Blog1 - Semester Capstone planning

The Experience

This week, I initiated my project by creating a Miro board to outline the project framework. I aimed to set up a timeline and identify key modules, but found the scope of the project overwhelming. I also list few of possible Ethical consideration to prepare the ethical module document writing.

Figure1. Capstone Timeline

Reflection on Action

Creating the Miro board was a productive first step, providing a visual representation of the project. However, I felt uncertain and overwhelmed by the broad scope and the need to identify suitable modules. My initial assumption was that a detailed timeline would make the project clearer, but instead, it highlighted the complexity and made me realize I need more guidance and specific examples to follow. From my past experience, creating a timetable is something that is very organised and gives me a sense of structure. However, this semester there were no detailed Assignment timeline guidelines and documents to be submitted from professors and tutors, instead we were left to plan a complete project on our own. This is more difficult than I thought it would be, and makes me feel even more anxious. I kept pushing back on my assumptions as I created my timeline, always feeling like the task list I created wasn't comprehensive or perfect.

Theory

This experience made me realise that in project management, detailed timelines alone are not enough to solve all the problems of complex projects. Through hands-on experience, I have learnt that the complexity of a project often requires more guidance and concrete examples to refer to. It also helped me to further understand the importance of project decomposition and modular management so that I can plan and execute in a more organised manner when faced with large-scale projects. In future projects, I will proactively seek more guidance and concrete examples to refer to in order to reverse the distribution of tasks is more portable for long duration projects and helps reduce anxiety and uncertainty.

In the process, I learnt that when faced with tasks without detailed guidance and clear requirements, it is important to adjust my expectations and understand that imperfection is part of the process.

Figure 2. Status and Detailed Weakly to-do.

Preparation

For the coming week, I will focus on defining specific modules for the Miro board by researching examples of similar projects. I will also seek regular feedback from mentors or advisors to ensure I'm on the right track. Breaking down the project into smaller, manageable tasks will be my priority to avoid feeling overwhelmed. The next time I will proactively seek guidance from a mentor with experience in similar projects for direction and concrete examples. In addition, I will break the project down into smaller, more manageable tasks from the outset to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the project. Setting realistic expectations for yourself and acknowledging that initial plans may need to be adjusted as you progress is also key to effective project management.