How the Project Works
For many years Depaul has offered an internship in the form of a class for IT and CS students. This year there were four different clients that DePaul professor Michael Chase had brought to the program with various projects. The students are supposed to submit a ranked choice of all of the different clients the week before the class starts. My first choice was DuPage Paws for People because of both the large scope of the project and because it would mean I would get to work with a non-profit doing charitable work.
The Projects Scope
The client came to the first meeting with one main request, to create a new website for their growing organization. There were five requested pages with a few additional features that were considered nice-to-haves in the MoSCoW document. These five pages were:
- Home
- About
- Who We Serve
- Donations
- Contact Us Another specific request of the client was the use of the WIX SAAS platform due to the clients former experience and already active subscription.
Documentation and Agile
Along with the work on the project itself documentation was a very important aspect of the project. There were many documents covering topics such as the project’s current state, team lead reports, weekly reviews, SEO status, and other elements tied to Agile methodology. Among the different documents, the training manual was particularly important given that it was the document that would train and serve as reference for the client when maintaining and managing the project post launch.
Agile principles were embedded in every part of the project lifecycle, allowing us as a team to stay efficient and organized. Weekly sprints were structured to ensure iterative progress, with sprint retrospectives allowing the team to reflect on what went well and identify areas for improvement. Regular client demos were scheduled to gather feedback, reinforcing the Agile focus on collaboration and responsiveness to change.
As we worked on the project, the responsiveness to change allowed us to quickly iterate on the feedback received from the client. We made quick changes which responded directly to the feedback received weekly, allowing us to get to the final stage of development much faster with greater client approval compared to if we did not iterate quickly.
Starting the Project
The first thing that we as a group needed to do when starting the project was assign roles. Due to my outgoing nature and prior experience as a team lead, I was naturally chosen for the team lead role. My first task as team lead was assigning other roles in the project for the other 4 people in my group: Design Lead, Documentation Lead, and supporting roles for design and documentation.
Given the complicated lifecycle of a project in development, all roles were intentionally kept fluid. The leads roles were to ensure that all expectations in their domains were met by someone, even if it was not themselves. Weekly planning meetings were also set to delegate tasks for each upcoming sprint and ensure alignment.
Managing the Project Tasks Using Jira
Given the large scope of the project, a tool for managing the Weekly Sprint tasks was paramount to our success. One tool that I had used in the past to great success was a Kanban board on Jira. Jira allowed for us to keep each other updated on our status in real time with what tasks we are currently working on and what tasks are done. The helpful “assign” feature in Jira also made it easy for everyone to keep track of what work they were assigned for that week. Another incredibly useful feature in Jira was their automation features. There were some tasks that would need to be done weekly meaning that a new task would be required every week as well. By using Jira’s automation we were able to automate the task of creating and assigning those weekly tasks so that we could focus our time elsewhere. These and other tasks get added to the backlog and prioritized during sprint planning sessions, ensuring smooth workflow management.
Team Leadership Mentality
As team lead, my primary focus was fostering collaboration and maintaining open communication within the team. Drawing from Agile values, I encouraged regular stand-ups to discuss progress, blockers, and plans for the day. This ensured alignment and transparency while empowering team members to take ownership of their work. I also facilitated sprint retrospectives, where we celebrated successes and discussed ways to improve our processes.
Managing Client Relations
Client collaboration was at the heart of the project. From the initial meeting, we emphasized active listening to understand their needs and preferences. Weekly progress updates and demonstrations of completed work helped maintain their trust and allowed us to incorporate their feedback iteratively. This approach ensured that the final product aligned closely with their vision.
Getting Work Done
The team’s work was driven by Agile’s iterative approach. Each sprint was focused on delivering a functional increment of the website, whether it was implementing a page, refining the design, or testing functionality. Pair programming sessions between design and documentation team members ensured consistency and quality, while the use of Agile ceremonies like sprint planning and demos kept us on track.
Earning a Letter of Reccomendation
Toward the end of the project, the client expressed their appreciation for our work, highlighting the professionalism and dedication of the team. I believe my role as team lead—from managing sprints to ensuring clear communication—played a significant part in earning a glowing recommendation. By successfully delivering a project that exceeded expectations while embodying Agile principles, I left a lasting positive impression.
Read the Letter Here
Final Thoughts
This internship project provided invaluable experience in managing a real-world project using Agile methodology. From fostering teamwork to delivering a client-focused solution, I honed skills that are critical for a successful career in software development and project management. The combination of technical skills, client collaboration, and Agile practices makes this project a standout addition to my professional portfolio.
Where to Find the Project Today
The website is still actively in use today at https://www.dupagepawsforpeople.com with a special thank you listed at the bottom of the donations page located at https://www.dupagepawsforpeople.com/donations.