Project: Advice As You Work

Communication is the key. As the project progresses, please make sure that you are in constant, close communication with your teammates, and pay careful attention to how you are dividing the work. Make sure that everyone has work to do, and that everyone is doing it. Discuss who is working on which part of the code in order to minimize merge conflicts and redundant effort.

Start simple. Don’t start out with a giant plan that includes all your possible features! Build the simplest version of the most essential piece of your project. Get it working nicely. Then add features one at a time, building it up incrementally. The goal is to have something that is working and testable, even if it’s complete, at all times.

Watch the calendar. You have less time than you think! Remember those late nights scrambling to finish homework? Expect that to happen, and plan for it. Try to get the code fully working days before the project is due, so that you have time to test for bugs and clean things up.

Use the help you have available. Talk to your instructor. Talk to the preceptors. Ask for help! Don’t try to impress your instructor by never needing help, because that is not actually impressive; it just means you’re not challenging yourself enough — or are too afraid to reach out.

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