As a showcase administrator, it's important to understand the journey your participants go through when creating and submitting projects. This article walks you through the participant experience from start to finish, helping you better support your participants and design more effective showcases.

How Participants Access Your Showcase

Participants can join your showcase in two ways:

1. Via Email Invitation

When you use the Invite Participants feature:

• Participants receive an email with a direct link to your showcase
• The email contains your showcase name, description, and a prompt to start a project
• Clicking the link takes them directly to the showcase homepage

2. Via Showcase URL

When you share your showcase URL:

• Participants navigate to your showcase homepage
• They must click the Start Project button located on the Details tab
• This is the most common method for open showcases

Important: Participants must be logged in to their ProjectBoard account to start a project. New users will need to create an account first.

The Project Creation Process

Initial Setup

When a participant begins a new project, they must complete these required elements before submission:

1. Project Title

   • This appears as the main heading for their project
   • The title is displayed in the projects list and search results

2. Project Description

   • A brief overview of their project

3. Cover Image

   • The main visual representation of their project
   • Displayed in project cards and at the top of the project page

4. Project Category (if you've enabled categories)

   • Helps organize projects for easier discovery
   • Affects how projects are filtered and displayed

Working with the Project Template

Participants will see the template structure you created in the Showcase Builder:

1. Section Navigation

   • Each section you created appears in the main project area
   • Participants can click to navigate between sections

2. Instructions

   • Your section instructions appear at the top of each section
   • Clear, detailed instructions lead to better project submissions

3. Content Tools

   • Text editor for written content
   • Upload buttons for images, videos, and files
   • Options to embed content via URLs

4. Section Preview

   • The first image uploaded to each section becomes the section cover image
   • This image appears in the section card when viewing the complete project

The Participant Panel

The Participant Panel sidebar provides important functions and information:

Project Preview

• The Preview button shows participants how their project will appear to visitors
• This helps them ensure their project looks professional before submission

Project Status

Displays the current status of the project:

• Draft: Still being worked on, not yet submitted
• Submitted: Awaiting your review
• Approved: Accepted and visible in the showcase
• Declined: Not accepted (with reason visible to the participant)

Team Management

• Participants can add team members to collaborate on the project
• All team members can edit the project before submission
• Only one team member needs to submit the project

Timeline Information

• Shows the submission deadline
• Helps participants manage their time effectively

The Submission Process

Before Submission

Participants can:

• Save their project as a draft at any time
• Return to edit their draft repeatedly
• Preview their project to check for completeness
  

Note: Students can access their draft projects by clicking their profile image in the top right corner, and selecting My Projects from the dropdown.

Final Submission

When ready to submit:

1. Participants click the Submit Project button
2. They see a confirmation dialog explaining that no further edits will be possible
3. Upon confirmation, the project status changes to "Submitted"

Important: Once submitted, participants cannot make further changes to their project unless you decline it with a request for revisions.

After Submission

Your Review Process

From the participant's perspective:

• They receive an email notification when you approve or decline their project and select Send Decision
• If declined, they can see the reason in their Project Status panel
• If approved, their project will become visible during the showcase period

During the Showcase

Participants can:

• View all approved projects
• Leave comments on projects
• Receive comments on their own project
• Share their project link with others

Supporting Your Participants

Common Participant Questions

Be prepared to answer these frequent questions:

1. "Can I edit my project after submission?"

   • No, not unless the showcase administrator declines it with revision requests

2. "Why can't I submit my project?"

   • Check that all required elements are completed (title, description, cover image, category) and that the submission deadline has not passed

3. "When will my project be visible to others?"

   • After administrator approval and once the showcase period begins

4. "How do I add team members?"

   • Click the plus symbol under Team Members in the main project card when editing your project

Best Practices for Supporting Participants

1. Provide Clear Template Instructions

   • Be specific about what you expect in each section
   • Include examples when helpful
   • Specify any length limitations or requirements

2. Send Reminder Communications

   • Notify participants of approaching deadlines
   • Send encouragement to those with incomplete drafts
   • Announce when the showcase period begins

3. Offer Prompt Feedback

   • Review submissions in a timely manner
   • Provide specific feedback for declined projects
   • Recognize exceptional projects

4. Create Resources

   • Consider creating a FAQ document specific to your showcase
   • Provide examples of exceptional projects from past showcases
   • Offer technical support contact information

Testing the Participant Experience

To better understand what your participants will experience:

1. Create a test account with a different email address
2. Access your showcase as a participant would
3. Go through the entire submission process
4. Note any confusing elements or potential improvements
5. Update your instructions or templates based on this experience
   

Pro Tip: Creating a few test submissions before opening your showcase to participants can help you identify and resolve any issues with your template or instructions.