On April 8, 2020, I officially unveiled COVID-19 Tracker in this article: COVID-19 TRACKER - My Contribution So Far!. If you have paid continuous visits to the website, then you will have noticed how it has been improved upon over time.
Today, I want to share the journey - how it all started down to where we are at the moment - and lessons I have learnt or been reminded of during this project.🤗
Now Let's go for a ride
The Journey
March 25, 2020 - March 26, 2020
On this day, at about 9pm WAT, I stumbled on some COVID-19 APIs that provided updates constantly (every 15 minutes) and so I thought to myself:
Someone has to consume these APIs and make the data user-friendly.
Right away I setup a react project, thought of a minimal design (ugly but presentable), consumed and presented the global statistics from coronatracker.
By the following dawn, I announced the website on Twitter
March 26, 2020 - March 27, 2020
After announcing the website, i decided to add individual countries' statistics to the website. I added this feature later that night
By the following dawn, I announced the countries feature on the website on Twitter
March 27, 2020 - March 30, 2020
I then decided to add a new feature. This shows the most trending news on COVID-19. Due to a few bugs, it took me a couple of days but I finally announced this feature here:
March 30, 2020 - April 2, 2020
It came time for the final feature - SEARCH. This also took me a couple of days due to bugs but I was able to announce the feature here:
April 2, 2020 - May 4, 2020
I decided to work with my friend (Kingsley (A Designer)) to work on the user interface (UI) design thereby producing better user experience (UX). I was able to announce my progress here:
The Lessons
Ideas will come if you pay attention to your environment
The ideas you have may not come together at once but as you progress. Like in my case, I thought of a new feature after adding one and I thought of improving the design later on.
Bugs are inevitable. Like my case, it wasn't my first time handling such project, but I had bugs at some point of the project.
Peer programming and team work produces better result than trying to be master of all. For example, working with my designer friend made the app more appealing.
Checkout this article and compare the screen shots with the feel of the new UI.Hard-work is necessary. Building and scaling software is not easy but in the end, it is worth every work.
There is always something new to learn in every software adventure. No matter how small, it makes you better than you were.
Unveil your applications as soon as it reaches MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
Even your favorite applications are not perfect or complete and this explains why there are always updates for you to download.
If you keep waiting until it is perfect, then you will never release it.Stop waiting to gather every knowledge before you start building. Just begin with what you have and learn as you build.
Only learn something if it is necessary for the project you are working on. Stop wasting your time trying to learn everything about a tool when you might just need 5% of it for a project.
Don't just turn down an idea in your head because you think someone else has done it already.
Think of what they are not doing right and fix it.MySpacewas there beforeFacebook,Skypewas there beforeZoom,Yahoomailwas there beforeGMailand so on.
Links
Conclusion
I hope you picked a lesson or two from my story. Please share for others to benefit.😊
The journey isn't over - not for my COVID-19 Tracker nor for any other software on earth - but these applications are shipped once they are useful and improvements will be made as time goes on.
I am hoping to unveil a new application soon that will be helpful especially to newbies. Keep an eye on me.
I know you love how the website looks at the moment even though it is still a work in progress, do contract me for you next project. I am proficient in React and Nodejs
Top comments (2)
Your website is great!
I'll make a website tracking corona virus in the world by Vue.js and covid19api. I can know mind to create new application by own hands in this article.Thank you!
Thank you Santoo.
Please feel free to create yours. It's a great idea