Business & EntrepreneurshipLevel 1 · 6–8 hrs5 sessions · 75–90 minutesTeam 4–6 (5 is ideal; see roles)Pilot brief, draft
Clear today's queue of 12 customer messages with correct, professional replies, keep a ticket log, and tell me the top 3 repeat problems and how to fix them.
Client scenario
Welcome to the Support Desk. You've just joined the customer support team at North Fork Outfitters (fictional), a regional outdoor-gear store that sells online and in two shops. The queue is full and customers are waiting.
Client: Our Support Manager (the teacher) and, through them, our customers. The manager hands us the work and checks it.
Twelve customers have written in with late orders, wrong items, refund requests and complaints. Some are angry. Every one needs a correct, professional reply, and the manager wants to know which problems keep happening.
Roles
Desk Lead (project coordinator)
Response Writers (1–2)
Policy Checker
Quality Lead
Insights Analyst
The twist: The manager hands over the Policy Update (H3): full refunds are now limited to 14 days after delivery, effective now. Days 15–30 get store credit instead. At the same time, Ticket 13 arrives: a customer who already got a reply writes back upset.
Standards mapped
Mapped means the framework is verified and the teacher confirms the evidence. It isn't a claim that a project meets a standard.
NACE (Dec 2025)
ED Employability Skills Framework
CA Standards for Career Ready Practice
CCSS ELA
Not tagged in this brief: NGSS SEP, CCSS Math, ISTE Students.
Safety, devices and privacy
School devices only. No phones, and no personal accounts. Replies can be handwritten or typed on school devices in a school-managed or offline tool.
All customers are fictional. Students never contact real people or real businesses. Nothing is sent outside the classroom.
No student names or personal information in replies. Replies are signed "Support Desk, Team [#]".
Students never write real card numbers, passwords or addresses. If a ticket asks for them, the correct reply is to say the store never asks for them.
Low-cost, school-realistic materials only. Follow the school's usual classroom rules.
Creative Dad On the Job is in-class client project work. It is not a paid, off-campus On-the-Job Training (OJT) placement.
Budget levels
Totals and Amazon links come from the materials sheet.
Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change.
Quick Start
Digital downloads only. $0 to buy. Printing is noted separately.
$0 to buy. Printing $3–$6, noted separately.
Quick Start would drop Required items: Ticket cards (Tickets 1–13), printed on paper or card — the brief has no print-only version; check it still works
Policy sheet, order lookup sheet, policy updatePrinting1 each per team$1–2
Ticket logs, memo templates, change-response forms, QC checklistsPrinting1 per team$1–2
Evidence Sheets, role cards, client brief letterPrinting1 per student / team$1–2
Classroom timer or wall clockBorrow or school has1$0 (existing)
School devices for typing repliesBorrow or school hasOptional$0 (existing)
Full Experience
Up to $25 per class.
About $6–$12 per class. Fits under $25 per class.
Ticket cards (Tickets 1–13), printed on paper or cardRequired1 set per team (about 5 sets)$3–6Amazon
Full Transformation
The bigger kit, with every optional item included.
Sessions, role duties, deliverables, materials, free tools, and the teacher setup use the same Creative Dad account as the project library. There is no separate student login.