This week we focused on one of the first tasks in our backlog, the database schema! First, we created an ER diagram to organize the schema. Then, over a long team meeting, we went over each planned table and attribute to ensure they not only made sense, but were the most efficient solution. Going over the schema also solidified the workflow for parts of the application. Next, we are going to create the tables in our SQL Server instance in preparation for backend development.

We also started discussing our plan for the FDR, a multi-volume paper due at the end of our project. We created a detailed outline for each volume, which includes all headings and subheadings. By starting our planning now, there will be less confusion when it comes time to start writing, and we can hit the ground running.

In conjunction with the RTX team we finished setting up the development environment this week! Following a long road to be development-ready, it is finally time to begin writing code – and preparations have been made. A backlog has been drawn with owners assigned to items, and a route has been laid to build the application.

We also composed and delivered a presentation to the Qualitative Review Board featuring other IPPD coaches and Credential Core’s very own Dr. Resch. We were required to assess the project’s state and convince the board to agree; the board determined our status was better than what we thought! It’s been a struggle to get to where development can begin, but it’s time to finally employ the skills we’ve been learning for years.

We should have development and code-based progress, some real, genuine, concrete code written by next week that extends beyond the UI. Check again to hear about some foundational backend work!

This week the team has primarily devoted its time to preparing for the upcoming Qualification Review Board event. Each member of the team has taken responsibility for a segment of the presentation such that we all will have something to speak to the judges about. This event forces each team to assess their progress, identify weaknesses and opportunities, and plan for the future. It is a crucial step to ensuring we deliver a quality solution to our sponsor’s problem on schedule.

Work has also been accomplished on the hatchery machines by our liaisons. Dummy Active Directory accounts have been created, an exchange server has been configured, vCenter is been fixed, Network Interface Cards have been configured, and more. We will have the optimal environment to simulate a true, air-gapped network so that we can test our code properly. Team Credential Core has big plans for this next week, stay tuned!

Credential Core is excited to start the semester strong! Our main goals this week focused on beginning front‑end development and working with RTX to finalize our environment setup in The Hatchery. We kicked things off with the first IPPD class of the semester, where we discussed the critical path of our project plan, which is the longest sequence of tasks our team must complete to finish the project. Throughout the week, we made steady progress by creating the project repository, configuring testing packages, and beginning work on our UI. To wrap things up, Alex and Joseph traveled to Gainesville to install new hardware and configure machines in The Hatchery, bringing us one step closer to a fully functional mock environment. Since this was our first week back, we are still settling into our routines, but we are looking forward to sharing many more exciting updates soon!