From Planning to Execution: Our Team's Milestones This Week

Felipe de Souza

9/22/2025

a computer screen with a bunch of lines on it

Introduction

This week our team made a significant leap forward in turning our Life Leveling concept into something actionable. With three major deliverables due — the final draft of our Software Design Document (SDD), the first iteration of our wireframes and prototype, and the setup of our Jira project board — it was critical that we divided responsibilities clearly and worked in sync.

Finalization of the Software Development Document (SDD)

The first notable achievement was the finalization of the Software Development Document (SDD). Velma focused on integrating the instructor’s feedback into our SDD, tightening up requirements and ensuring our use cases and database diagrams were more complete. With the SDD completed, our team is now equipped with a clear roadmap that not only outlines our objectives but also provides transparency to stakeholders and other involved parties. Having this foundational document finalized is integral for ensuring that all team members are aligned regarding the project’s scope and vision.

Development of Initial Wireframes

Additionally, Cassandra and Stephen collaborated on the visual side, producing wireframes and prototypes in Figma that outlined our initial navigation flow: a calendar for reminders, a stats page for leveling progress, a streak tracker, and settings for customization. Wireframes are essential tools in the user interface design process, allowing us to visualize the layout and structure of our application. By developing these wireframes, we have clarified how users will interact with the product and identified the key functions that will need to be implemented. This process not only enhances our design perspective but also lays the groundwork for user testing and feedback integration as we progress further in our development journey.

Creating a Structured Jira Board

To further facilitate our development efforts, I created a structured Jira board comprising nine epics, twenty-eight stories, and one hundred twenty-two tasks. This organizational framework is designed to streamline our project management processes and enhance our team's efficiency. Each epic encapsulates a significant feature or component of the project, while the associated user stories elaborate on specific functionalities. The tasks derived from these stories break down the work into manageable units, enabling the team to track progress effectively and prioritize efforts based on project timelines.

To improve usability, I color-coded epics, assigned categories, and built a workflow that moves tasks through stages like To Do → In Progress (Current Week) → Ready for Review → Ready for Team Testing → Verified Complete. With this workflow, we aim to foster an environment of accountability, allowing us to closely monitor our development cycle while adapting to any emerging challenges that may arise.

Not Everything is Perfect

At first, I faced issues inviting teammates to the board, but after troubleshooting I was able to add Cassandra, Velma, Stephen, and our instructors. This step was crucial, as it allowed us to collaborate directly within the board and align on our backlog priorities. I also added a background image and descriptions to epics and stories, making the board not just functional but visually inviting for the team.

Conclusion

Looking back, I see this week as the bridge between abstract planning and structured execution. The SDD and wireframes clarified what we are building, while the Jira board defined how we’ll get there. Together, these deliverables set a strong foundation for the development sprints ahead.