In interviews, you'll be asked about how you approach working in projects, and being able to describe how you utilize agile processes is a great way to help you stand out as a junior developer candidate. This reflection is meant to help you develop this skill.
With that in mind, please answer the following questions in your own gist about your group project:
- What have you learned about the use of agile vs. waterfall in software projects?
Generally, it seems as though an agile environment is a more effective means of getting product into the market and cleaning issues up as they come.
- How did you and your group approach project management in this project (what tools did you use, how did you hold each other accountable, etc.)?
We utilized Trello in order to stay focused and informed of the tasks ahead. This worked really well for us, and gave us the satisfaction of knowing exactly what we had left to do.
- What role did you take on in the project?
My role in the project was as a motivator. We had the brain power and we organization, so I felt my role came into play when we were feeling defeated by not getting various extensions done. I feel as though I was able to contextualize the scope of the project to my teammates to make us understand that while small things may be problematic, we were putting in the work to make sure we were all on the same page and that our work was getting done together. That felt like a real achievement, and I feel that we honestly had a fantastic group dynamic.
- What changes would you make to your approach in future team projects?
I think that perhaps I would try and create a more finite balanca between working together, and spending time working through things on my own. I felt good about working through things together - I learned a lot and felt supported by my teammates - but I also feel that I would have fostered a better understanding more quickly by forcing myself to work through things on my own. We made a priority of doing everything together, and I'm grateful for that, but I also feel like it took longer for me to grasp certain concepts in the context of that environment.
- How does retro function in a team project?
Retro functions as a way of evaluating our progress as a team, as well what we would like to change and see happen.
- In your team retro, how did you engage in the feedback process? What principles of feedback did you use in these conversations?
We discussed where we thought we could improve as a group, and we were intentional about making sure we acknowledged and worked toward our goals with this in mind. Our chart is posted in our room, and we were often closeby when working togetherl we often referenced it to ensure we stayed focused.
- How would you describe your ability to communicate feedback? How has this experience affected your communication skills? How do you want to improve in your ability to communicate feedback?
I'd like to think that I was able to communicate feedback effectively; when I had suggestions, I feel like they were received and acknowledged. To be honest, I feel pretty spoiled by my group experience, because I really enjoyed working alongside and with both of them! If anything, I feel more comfortable with standing my ground on issues I'd like to change, because I feel that my group was incredibly receptive to my feedback.
Complete -- great explanations and reflections here!