• Briefly summarize The Gaming Room client and their software requirements. Who was the client? What type of software did they want you to design?
The Gaming Room is a client that owns a game called Draw It or Lose It which was only operating as an Android application. The client needed my help expanding this game application to become web based. Since this was a new approach for them, they needed my insight to which web-based platform would be best for producing the game and could also meet their requirements below.
o The game will have the ability to have one or more teams involved.
o Each team will have multiple players assigned to it.
o Game and team names must be unique to allow users to check whether a name is in use when choosing a team name.
o Only one instance of the game can exist in memory at any given time. This can be accomplished by creating unique identifiers for each instance of a game, team, or player.
• What did you do particularly well in developing this documentation?
I completed very thorough research on Linux, MacOS, and Windows so I could provide the client with best recommendation. In my evaluation, I examined characteristics, advantages, and weakness of each while keeping their requirements in mind. This provided the client with the good and the bad to be able to compare to ensure their game is produced of the best quality.
• What about the process of working through a design document did you find helpful when developing the code?
Creating a design document allowed me to organize useful information in a way that was easily accessible to me and the client. Creating this document made it easier for me to decide what platform I would deign the game. Some of the information I found can also be used for future projects.
• If you could choose one part of your work on these documents to revise, what would you pick? How would you improve it?
I am proud of the way this document came out. I feel that it gives me experience for a way to organize information for future projects or clients. I did miss some opportunities to update my design revision history. In the future I would like to make note of all changes that I have made to the document. This could help me know how long certain tasks may take me to complete.
• How did you interpret the user’s needs and implement them into your software design? Why is it so important to consider the user’s needs when designing?
The users needed multi team functionality, multi-player functionality, One instance of memory existing at a time, and username confirmation. While creating a plan for this design, I specifically made sure each of these needs were addressed. It is important to consider the user’s needs as they are the ones who utilizes the product you created. If a program does not work well for them, they will find another one to use which is not good for the company who have paid you to create an application for their users.
• How did you approach designing software? What techniques or strategies would you use in the future to analyze and design a similar software application?
I approached designing the software by first ensuring I clearly understood what my client was looking for. This is important as it sets the foundation for the rest of the work I would complete. I performed thorough research to ensure I answered any questions or pain point my client may have had. In the future, I can use some of the same information that I found in this research to complete similar projects. This could build my knowledge and save me time. While I could re-use some of the information I found, technology is always changing so it is still important to ensure that a new and improved resolution have not come about. If so, I could use this to build upon what I already know. I can also make updated on previous assignments that have already been completed.