Hello World! I’m Scott M. Shoemaker, a Computer Science student with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence, based in Webster, New York. This post marks the official beginning of my Capstone project. However, before a single line of code is written, I had to tackle one of the most critical challenges of software development: project architecture and team management.
The Problem: Scope Creep and Development Bottlenecks
My Capstone team recently pivoted to a two-man structure. My partner, Collin, and I are tasked with building a full-stack GovTech AI application—incorporating React, Python, FastAPI, and PostgreSQL—in just five months. The primary problem we faced this week was logistical: how do two developers, who are also balancing outside careers and lives, build a complex application without constantly blocking each other's progress or causing massive code-merge conflicts?
The Solution: Asynchronous Sprints and API Contracts
To solve this, I leaned on my Agile Project Management and Scrum Master certifications to design a workflow that protects our velocity. Instead of a traditional, intertwined development cycle, I structured our execution plan around a strict asynchronous workflow managed via 2-week sprints.
Our solution utilizes a "horizontal split." I am acting as the Backend Architect and Scrum Master, while Collin owns the Frontend UI/UX. To prevent bottlenecks, the strategy we implemented this week was to define strict API Data Contracts early. By agreeing on the exact JSON format my backend will eventually send, the frontend can be built out using dummy data next month. Meanwhile, I can construct the database and tune the Gemini API in complete isolation. We will not integrate the two halves until Month 3. This isolated sprint strategy mitigates our highest risk and removes development friction.
My Journey and Goals
My journey into computer science has always been driven by a desire to turn chaotic, complex systems into structured, working logic. Beyond this Capstone, my ultimate goal is to step into a role as an AI Solutions Program Director or Product Manager, ideally within the GovTech or AgTech sectors. I want to build practical software that bridges the gap between high-level AI capabilities and real-world utility, translating dense, bureaucratic systems into highly accessible tools.
I’ll be documenting the technical hurdles, AI prompt tuning, and backend breakthroughs of this 5-month journey right here. Stay tuned for Sprint 1!
Top comments (0)