Use this template to when conducting DTR with your project partners. It's recommended that you copy/paste this template into your own gist each time you conduct a DTR to take notes on the conversation.
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What are your learning goals for this project? What drives us in this project?
Hugh My learning goals for this project are to increase my speed and adaptability with HTML and CSS, as well as to increase my proficiency and understanding with JQ/JS. I feel comfortable with Git/GitHub, but want to become more organized and regimented with my branches, commits, etc.
Katie My learning goals for this project are to be able to better understand someone else's code, to be stricter with refactoring JS functions, and to make good design choices while adding features and changing the color scheme.
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What is your collaboration style? How do you feel about pair programming vs. divide-and-conquer approaches?
Hugh I really like to attack the problem and get it down on paper and then brain storm with my partner. I'm very visual, so sketching out the page and pseudo coding work well for me. I do like to get into the zone with music and work independently, but I've learned the most when solving a problem with my partner, side-by-side, feeding off of one another’s knowledge.
Katie I like setting up a solid foundation while working side-by-side with a partner so that we are on the same page as far as formatting and skeleton of our HTML go. For the meat of projects, I find I am most productive while working alone, unless we face a really difficult challenge. Then I like to come back together and collaboratively clean up and refactor our code so we both know exactly what the finished project looks like.
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How do you communicate best? How do you appreciate receiving communication from others?
Hugh I communicate best in-person. I think it's easiest to gauge reaction/emotion that way. I do appreciate Slack as well because it's relatively immediate and allows people to share links, images, code, etc. when needing to work remotely. I appreciate honest feedback if it's for the betterment of the project. My partner shouldn't worry about stepping on my toes because if I'm doing something wrong or inefficiently, I want to know in order to better my habits.
Katie I appreciate receiving communication both in person (if we are both at school) and via Slack (if we are not at school). If I am feeling stressed or frustrated, communicating digitally sometimes helps me be able to step back from what I am doing at the moment, and process the message instead of feeling frazzled.
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How would you describe your work style?
Hugh I sincerely enjoy working alone and getting it the flow of my work; I think this comes from being an artist and losing myself in what I'm doing. However, I also like forming close relationships and understand the importance of working with my peers. I think working alone allows me to really explore, but working with other people allows me to see things in a different light. A balance of both is best.
Katie Viewed from the outside, I might describe my work style as sporadic. When working alone, I focus really hard for as long as I feel like I am making good progress, and then stop when I am ready to stop.
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What are your strengths? How can our strengths complement each other?
Hugh I'm very organized which I think has helped the readability of my code. Everything (for the most part) is alphabetized and broken down into sections based on functionality. I'm also able to color match and work with spacing well, which aids in the general layout and color scheme of the website.
Katie I enjoy looking at the bigger picture of projects and imagining how everything will fit together. I also enjoy finding more elegant ways of achieving the same functionality, which I think helps with the readability of the code.
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What’s gone well or poorly in your previous projects?
Hugh I think what went well in my last project was splitting up the workload. I don't think either of us felt like we were taking the lion's share. Each of us were able to collaborate and merge our ideas when needed. The only thing that went poorly was the initial division of work. We weren't really sure how to do this, so I did all of the initial HTML and CSS. This created a larger initial workload for me and left my partner in the dark as to what the id and class tags were for JS/JQ. However, I think Brandon and I have already surmounted this and will be able to work quicker and more efficiently because of it.
Katie My last projects have all gone well. My previous partners and I were able to communicate and share in the workload and design of the finished products in an equal way.
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How will we set direction and make decisions as a team?
Hugh I think the best way for this is to meet together and collaborate on what the best course of action is. Together, our shared knowledge will point us toward the best solution to a particular problem.
Katie To set the direction, I think it's important to agree on the beginning code and set the solid foundation of the HTML skeleton. To make decisions as a team, I will check in often and make sure that our visions for our projects still align.
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How will we overcome obstacles?
Hugh Again, I think the best way to do this is through open communication. If either of us are struggling, it's important to feel able to approach one another in order to find a solution.
Katie By first being open and honest with each other about where we are struggling, and then reaching out to outside resources (pairing, TAs, our classmates) if we cannot figure it out together quickly.
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What do you need (resources, environment, communication) to do your best work?
Hugh I need a quiet space to work and do like to try and solve problems on my own. However, if the struggle becomes too much, I think it's important to reach out and get fresh eyes on the project.
Katie I also like to work in a quiet space, and I like to know that we are on the same page before I start writing code.
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What scheduling restraints do you have? What are your scheduling preferences?
Hugh I generally prefer working in the mornings and through lunch. I'm able to stay after class, but would like to leave no later than 6 PM. I'm then able to work independently at home later in the evening, but this time is limited if I stay later after class as I usually turn off around 10 PM.
Katie I need to leave school around 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. at the latest to let my dog out. In the mornings and during lunch, I am available unless I am at a meeting (I am busy Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, and Thursdays during lunch). I am offline by 9 p.m. at night.
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What is your style for giving feedback? Does anything ever hold you back from giving feedback?
Hugh I do my best not to hold back on giving feedback, but do try to choose my words wisely. I may hold back periodically to make sure I'm seeing something from every angle in order to understand the situation better. Generally I like to give feedback in a conversational setting, allowing give and take from both parties.
Katie I enjoy giving written feedback so that I have time to reflect over my words and make sure that my intention is coming across. I hold myself back from giving feedback if I am relatively sure that the feedback will not be taken into consideration or if giving the feedback will hurt someone's feelings and is not absolutely necessary to give.
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What do you identify as being your biggest strength(s) technically, as they relate to this project? Where do you feel you could use improvement in your technical skills, as they relate to this project? How can our team help support you in improving these skills?
Hugh My biggest strength technically is definitely being organized and aware of the little details that go into projects. I think this has shown in how my code is organized and my CSS overall. I think I need improvement with figuring out how various pieces of JQ/JS fit together, as well as how to refactor and make my code a little cleaner. I think my partner can help me learn best by showing me different ways to solve problems and to let me know if they've figured out a different way to do things.
Katie My biggest strengths are seeing the big picture and getting stuff functional (even if it's not pretty) when it needs to get done. I could use improvement with staying focused on one detail of a project instead of letting my brain jump off in a million directions.
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What tools do you want to use to manage the project?
Hugh A steady use of Git and GitHub streamlines the project in my opinion. I think it makes it easy to collaborate and build the project, piece-by-piece, in an efficient and streamlined way. I also would like to dig into Waffle to break the project out visually and assign tasks to my partner and myself.
Katie Waffle, Slack, GitHub.
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How do you want the group to solve problems when members run into issues with features of the project?
Hugh Again, I think the best way to do this is to come together and brain storm. If we aren't able to solve it together, I think it's best to reach out to other cohorts or other resources at Turing.
Katie First try to solve it together, then reach out to other people.
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How do you know if a project is successful? How can we achieve that as a group?
Hugh I think the project is successful if the end result is something that both partners can speak for and be proud of. Regardless if we execute each and every requirement, I think the best thing is for both of us to feel satisfied and accomplished by the time the project is finished, having known we put everything we could into it.
Katie The project will be successful if we have both learned new things, and if the project functions well in the end.
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How will we recognize each other's successes and celebrate them?
Hugh Lots of high-fives, lots of 'Thank you's, and an appreciation for the work the other person has accomplished, especially in regards to how it has helped build up our own success.
Katie Being appreciative and respectful of each other's code and verbal encouragement.
Any additional questions that you would like to add:
Project: * 2DoBox
Group Member Names: * Hugh Hartigan and Katie Scruggs
Project Expectations: What does each group member hope to get out of this project?
Goals and expectations:
Team strengths:
How to overcome obstacles:
Schedule Expectations (When are we available to work together and individually?):
Communication Expectations (How and often will we communicate? How do we keep lines of communication open?):
Abilities Expectations (Technical strengths and areas for desired improvement):
Workload Expectations (What features do we each want to work on?):
Workflow Expectations (Git workflow/Tools/Code Review/Reviewing Pull Requests):
Expectations for giving and receiving feedback:
Agenda to discuss project launch:
Ideas:
Tools:
Additional Notes: