Planpop - Developing Android App
Impelenting features to match iOS-released version
My Role
From June 2020 to the present, I have been working at Planpop, a social media company creating an app that focuses on genuine interactions and making a platform that strengthens bonds amongst friends. I am part of the Android Team as a Software Engineer working on building the android app to match the iOS version. I am currently working full-time as a Sr. Android Engineer.
Tools: Android Studio, Kotlin, Firebase, CircleCI, Avion
Skills: Front-End Development, Back-End Development
Background
Planpop is an app focused on bonds between people, striving to create an environment that minimizes social media posting anxiety. Rather than focusing on the past or present, their vision is to focus on the future, a platform for sharing future moments.
Problem
The Android team and I are working on the Android version to match the important features of the iOS version.
Process
Stage 1:
On a typical week, I would go over the storyboard for the Android version of Planpop to work on a feature through Avion, a website to help us visualize and group features in order to identify which issues to work on:
Example of an Avion storyboard
Stage 2:
Once I have chosen a feature, I would go over the app's mockup/specifications to further understand the feature. I would then self-assign the issue through Github and start implementing the feature.
Stage 3:
Halfway through the week, I would have a weekly online meeting with the other developers, including the iOS developers, product management, and the founder of the company. We would go over our current tasks and communicate what we plan to finish by the next meeting and what we have planned if we finish early.
Stage 4:
Once I complete a feature I would create a separate branch for that issue on Github and create a pull request. Upon creating a pull request, I would use the tool CircleCI to ensure all test cases pass and to fix any conflicts with the request. Upon getting reviewed by the head Android developer I would finally merge the new feature with the main branch and begin looking through Avion for a new feature to implement.
Results
As of January 2022, I have completed over 100 features for the Android version of Planpop. I have rapidly sped up the production for the Planpop app by efficiently implementing features through test-driven development and through the help of my fellow developers in the company as well.
What I learned
My experience at Planpop has been fantastic so far. It was great to be able to experience working on a project with so many different departments and working on a product dedicated to helping other people. Working for the Android team has definitely improved my Android development skills as I had to overcome numerous technical challenges in order to create a feature that was envisioned by the product managers. I have also improved my communication skills through weekly meetings with the team and asking questions on Slack in order to further understand an issue.
Overall, this job was a fun and challenging experience and has further cemented my idea of wanting to become a mobile developer.