![]() ![]() Starting with the basic send flow, I built the form progressively so that users without javascript could send a single file using a normal file input. I was able to skip most of the user management by attaching to VCU’s Central Authentication Service. Once I had the front end built, I began wiring up the backend. I then began designing and building the system from the front end so I had an idea of how it would look and flow. I wanted to learn some of the problems I might encounter as well as what his users had found most valuable. I started by chatting with a friend at another university who had built a similar system. Before releasing it to the university at large, I documented how it worked along with some basic tips for using it. I then recruited staff members within Technology Services to test the system and fixed any issues that arose. Over the course of 3-4 months, I designed the front-end and build the back-end as well. He saw that it would help alleviate support requests and larger problems in the future, so he gave the go-ahead to start building it. I pitched the idea to my boss as something I could build on the side that would solve a growing problem. Rather than encourage incorrect use of other systems, I took it upon myself to solve the problem by building FileDrop so that anyone at the university could temporarily share large files with anyone else via email. Gmail’s limit of 25 megabytes was insufficient for many of their needs, and I started receiving requests to use various other systems as temporary storage for large files, including blogs, Blackboard, and other less appropriate tools. When VCU transitioned from Lotus Notes to Gmail for students, faculty and staff began reporting problems sending large files to students via email. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |