Week 15: Final Update - A Journey of Growth & Digital Connection

Reflecting on the Project

This marks our final update for the UPSE-SAAS enhancement project. Over the past 15 weeks, our team of three students navigated complex technical challenges, evolving client requirements, and the realities of large-scale software development. This experience transformed into a profound lesson in system design, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving.

Key Insights Gained

1. The Weight of Legacy Systems:

Working with a codebase spanning hundreds of files and thousands of lines taught us the critical importance of understanding existing patterns before making changes. A single misaligned function could cascade into unexpected errors, mirroring real-world maintenance challenges.

2. Client-Developer Dynamics:

Balancing technical feasibility with client expectations required constant communication. Pivoting on preferred functionalities demonstrated the value of pragmatic problem-solving over perfectionism.

Project Documentation

We’ve compiled our work into a consolidated project documentation package. Access the documentation here: [UPSE-SAAS Project Documentation (Final)].

Acknowledgments

This project would not have been possible without our client, for trusting students with mission-critical system modifications and providing real-world context; and our professor, for mentorship that bridged classroom theory and industry practice.

Thank you for following along! 

– The UPSE-SAAS Student Development Team
(Rain Castro, John Domingo, Albert Quidet)

P.S. For those interested in our journey’s technical details, explore our GitHub repository (access available upon request).

Week 14 Update: Presentation Week & Project Wrap-Up

Milestone Achievements

This week marks the culmination of our development efforts with the formal presentation and live demonstration of our consolidated implementations. Additionally, we're pleased to report we've received the completed client evaluation form, providing valuable feedback on our implementation approach.

Key Progress

1. Presentation & Live Demo:
• Successfully demonstrated the "Reject at Any Stage" feature using the repurposed /close endpoint
• Showcased the frontend-backend integration with real-time status_id field updates
• Received positive feedback on our approach to leverage existing system patterns rather than creating new infrastructure
2. Client Evaluation:
• Received completed evaluation form from the client
• Initial feedback indicates satisfaction with the streamlined implementation
• Evaluation form can be found here: ClientEvaluationForm_signed.pdf 
• Kindly download the file itself so the highlights made by the client can be visible
3. Documentation Progress:
• Initiated comprehensive documentation focusing on:
• Implementation details of the rejection workflow
• Frontend optimization and code centralization
4. Deployment Planning:
1. Initiated conversations with client about collaborative deployment strategy
2. Discussing optimal timing and technical requirements for production rollout

Sprint Backlog List

Task	Status	Owner	Documentation Reference
Complete presentation and live demo	Completed	All
Receive client evaluation feedback	Completed	Albert
Finalize technical documentation	In Progress	All	§Technical Documentation
Integrate LDI Setup in documentation	In Progress	John	§Technical Documentation
Prepare deployment checklist	Not Started	Rain	§VIII Kubernetes Deployment
Coordinate deployment timeline with client	Pending	Albert
Conduct extensive code review	Not Started	All	§Version Control
Create knowledge transfer session materials	Not Started	All	§Technical Documentation/Handover

Next Steps

1. Finalize all documentation by end of next week
2. Confirm deployment timeline and technical approach with client
3. Conduct knowledge transfer session with client technical team

We're excited to be in the final stages of this project and looking forward to successful deployment.

Week 13 Update: Final Presentation Preparation & Client Follow-Up

Progress Summary

This week, the team is focused on finalizing the project presentation (due May 8) while continuing to follow up with the client to complete the pending Client Evaluation Form.

Key Updates

1. Client Evaluation Status:
• Still awaiting submission of the evaluation form
• Sent 2 follow-up emails this week with polite reminders
2. Presentation Preparation:
• Outline finalized with the following sections:
• Project Summary: Original goals vs. final deliverable
• Achievements
• Challenges
• Demo
3. Documentation:
• Compiled technical documentation for handover, including:
• Updated API endpoints (§API Documentation)
• Database schema revisions (§Database Data Dictionary)

Sprint Backlog List

Task	Status	Owner	Documentation Reference
Finalize presentation slides	In Progress	All	§Technical Documentation
Prepare live demo scenarios	In Progress	John & Rain	§Frontend Components
Compile challenge/resolution summary	In Progress	Albert	§Project Retrospective
Follow up with client for evaluation form	Ongoing	Albert	N/A
Finalize deployment checklist	Pending	Albert	§VIII Kubernetes Deployment
Test demo environment stability	In Progress	John	§Kubernetes Deployment/Testing
Update GitHub repository with final code	Pending	Albert	§Version Control

Next Steps

1. Presentation Dry Run: Scheduled to test timing and demo stability
2. Deployment Readiness: Ensure staging environment mirrors production
3. Client Communication: Continue gentle follow-ups for evaluation form submission

Reminders for Client

• The Client Evaluation Form is critical for course completion. We kindly request submission by May 15 at the latest.

Stay tuned for the final deployment update and project documentation!

We’re excited to showcase our work! 

Week 12 Update: Frontend-Backend Compatibility Breakthrough

Progress Summary

This week, the team achieved a critical breakthrough in frontend-backend compatibility for the graduate applicant rejection feature. By leveraging existing system patterns documented in §API Documentation/Endpoints and §Database Data Dictionary, we implemented a streamlined solution that aligns with the client’s requirements while avoiding unnecessary complexity.

Key Technical Adjustments

1. Frontend Modification

• Swapped POST /api/applications/{id}/reject with POST /api/applications/{id}/close endpoint (§API Documentation §5.2)
• Removed rejection reason input field to match the close endpoint’s parameters
• Updated UI button logic in FormButtons.vue (§Frontend Components):

2. Backend Validation

• Confirmed status_id updates correctly via the close endpoint (§Database Entity Relationship Diagram)
• Retired unused rejected_at and rejection_reason columns from previous implementation

3. Database Sync

• Verified status_id transitions using DBeaver (§VII Database)

Sprint Backlog List

Task	Status	Owner	Documentation Reference
Modify frontend to use /close endpoint	Completed	Castro	§API Documentation
Remove rejection reason input UI	Completed	Castro	§Frontend Components/Dialog
Update backend close endpoint policy checks	In Progress	Quidet	§Backend Application/Policies
Validate status_id persistence	Completed	Domingo	§Database Data Dictionary
Prepare client demo scenarios	Pending	Domingo	§Technical Documentation/Versioning
Update API documentation for /close usage	Pending	Quidet	§API Documentation
Conduct cross-browser compatibility testing	Not Started	Domingo	§Kubernetes Deployment/Testing

Client Presentation Plan

Demo Focus Areas

• Show status_id updates in real-time via DBeaver (§VII Database)
• Demonstrate admin workflow using the modified button (§Frontend Components)
• Highlight reduced development time by reusing existing endpoints (§System Architecture)

This solution adheres to the original project constraints while utilizing documented patterns from §API Documentation and §Frontend-Backend Integration. The team is now positioned nearing finalizing documentation and can currently proceed with client evaluation.