured
Unit IV checkpoint rating, compliance-logic review, pack completeness.
Week 10 · Unit V
Measurement, law and ethics review
Specify pre- and post-tests, read the full metric chain and audit work against law and ethics.
- Modules 33–36 study block
- Pre-test and post-test specification with decision rules
- Metric chain from exposure to outcome for one campaign
- Six-point compliance audit of a real advertisement
Deliverable
Measurement plan plus a completed compliance and ethics audit.
Evidence captured
Audit accuracy against the checklist, measurement plan rubric score.
Week 11 · Unit V
Applied campaign sprint and defence
Produce a complete campaign blueprint in the Campaign Lab and defend it to a faculty panel.
- Modules 37–40 study block and responsible advertising charter draft
- Campaign Lab blueprint generation for a real or assigned brand
- Ten-minute panel defence per learner or pair
- Panel scoring against the shared blueprint rubric
Deliverable
Exported campaign blueprint with a responsible advertising charter.
Evidence captured
Blueprint rubric pass rate, panel scores, Unit V checkpoint rating.
Week 12 · Programme
Post-assessment, usability survey and TRL 5 evidence pack
Measure learning gain against baseline and assemble the evidence pack for the TRL 5 decision.
- Repeat knowledge check under the same conditions as the baseline
- System Usability Scale survey plus a short open-feedback form
- Comparison against a non-using control section
- Evidence pack assembly: gain, completion, usability, feature requests
Deliverable
TRL 5 evidence pack with gain, completion, usability and feature backlog.
Evidence captured
Post minus baseline score gain, SUS score, completion rate, control comparison.
Unit checkpoints
After each unit block, rate your confidence to apply the unit in real work. Ratings feed the gate assessment below and stay on this device.
Unit I
Advertising Fundamentals
Nature, scope, communication models, objectives and audience definition.
Unit II
Media Planning and Budgeting
Mass, digital, social and programmatic media choices with budget logic.
Unit III
Implementation and Agencies
Execution discipline, KPI control, ROI and agency partnership models.
Unit IV
Sales Promotion
Consumer, trade and lifecycle-timed promotion design.
Unit V
Control, Measurement and Ethics
Testing, effectiveness metrics, law, ethics and social responsibility.
Pilot controls
- Fixed 12-week calendar with one facilitated session per week and supervised in-session study blocks.
- Common rubrics for briefs, media plans and blueprints, applied by two independent scorers.
- Baseline and post assessment run under identical conditions and item sets.
- Parallel non-using control section for comparison of learning gain.
- Weekly attendance, drop-off and time-on-module logging by the facilitator.
- System Usability Scale plus open feedback collected in the final week.
Risks and mitigations
Learner attrition after week 6
Weekly checkpoint ratings, facilitator follow-up within 48 hours of a missed session.
Device-local progress lost mid-pilot
End-of-session screenshot or certificate export as an offline progress record.
Rubric drift between scorers
Calibration session before week 4 and blind double scoring of a 20% sample.
Control section contamination
Access restricted to enrolled cohort devices; no sharing of exports until week 12.
Advance-to-TRL-6 gate
| Criterion | Target | Your standing |
|---|---|---|
| Module completion | ≥ 70% of the 40 modules | 0% of 40 |
| Knowledge gain | Best score ≥ 70% against baseline | Not attempted |
| Blueprint defence | Campaign blueprint submitted and defended | Not submitted |
| Pilot sessions attended | ≥ 10 of 12 sessions logged | 0 of 12 logged |
| Unit checkpoints | Mean self-rated confidence ≥ 4 of 5 | Not rated |
Cohort-level gate: at least 70% mean module completion, a mean knowledge-check gain of 15 percentage points over baseline and over the control section, blueprint rubric pass rate above 80%, System Usability Scale of 70 or higher, and attrition below 20% across the twelve weeks.