Agile & Feedback Reflection Guidelines 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?
Both are valuable practices, however the decision for what to use is dependant on what kind of project you are working on. Waterfall is best when you know what you are doing or if testing isn't feasible for the process. Compared to agile process, which is a great way to introduce a project through testing and easier to stop early to generate some revenue.
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.)?
I created a project board in GitHub for us to keep track what had been completed along the way. In addition, since we were frequently working remote. I used Slack to check bases with the rest of the group to see where they were along the way.
What role did you take on in the project?
Both teammates mentioned that they didn't know how to work with other people and enjoyed working remotely. Thus it seemed to me that my teammates were not comfortable working in a group, so I tended to check in with them to make sure we were on the same page. In addition, I took on the role as mediator during the more stressful times when there was miscommunication.
What changes would you make to your approach in future team projects?
I feel like I was sometimes trying to much to find a middle ground when struggles emerged. I wish that I was a bit more forthcoming with my concerns. However, I think I was too concerned about keeping a positive dynamic when others were negative.
How does retro function in a team project?
Typically a retro occurs after each sprint, which can last 2 weeks. At Turing, however the sprint looks more like 2-3 days. Thus it is extremely important to have retros frequently to touch base where you are in the project and set expectations.
In your team retro, how did you engage in the feedback process? What principles of feedback did you use in these conversations?
I tried to give constructive feedback on things we needed to improve as a group. In addition, I tried to be honest about things I felt we were lacking in and knew that the instructors would comment on during evaluations.
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 am pretty honest with my feedback, however I also try to the understand the person I'm giving feedback to. I want to be constructive, but also empathize with the person I am trying to help. As I said above, I wish I was more constructive, because I felt sometimes I was too sensitive to the fact my audience didn't seem to be able to handle criticism well. I feel like there is a better middle ground that I will work on for my next project.
Great reflection here!