Enrolling in ICS 414 has proven to be an enriching experience. This semester, we were divided into groups of eight and presented with a real client who worked for a mobile clinic serving various locations across the island. However, managing inventory proved to be a daunting task. Volunteers at the mobile clinic relied on a Google Sheets document to keep track of inventory, an approach that was time-consuming and lacked efficiency. The client expressed a desire for a more streamlined inventory management solution.
Our group, known as UH-Cryptics, took on the challenge of developing a website application called Zeus, offering an intuitive inventory management system. Simplicity and user-friendliness were the guiding principles behind Zeus’s design. Although the project remains a work in progress, I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved within the given time constraints. This experience has provided me with valuable insights as a software engineer.
Zeus features a straightforward login page that requires an email and password. Upon successful registration, administrators have the ability to assign roles to user accounts. The provider role grants access to add and edit inventory items, while the student role permits item dispensation. Inventory items are divided into two categories: medications and supplies. Dispensing an item is as simple as clicking a small button at the top right, triggering a modal that prompts the user to fill in the necessary information. Upon dispensation, the inventory is automatically updated, and a log history is generated. Additionally, we implemented a search bar and dropdown functionality to facilitate the search for specific items.
As a student in this course, I had the opportunity to collaborate within a large group setting, honing my time management skills to ensure regular team meetings at least once a week. Utilizing Discord, our group effectively addressed any challenges and brainstormed ideas to enhance functionality. Since Zeus was built using JavaScript, I also had the chance to familiarize myself with reading and implementing code written by others. We employed GitHub to commit changes, adhering to a rough checklist during each review meeting. These review meetings, a novel experience for me, reinforced the importance of organization and compliance with coding standards to maintain high-quality code. Furthermore, bi-weekly customer meetings allowed us to present our progress and incorporate any desired changes or additional functionality requested by the client. Undoubtedly, this has been one of my favorite courses this semester, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.