Iteration 1

Goals

The project aims to deliver a platform that allows users to trade books between one another. The service will allow users to find and connect with one another using both chat based and location/GPS functionality. Users will be able to upload and share their thoughts on their current readings through both text and image formats. These features will be bundled in a mobile and light weight platform that is minimalistic and easy to use.

Team Roles

Each member of the team will facilitate one of the core aspects of the project. Roles are divided based on a team members skills and familiarity with software/business tools and, or experience. The following is a brief outline of the role distribution for the first iteration of the project:

• Daniel (backend development)
  • Authentication (login/signup)
  • Cloud services:
    • Database
    • Messaging
    • File upload/download
  • Location services (maps/geofencing)
• Celine (full-stack development)
  • Internal currency management
  • “Trading” storyboarding
  • UI Implementation
• Richy (backend development)
  • Community model development
  • Search system
• James (full-stack development)
  • Recommendations
  • Events model
• Bruce (frontend/marketing development)
  • UI design
  • Distribution plan
  • Team management
  • Business plan
• Sunny (frontend/graphics development)
  • Graphics development
  • UI implementation

Task management:

Task allocations and project tracking will be managed using the web service trello. The project will employ an Agile Model Driven Development (AMDD) process to scope and complete the process. The model was chosen to help manage the tight time frame and deliver a “bare minimum” level of functionality from the end product.

Meeting Summaries

Minutes

Agenda Item: Project Scope

Discussion

Define the project scope and core functionality.

• Login/signup
  • Users need to be to able access the app using their own personal profile or be able to generate one on start up.
• Locations/Maps
  • Users are able to locate other users based on proximity and see the “generally” nearby users on a map interface.
• Database
  • Users need to be able save and store current information and user state. This includes current books profile status and location.
  • As an extension of the basic database users will need to upload images of their books and view the images of others.
• Communication
  • Users will be able to privately communicate with one another through the app in real time allowing them to organize meetings and exchanges.
• User profiles – community elements
  • User profiles will be set up with a number of features that allow users to build a community. Profiles will contain elements like gender, likes/dislikes, favorite books, status and current mood.
• Barcode scanning
  • Users can scan images to uniquely identify books.
• Recommendations
  • The app will be able to suggest recommendation based on what the user has read/liked in the past.
• Internal currency management
  • The leveraging system used to facilitate lending.
• Sharing storyboarding
  • Timelining basic elements into a synced process: find, lend, return
• UI design
  • A basic user interface to improve the overall appeal of the app

Conclusions:

Roles will be divided through the Trello. Task due dates are flexible but should be completed as soon as possible. The IDE to be used: Android Studio, can be downloaded through the android site (does not require VPN). The database platform to be used: Firebase, can be viewed from the Firebase site (requires VPN, google product). Testing of the application can be performed either through the Android Studio emulator or a physical mobile device (with google play service/ play store).

Agenda Item: Initial Works

Discussion:

Preliminary works done… proof of concept that the proposed system works. Login and sign up functionality currently operational (requires VPN to work). Mobile devices can connect to cloud service and the development environment allows for product deployment.

Conclusions:

Works can carry on as planned, no unforeseen problems have arisen as of yet.

Retrospective

Process Improvements

Using the Agile Model Driven Development style has been beneficial in aiding the teams productivity and provides a means for working on a large-scale project on a small timescale. However, it reduces the collaboration needed for such a fast development cycle as everyone is split out into various jobs. For the next stages of development, we might use a similar model but increase the amount of work that is shared between team members so that everyone has an insight into all of the components being completed each day and how the project is coming together as a whole. In this specific team working more closely would also be more effective as none of the members are specifically software engineers so sharing experience and knowledge is crucial for the completion of a project like this.

Progress

What has been completed?

Minimal development has been completed as it has only been 2 working days since the commencement of the project. That being said the initial login/signup functionality and the ability to upload photos of books to the database have been completed and there is a rough framework for the app to be built around. This framework will allow for easier progress to be made in the coming week.

What needs to be done?

A list of tasks and features has been compiled that will need to be completed before we can achieve a Minimum Viable Product for the demonstration. This will include most of the personal profile and event creation features and the necessary features for the basics of books sharing, location services, private messaging, and internal currency.

(Updated Trello board)

Overall, given the amount of time that has passed, progress has been satisfactory. Realistic goals were set in the initial breakdown of tasks so at this stage in development all of the tasks that have been set are viable and able to be completed in the timeframe established. This evaluation of tasks may be subject to change as development progresses and problems are faced. The time constraint has been accounted for and there are some features that could be removed from the demo build that would still allow for a minimum viable product.