START OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECT

This project was carried out with a four-person international team. We discussed with the client what they wanted, received a sample site for inspiration, and clarified the type of site they were looking for.

As a team, we reviewed the best way to execute the project and eventually decided on WordPress, even though it was not very familiar to other team members. We created documentation for the project, and in addition, another Finnish intern and I produced documentation on how to create a theme in WordPress.

In this project, I served as the project manager, assisted other team members with issues, and ensured that the project stayed on schedule. We had three months to complete the theme, but we did not manage to publish it in that timeframe.

Every morning, we held a “Stand-up” meeting, which helped everyone stay informed about the project’s progress and individual tasks. Version control was part of the project from the very beginning, and the project’s repository is available publicly on my GitHub profile.

THEME DESIGN

Another Finnish student and I created two designs for the project, from which the client chose their preferred one. The client wanted elements from the other design incorporated into their chosen design, so we made the necessary adjustments to ensure the client received exactly the theme they wanted.

The design was implemented using Adobe XD.

CODING

Once the design was finalized, we began the coding phase. I assisted other team members in getting the setup working and also served as the git support person.

After an initial period of awkwardness, we established a good rhythm with the coding. Version control seemed to pose the most difficulties, but we managed to overcome those as well.

REFLECTIONS ON THE PROJECT

The project was interesting and I stepped into a completely new role as project manager, which I had not done before. This project challenged me in new ways—how to get the team to work together and ensure effective communication? Initially, there were challenges with communication, as the project discussions were not always in English, which made it difficult for us to understand what was being discussed. Midway through, our team changed slightly when one member left and was replaced by another. After this change, the team dynamics improved significantly, and communication began to flow better. We started making real progress on the theme without needing constant reminders about task completion.

A memorable moment for me was when one of the Dutch team members was struggling to get any work done. I arranged a team meeting with our supervisor and asked this member how we could assist them as a team. The meeting went really well, and we reached a new level of teamwork. I later learned that I was the first to take the initiative to hold a team meeting and ask how we could help. A team is only as strong as its weakest link, and the team needs to work together towards the same goal—we all share the same objective.

I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. Although I may not have gained as much new knowledge in coding as other team members, I learned how to lead a group, keep on schedule, and gained international experience.

I am truly grateful for this project, the team members, and their contributions!

CLIENT FEEDBACK

The client reported being satisfied with the theme they received, particularly with the elements they definitely wanted (e.g., the floating astronaut). They were also very excited to try making changes to the site themselves, which was one of the criteria for the theme to be easily updatable. It was a pleasure to see the client’s enthusiasm as they explored and experimented with the site!

You can view the test page via this link.