To make the last two weeks work I created this spiral process based on whats important to my final project and how I should develop it.
Spiral graph of the features, checked the ones solved during the weekly assignments
Before the last push on the project development, we use Trello, an online task manager, in which we plan each assignment and a potential use for our final project, some guesses were way off and others were accomplished.
On the image on the right you can see the development of the project idea, with focus on inputs and outputs that will be incorporated to the project.
Writing down you ideas is a great way to follow the process and resolve issues using the weekly assignments to at least have an idea or first test of systems and parts of the final project.
The images above show how some assignments were planned to improve on the final project and also used successfully.
Also here you can find a table that roughly summarizes how the approximate time for each task is planed based on the date, also some process overlap and can be preformed simultaneously, while some process need time to cure, dry or print.
| may | jun | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task | 23-30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Cradle structure, fabrication and assembly | |||||||||||
| Electronic design and fabrication | |||||||||||
| Programming | |||||||||||
| Troubleshooting electronics | |||||||||||
| Design Side panel | |||||||||||
| Fabricate Side Panel | |||||||||||
| Edit Final Video | |||||||||||
| Upload final video and slide | |||||||||||
| Presentation! | |||||||||||
Developed to grow healthy seedlings, that will se planted in my home garden, just plug it up and refill the water tank once in a while. I will have an advanced setting menu where you can tweak the amount of light and water provided to the plants.
I learn a lot, also making this project help me to settle down the knowledge learn trough the FabAcademy class, and also to develop a product that I'm currently using and I hope it will be around me, helping me to grow seedlings and supporting my house garden.
I also learn that time management isn't that easy and that you can always improved, also having a deadline approaching fast forces you to make triage and trim down the features to what's really needed. Driving you to make a spiral development that is a good way to approach any task.
The side panel was intended to be cover with veneer wood but the LED light was too bright to have a non black part with backlit Icons, also the water tank thermoforming was delayed and probably will be fabricated as composite. The advanced settings app is a bit late due to triage... :[
More code to make the user experience nicer, such as animation on the icons to indicate the state and bluetooth connection.
On the other hand, with some minor troubles everything else works and was troubleshooted successfully
Final graph of the features fabricated, and pending of the final project
Develop a project isn't easy, you should consider fabrication time and always left some time for troubleshooting, to me the schedule was short and I wish I will have started a bit earlier at least to make the actual app and develop the advanced setting menu, that I believe will take this project to another level.
But this process was a lot of fun, I really enjoy making this thing, and watch how my original idea and sketch come to life and are currently placed on my living room, with some things to improve but also almost complete and good looking.