Previous senior project teams passed on these tips in their answers to the "advice for future teams" question in their end of project reflection documents.
- Choose a good team coordinator to keep the project moving and everything in control.
- Spend time on the requirements.
- Make sure you understand the requirements before jumping into implementation.
- Understand the domain, then the requirements, and then figure out what needs to be done to fulfill those requirements but don't dive deep with everything at the beginning.
- Pick a mature process model, and stick to it. Hold it in high regard and do not relax it.
- Decide on useful metrics that will benefit the team, and are easy to commit to.
- Have strategies to mitigate your risks.
- Evaluate the nuances of a framework before committing to using it for implementation.
- Teams should be as proactive as possible and not be afraid to ask questions, either from a sponsor, faculty coach, or team member when you are unclear about something.
- Devise techniques that ensure team member commitment to the project in terms of both time and delivering on work..
- Don’t be afraid to tell the sponsor ‘no’ when it comes to change requests.
- Communicate early and often with your project sponsor and keep them notified of any issues encountered. Sponsors can be very understanding if they are well-informed, while project delays without explanation will certainly draw some ire.
- Deliver early and often to your project sponsor.
- Plan to be done coding by the end of week 12 of the second term.
- Don’t underestimate the project. Things are tougher than they appear.
- Try to have fun with your team members. You will be working closely with them for many months, so it’s good to start making positive relationships.