SECRH Course Reflections
Leadership Reflection in Software Engineering Project
Introduction:
In the context of my Software Engineering course, I had the opportunity to lead Group 7 in our assignment to develop the System Documentation (SD) for the Management Information System (TVPSS). As the leader, I would like to reflect on our team's achievements, the challenges we faced, and the leadership skills I developed throughout this project. This reflection highlights the essential knowledge, skills, and qualities required for effective leadership in a software engineering project.
Self-Reflection:
During this project, I realized that leadership goes beyond managing tasks and people. It involves creating a collaborative and inspiring environment that drives the team towards success. I had the opportunity to develop my leadership skills and apply them in various aspects of the project.
Essential Knowledge and Skills:
One of the critical aspects of effective leadership is possessing essential knowledge and skills. As a leader, I understood the importance of having a deep understanding of the project domain, technologies, and methodologies. This knowledge enabled me to make informed decisions and provide guidance to the team. Additionally, strong communication and interpersonal skills were vital for effective collaboration, conflict resolution, and team cohesion.
For example, during the project proposal phase, I recognized the significance of understanding our stakeholders' requirements and expectations. Through thorough research and active communication, I aligned our project goals with the stakeholders' vision, ensuring a successful project start. Furthermore, I demonstrated effective risk management skills by proactively identifying potential risks during the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) phase. This allowed us to develop strategies to mitigate risks, ensuring the project stayed on track.
Key Qualities of an Effective Leader:
In addition to essential knowledge and skills, an effective leader possesses key qualities that inspire and motivate the team. Leading by example is crucial, and I made a conscious effort to demonstrate dedication and professionalism throughout the project. By setting high standards for myself, I aimed to inspire team members to strive for excellence in their respective roles.
Adaptability is another vital quality for a leader in software engineering projects. I encouraged the team to embrace change, adapt our approach, and explore innovative solutions when faced with unforeseen challenges. This flexibility ensured that our project remained on track despite evolving circumstances.
Conclusion:
Throughout the Software Engineering course, I have learned that effective leadership requires a combination of essential knowledge, skills, and key qualities. By understanding the project domain, communicating effectively, managing risks, leading by example, and being adaptable, leaders can effectively guide their teams toward success.
As I reflect on my leadership experiences during this project, I recognize that leadership is a continuous learning journey. I am proud of our team's achievements, the effort and commitment shown by each member, and the quality of our work. This reflection will serve as a valuable addition to my portfolio, highlighting my growth as a leader in the field of software engineering. I look forward to further developing my leadership skills and contributing to future projects.
Reflection Video Link : https://youtu.be/8Ok6VOMJD7g
MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROUP AND PROJECT WORK
In this project, me as one of the members of Deeptronix has contributed a lot and same goes to my other group members. One of my contributions in this group is designing the floor plan of the general purpose labs for our proposed building by using Edraw Max software which I bought from Shopee. This software was very easy to use which made me faster at doing my work. It’s easier to make the shape, line and to add some words. For the preliminary analysis in Task 2, I have come out with a few questions and answers regarding the hardware and software of our network infrastructure. In task 3, I did research about the cabling, desktop PC and also wireless access point and considered the prices of items by its capabilities and qualities according to our group budget. Besides that, I also contribute through other parts such as doing the reports final checking, report formatting and compiling and dividing the task for each group member for each phase.
CONTRIBUTION OF OTHER MEMBERS TO THE GROUP & THE PROJECT WORK
My other group members also have done their best in completing all tasks given throughout the project completion. Wan Ahmad Faris has contributed a lot in this project where he helped other group members to understand the project task very well and did the references. He also gave a lot of ideas in this project and he did the comparison of the device's price in Task 3. My other group member, Muhammad Zulfadhly, contributed to the design of our plan after combining all of our ideas. He is quite creative to draw out the floor plan which at the end he can make all the group members satisfied with it. Apart from that, he also gives consideration and cooperation while doing all the tasks through this project. Lastly, Safura Balqis is someone who did her work efficiently and fast in completing the task given. Throughout this project, she also contributes a lot where she makes explanations and gives examples according to our project requirements. She also contributes in designing the main network topology of our project.
HOW I WORK AS A GROUP
In this project, I helped my team members as much as I could. For each task, I tried to remind and alert other members to complete their respective tasks. I tried to make sure that the work is equally distributed to everyone and they like to do them. Other than that, I also provide them sources of information to improve our project report from the seniors. I was also trying to encourage each other to form good partnerships. All in all, I think I have done my best and contributed as much as I can to the team.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM WORKING AS A GROUP
Throughout this project, the four of us work as a team to make sure all tasks can be completed before the due date given and all the content has been arranged neatly. After completing all the tasks and finalizing this project, I learned that we should not just be good team members but we also need to try to be a good leader. Other than that, I learned to be a more punctual and responsible person. Everyone has their own part to be done in each task. Therefore each of us must always work together to complete the tasks within the time allocated. We always help each other to solve the problems that we have encountered along the completion of the project. Last but not least, I learned to accept the opinions of others and listen with an open mind.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM DOING THE PROJECT
This project is not as easy as I thought. Although some of the tasks were quite challenging and difficult, me and my team still managed to complete all the tasks given. Hence, personally I learned a lot about the Network Communication subject in depth . This project really helped me and my team members to overcome the obstacles and taught us about the process of building a good network infrastructure by implementing what we have learned throughout the course in this semester. This project also taught me how to manage our time very well. As a result, we could submit all the tasks on time. Moreover, this project taught us how to handle a project with a certain amount of budget. This is a good example of case study that might be very useful when we enter real working life. I hope I can make a project like this as a team in the future because it helps a lot with our study to understand the theory that we learned from the class.
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ON PROJECT
After all, I could say that the project of this course is one of the toughest and longest reports that I have done in this semester since we have a lot of difficult and challenging tasks to be done. I have gained a lot of experience. In the report making, when we created the floor plan, the cabling and measurements estimation had taught us many things such as thinking logically, learned to differentiate between router, modem, switch and calculating budget for a report. In this project completion, I also get to know more about what network is all about in detail. We need to do research and study a lot of things and new terms that are related to the network just to make sure that the facts that we stated were right and reasonable. As a Network and Computer Security student, I’m really happy with this project and I want to thank my team members, Safura, Zulfadhly and Faris.
My goals for this program
As I enter University Technology Malaysia, my goal is to be successful in all things, including academics, sports, and also with the club. I really wanted to become a computer forensic analyst or work in the cybersecurity field after I graduated from UTM and work with big companies such as Google or Cybersecurity Malaysia. I hope I can meet all the requirements to become an advanced computer forensic analyst. In the future, I wish to become very expert and skillful in this field. Thus, I must have all the qualifications needed to become an outstanding engineer. The course I am studying at UTM is computer network and security. My ultimate goal is to start a tech start-up and successfully scale it while providing a solution to people’s problems and improving their lifestyle.
Furthermore, as my ambition is more about business and technology entrepreneurship, I have to improve my corporate knowledge, communication skills, and constantly be up to date with the current issues in the computer science field in order to innovate. I need to have extensive knowledge of computer hardware, network frameworks, IP addressing, firewalls, routing, and troubleshooting, for example. I also plan to build new network systems that can help many people in our country and the world to have a better life. My goal is also to learn and gain valuable knowledge regarding information systems. In today’s modern day and time, it is crucial for students who wish to venture into the world of technology to be equipped with ample knowledge. I hope to be able to apply the invaluable knowledge I gained in this course when I enter the workforce in the near future and be a valuable member of society by contributing to the betterment of my community, society, and country. This programme has opened my eyes and mind to the possibilities of today’s technology and has been a guide for me to prepare myself before entering the workforce. As a computer science student, it is very important to be creative in inventing new projects and services.
My other goal is good time management. Time management is the ability to plan and control how you spend your day effectively to achieve your goals. Many students find it difficult to manage their time well, whether they are trying to adjust to academic responsibilities such as just going to class, trying to meet the ongoing demands of each class, such as studying, or trying to complete various tasks that need to be completed before the deadline. Time management techniques include setting goals and priorities, planning and scheduling specific activities, which help us balance both academic and personal tasks on time. My next goal is to improve my English communication skills. As a computer science student, English is the most important language for us because it is of major significance for job seekers in any field, such as technology, marketing, and so on. Being good at English not only helps in the classroom but also increases our confidence level.
Action/improvement/plan necessary for me to improve my performance
In order to improve myself, I will keep an open mind, gain more experience, always keep on learning, and never give up on my passion for technology. I have always believed that having a burning passion would act as a drive for me to achieve my goals.
I have been exposed to programming and robotics since I was in secondary school. Thus, I have the passion to be a computer forensic analyst in the future to accomplish my dream. I hope that I will be equipped with all the requirements for being a successful computer forensic analyst when I complete my course.
Also, there are many things that I need to do to improve my potential in the industry. I need to improve both my soft and hard skills. Effective communication skills, which are important for presenting ideas and listening to problems; teamwork, which is the ability to work with others without being discriminated against; and problem-solving skills that produce creative and fast solutions, will ensure any type of project conducted by the engineer will run smoothly. I also need to be aware and to become a fast learner of the latest technologies as they rapidly grow. Lastly, I need to attend lots of talks, courses, and seminars to enhance my knowledge.
I have also planned to improve myself to become a more potential employee and blend with society. I need to join a club that can teach me more soft skills so that I can get all the experience that really matters to boost my strength in all aspects. I also need to learn a good way to communicate with people so that it will be beneficial for me to keep a good job in all situations. Lastly, I need to be positive while facing any task that I may have in the future.