What a week it’s been! The nervous shivers we felt before our PDR presentation quickly turned into wide smiles after hearing the positive feedback from our liaisons. Their words appreciating our detailed explanation of the problem, our technical clarity, and teamwork — made all our hard work feel truly worth it.

This week, our team focused on refining and strengthening our project deliverables. We updated our PDR presentation based on the peer review suggestions to make our technical architecture clearer and more aligned with our goals. Due to a teammate’s temporary medical absence, we also adjusted our roles and responsibilities to ensure everything continues smoothly without delays.

A major highlight of the week was delivering our PDR presentation to the Oelrich executive team and our coach during their on-site visit. It was an incredible experience to showcase our design and get valuable insights directly from professionals in the field. Afterward, we also revised our PDR document by incorporating grading feedback to make it more accurate and comprehensive.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to move into the next phase, IMPLEMENTATION. Our focus for the upcoming week will be to develop a robust project pipeline for our system architecture, leverage the secure data access provided by Oelrich Construction, and begin early-stage prototyping.

We’re proud to share that our project is right on schedule! With the design phase wrapped up and a strong plan for the next steps, “Cemantics” is ready to turn ideas into action. The journey from shivers to smiles has been a rewarding one and it’s only the half way through.

This week, our team achieved a major milestone our Project Definition Review (PDR) and preliminary design architecture were officially approved by our coach!

We also completed our PDR peer review presentation and submitted the feedback response memo, ensuring all peer suggestions were addressed. Additionally, we met with the Oelrich Construction IT team to resolve pending technical questions. They’ve now joined our Teams channel to streamline collaboration.

Looking ahead, we’ll deliver our official PDR presentation to our liaison and the Oelrich executive team during our on-site visit on October 15th . We’ll also set up remote desktop access with the IT team and begin the Detailed Design Phase once final approval is received.

Exciting progress so far – the team is ready to move from concept to detailed design!

This week, our team made strong progress toward the Project Definition Review (PDR) and Preliminary Design Architecture, both set for submission next week. We successfully completed the concept generation phase, holding a productive brainstorming session to evaluate multiple design ideas that will be finalized in the PDR.
The team is now conducting focused research on suitable AI agents and cloud platforms to support the technical framework.
Next week’s priorities include submitting the PDR and design architecture, securing remote desktop access, and preparing for the on-site visit on October 15th.

The project moved forward steadily this week as we received official approval of the roadmap and finished the Project Development Specification (PDS) document after modifications. We also planned an on-site visit to Oelrich Construction’s Gainesville facility on October 15th, where we will have the opportunity to discuss progress with the management team in person. In conjunction with these changes, our team began technical research, exploring potential uses for large language models (LLMs) and cost-benefit analyses of different cloud platforms.
Our main objectives for next week are to finish the Project Definition Review (PDR) report for submission, select the appropriate system access equipment, and advance our research on cloud and LLM alternatives. We are additionally getting ready by detailing specific objectives and questions to guarantee the site visit yields maximum advantage. With all necessary documentation approved and planning milestones set, the project is proceeding according to plan.

The construction of Oelrich Insights has officially started! This week, our team marked several significant milestones, including designing our suggested AI Days poster, delivering our meticulously prepared Product Design Specification, and getting our Statement of Work approved.
However, the adventure doesn’t end there. We are thrilled to have gotten an invitation to explore Oelrich Construction’s site; this offers a fantastic chance to comprehend the business more deeply and collect insights into their requirements. In the upcoming week, we will focus on finalizing the PDS for course submission, enhancing the project strategy, and starting to detail the technical requirements.
Despite a delayed kickoff, our project is now on track, and the team’s excitement is evident. With every milestone, we are progressing towards turning ideas into significant results

Even with facing some scheduling issues, our team achieved significant progress this week. The creation of an extensive stakeholder model that emphasizes the main participants, the essential traits, and the ways to communicate with them was the notable success. This has given us a better insight into the project’s direction and how to create while considering stakeholders’ requirements.
We began the rebranding process, generating ideas for new names and logos that better reflect the core of our project. Thanks to Professor Lawrence D. Warren’s support, we finished the IPPD lab orientation and gained access to our communal workspace, signifying a significant milestone for teamwork and organization

This week felt like the official start of something bigger. Following extensive discussions, revisions, and exchanging of ideas, we have successfully finalized our Statement of Work (SOW). It wasn’t merely a document it seemed like we had truly established the groundwork for our project. Having our goals, deliverables, and mission clearly outlined instilled in us a sense of direction and pride. Sharing our draft logo and team identity with Dr. Thomas was another highlight. Even small moments, like laughing over logo ideas or debating names, made the process feel more real and collaborative.
We are preparing for our official kickoff meeting with our liaisons to align technical needs, establish workflows, and create a consistent communication timetable. Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to effectively oversee tasks and starting technical research on secure cloud architecture and data acquisition methods are our next main focus.
We are excited to continue building momentum. Stay tuned as we move from planning into deeper technical exploration in the coming weeks!