December 17- Week Sixteen

We have been working on full throttle to get this document done. Everyone has worked on the layout and edits. It's truly been a group effort. We refused to ever be ripped apart again. The documents is split amongst each team member for the the presentation. We presented to Mike on Tuesday and he gave us some suggestions and edits. They were minor and we finished them that day. We went home and practiced and were ready on Thursday. Unfortunately, we had a mini snow/ice-rain storm in the A.M and our client wasn't able to show. MSHA presented, but since our client was a no show, we did not present. Mike didn't feel like we needed to since he'd already heard the full presention and thought it was good. I thought we did good too, considering we had only one day of practice. We spent the rest of the afternoon planning for the next semester and programming work, which will be completed during the winter break.

It was a great learning experience and helped to prepare us for future presentations to our clients. I look back and am amazed at how much we did learn. Even when I thought the project didn't teach us much, I was wrong. We learned more than I thought and I believe in such a way that I could go in and direct and finish a project. I suprised myself when I was able to coherantly describe and understand the two models: ADDIE and ILDF and I can relate each step in the models to what we've done during this project. Without the needs analysis we could not have found out who our users were, and what the gaps in performance were and why. The interviews with the client and SME's helped but I think it was great to be able to interview, survey and just be in the presence of teachers to get a real feel for what they are going through. To see the dedication to do a good job on their faces was heartwarminig. They have a tough job and anything that can be done to ease the transition is welcomed. It made us feel good to know we were contributing to something bigger than each of us.

T/TAC Mission 6 worked especially hard on the design approach and with the many rewrites and edits I understand why Dr. Dabbagh said it was actually an iterative approach. Eventhough through the internet they refer to it as being linear.

I learned that it takes many skillsets to make a project work. Until you actually work on a project you don't realize how important a database designer and other programmers are to the success of the project. Our project seemed simple in the begining but in the end proved to be a complex support system that will help teachers to perform better. Working with the client to analyze the data and determine what they actually need was the most frustrating portion of the design process. Once that's done, then the real work of implementation must begin. If not done correctly, then the project will not meet the business goals and user goals. I am excited about phase II. In the beginning a lot of the work falls upon the developers on the team. But, I hope to be able to really get involved in this process and pick up a new skill along the way.

On the other hand I can't believe this is the last week of the semester. I am sooo overwhelmed I can't believe it. I haven't got my Dickelman project finished. Paula and I have not been able to get to it because we've been working on the Immersion project. Her team has so much work and they usually meet for longer periods of time than we do. I learned a harsh lesson this semester, which is ... NO PROCRASTINATION! It has come back to bite me on the butt. I have been so overwhelmed by personal and school obligations, that I've not been able to focus. Oh, well, I can't cry over spilled milk, I must prepare to be better organized, and manage my time to the very minute next semester. It has truly been a learning experience. I believe I will be better prepared next semenster, using the lessons I've learned will help me to stay on track and produce higher quality work, on time, no ahead of schedule.

December 10, 2005 - Week Fifteen

This week was not so good for my team. We got blasted on our design approach presentation, but we will come back stronger. I was a little upset because we have not been taking everyones opinions into account when it comes to the doucments and layout. I am really appreciative of my team members. They are hard working, smart and get the job done, but we must continue to work on being cognizant of others feelings and thoughts as it relates to how the final documents should be presented. It is a team effort. Aala'a has worked so hard on the prototype, I feel guilty. She has the database expertise and web design expertise that is far better than anyone else and a lot has fallen on her. I'm hoping next semester we have time to learn and get some of the load off her shoulders.

All in all I believe my team understands how the process works. Putting together the Design approach has been the biggest ahaa. You really find out what you know when you put it all together, look at it and have to present it with an understanding of what you've done and why. I guess it does all work in the end, but I know I am not ready to go and do a whole project by myself...or am I. We'll one more week to go. I am burn't out to the max. My brain stopped working about a week or two ago.