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IOB22

COVID Dashboard

In this fifth Python programming assignment, you continue exploring web interfaces. You request data from a web service to collect the latest COVID-19 statistics and process them while exploring time series and data formats. Finally, you expose a series of charts on the web, based on this data, organised into a dashboard.

Through this assignment, we explore the following concepts:

Data

Dictionary

List

JSON

Chart

Web Service

Vega 

HTML

CSS

⏰ Time Management and Expectations

This assignment brings together all the computational skills you acquired and connects them to web interface development. It is the last assignment of this series, and we expect it to be the longest. First, web technologies involve many new concepts and languages aside from Python, which takes time to navigate. Second, the tasks are more open-ended and left to you for exploration.

We suggest going through the steps without too much divergence, ensuring you obtain a functioning dashboard first. Then, Step 6 gets you started on what you could explore.

We see this assignment as your most extensive project in this series. Therefore, we propose you experience pair programming and version control to learn how to deal with large projects.

👥 Pair Programming

Pair programming is an excellent opportunity to exchange and strengthen your knowledge. Here is a relevant extract from the IOB22 course about pair programming.

  • We suggest switching roles for each Task, as the code gets executed and marks a clear transition.
  • As you take the driver seat, remember to think aloud and ask questions to the navigator
  • As you take on the navigator seat, help the driver answer his question. If you spot an error, let the driver finish their flow before communicating them

Remember that it is an exercise of courage, continuously admitting when you do not know. This way, the other get the opportunity to explain and, through this process, check whether they have themselves a clear understanding of the concept at hand.

Working at a distance adds a layer of complexity. So if you have the chance, we encourage you to work on one computer, physically in the same room. Otherwise, to pair online with Replit, one person in the pair creates a project. Then, using the share button on the top right corner, you share an ‘editable’ link with your partner, which you can both edit.

Pair Programming - Replit

Online, we suggest using a communication tool such as MS Team to open a video channel, staying in constant video and voice interaction during the duration of the pair programming.

🔗 Version Control with Git and GitHub

Version control is another critical mechanism for any project that takes more than a day to develop. Here is a relevant extract from the IOB22 course about version control.

To explore the Git/GitHub workflow, you need to create a free GitHub account if you do not have one yet. This flow works regardless of working solo or in pairs.

Create a repository with an initial README.md file, then access this repository from Replit.

GitHub create repository - Replit

We suggest:

  • creating a commit and pushing on your GitHub repository at the end of each Task;
  • creating a branch at the beginning of each step and merging it in the Master at the end.

GitHub create branch and commit - Replit

Next: Review

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