Projects

For your final assignment you will work in groups of four or five on a data pipeline project that ties together ideas from across the course. Assignments with due dates are posted on Canvas.

Deliverables

The final project submission includes:

• Milestone 1 — System design plan (one group submission in Canvas).
• Milestone 2 — GitHub repository with code and documentation (one group submission in Canvas).
• Personal reflection — Individual reflection in first person (what you learned and how you worked); one-page PDF submitted in Canvas. It complements the group milestones—it is not a team status report.

For coding standards, see Best practices for readable and maintainable code. For README guidance, see How to write a README.

Project options

You may choose one of the following:

• Project A — Cloud file converter
• Project B — HTC text analyzer
• Project C — Automatic ISS tracker

Full instructions are in each project’s README. Options and details are released after the early modules that establish the technical foundation; watch Canvas and class for that announcement. Discuss the options with your group and commit to one project for the term.

Timeline and deliverables

Every project follows the same milestones below, regardless of which option you choose.

Week 1

1. As a group, choose one project option.
2. Choose a team name.
3. Create a GitHub repository for the project.
4. Decide which system components you need (storage, compute, APIs, scheduling, etc.).
5. Submit the design plan as Milestone 1 (one submission per group). Watch Canvas for the assignment.
6. Review your plan with the instructor in class (date announced in class and on Canvas).

Weeks 2–3

1. Implement the project; push updates to GitHub regularly.
2. Attend weekly in-class check-ins.

Final week

1. Push the final version to GitHub:
   • Final code
   • Final documentation (README and any other docs your project requires)
2. Submit your completed work as Milestone 2 (one submission per group). Watch Canvas for the assignment.
3. Submit the personal reflection individually. Watch Canvas for the assignment.

Expectations

Attendance

Students are expected to attend class. Lectures and short demos give context for design tradeoffs and implementation choices.

Once a week, instructors check in with each group to answer questions and suggest next steps if needed. Use that time to stay unblocked. Dates will be announced in class and on Canvas.

Work outside class

Assignment due dates are fixed; how you schedule work between meetings is up to your team. Plan time outside class to implement, test, and document so you can submit on time.

Conduct

This is a group project. Be mindful of one another: please listen to teammates’ viewpoints, assume good intent, and keep discussion constructive.

Communicate early and often with each other and with instructors. If you are stuck, ask for help sooner rather than later.

We are here to support you and look forward to seeing what you build!