I recently completed the Amazon AWS Cloud foundations course which taught me numerous concepts that build upon my knowledge from my Cloud Architecture course. The goal of this course and certification was to lay out and understand the basics of Amazon AWS- and what it really does. I learned about the basics such as cloud computing, the scalability and functions of the cloud, core AWS services, and how billing works. The course genuinely taught me what the “cloud” is and is functions, as well as all the caveats that can make the AWS service more advantageous in a more practical sense for the workplace- for businesses. By taking all the knowledge checks and then cumulatively, the exam, I was able to learn more in-depth information about what we covered in class such as, Databases, Security, Storage, Computing, and well-designed framework. I was also able to learn more about topics not heavily covered in class such as Glacier and DBS as well. It was adventageous to be able to learn this important framework’s and uses of AWS, without having a deep technical background, and lay the beginning stepping stones leading up to the Cloud Practitioner Exam.

Cloud Foundations Certificate

This project involved creating a professional, multi-page website for an original business concept, Mind & Muscle Gym, a fitness center that integrates physical training with mindfulness. The purpose was to apply web development concepts learned in class while gaining experience in planning, designing, and implementing a realistic business website. My site includes a homepage, service breakdown, contact form with input validation, and an interactive cost calculator, built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, and Bootstrap. Through this experience, I strengthened my front-end development skills, improved my ability to create user-focused design, and learned how to manage the full process of delivering a working product. This project also helped me practice translating real-world business ideas into functional, presentable web solutions, an essential skill for professional roles in tech and business.

URL: https://misdemo.temple.edu/tuo18321s/Pro_Points_Project/

CertificateOfCompletion_Learning Design Thinking Lead Change in Your Organization 2016

This activity provided me further insight into the problem-solving approach known as design thinking and how it could be applied to any organization to enact change and propel success. The course defined design thinking as various avenues a team within an organization could take to better understand the needs of the user and developing solutions based on those needs. There are various ways to implement design thinking such as developing prototypes, coming up with quick iterations, and synthesizing key elements to highlight what is important. These approaches are best at solving nonlinear and complex problems.

One key point that was stressed within this series was making a space to create. Especially now a days when everything is more conveniently done online through zoom or teams, having a physical space to collaborate and share ideas is very important and is something I noticed that affected me personally. It seems a lot easier to share ideas and work with people in person rather through a screen.

Not only did this series cover what design thinking is but also how to form a proper team and what skills are valuable for a leader within this process to possess. Collaboration is key, especially incorporating different outlooks from as many people as possible and having a leader with a positive mindset to facilitate all this makes the process that much easier.

Maintaining a goal and actively aligning it with the desired outcome of the project is especially useful as well. As mentioned before, prototyping is a huge part of this goal and doing things such as journey mapping, synthesizing, and concepting are crucial to achieving this goal.

Overall, design thinking is a super effective way to approach problem solving, and teams that can effectively implement this way of thinking and especially successful. The design thinking mindset should also be considered a process, it is not something that will happen overnight but rather something that needs to be engrained within the culture. Getting to know the people who not only use your product but rather everyone that your product may affect is important, including team members. Lastly, asking questions and coming up with ideas that may be considered unorthodox are crucial to developing a great solution to your problem. Experimentation through prototyping and idea generation are key and would not be possible without an open environment and a solid workspace.

For this project, I designed and developed a multi-page website for a fictional business called WrestleZone Arcade, which combines a retro arcade experience with professional wrestling-themed events and memorabilia. The site includes an interactive party cost estimator built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, and Bootstrap. The project emphasizes user-friendly design, responsiveness, and clear navigation across four pages: Home, About, Gallery, and Contact. Each page contains relevant business information such as services, fees, operating hours, contact details, and location. The calculator allows users to estimate event costs based on inputs like guest count, event duration, and optional add-ons. Throughout the development process, I focused on implementing clean, class-compliant code practices and effective error handling to ensure a functional and professional final product.

WEBSITE URL: https://misdemo.temple.edu/tul33284l/MIS2402-PRO-POINTS-PROJECT/index.html

This website, FitFuel Tracker, is a multi-page fitness tool designed to help users estimate their daily maintenance calories and explore personalized training plans. I built it using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, and Bootstrap.

Through the AWS Academy Cloud Foundations course, I gained a comprehensive understanding of fundamental cloud computing concepts and the core services offered by AWS. I explored topics such as Amazon EC2, S3, RDS, DynamoDB, and EBS, as well as cloud architecture principles, security best practices, and pricing models. The course also introduced me to the AWS Well-Architected Framework, emphasizing pillars like performance efficiency, cost optimization, and operational excellence.

Completing this course has helped me understand how to evaluate different AWS services based on specific business needs—such as workload patterns, cost-efficiency, availability, and scalability. I also became familiar with tools like AWS Trusted Advisor and CloudWatch, which are key for monitoring and compliance.

This knowledge is highly relevant to today’s industry, where cloud solutions are now central to IT operations and innovation. For me, it provides a strong foundation to build on as I pursue future opportunities in cloud computing, systems design, or IT management roles.

AWS Certificate PDF

Project URL:
Philly MUA Website Prototype

 

philly mua

 

 

Website Redesign and Prototype Development: Yale School of Art

The objective of this project was to select a company and enhance its digital presence through a redesigned or newly created website. The focus was on improving user experience by identifying and addressing specific user needs, emphasizing usability, functionality, and aesthetic appeal. This work was completed as part of the MIS3506 course, which emphasizes user-centric design principles.

For this project, I chose the Yale School of Art website, a critical resource for prospective students, current students, faculty, alumni, and art enthusiasts. While the existing website provides valuable information, it suffers from outdated design, unintuitive navigation, and difficulty locating key content. These challenges underscored the need for a redesign to enhance usability, accessibility, and overall user experience.

Requirement Analysis

I conducted a comprehensive requirement analysis to understand the primary users and their goals:

• Prospective Students: Seek information on academic programs, admissions, and examples of student work.
• Current Students: Need access to resources, event updates, and tools for booking equipment.
• Faculty: Require a platform to share course materials, communicate with students, and promote their work.
• Alumni: Want to stay connected, access career resources, and showcase their achievements.
• Public Visitors: Look for information on exhibitions, events, and general school details.

The redesigned website needed to feature intuitive navigation, dynamic galleries for artwork, responsive design for accessibility, and tools for event updates and secure portals. Additionally, the site had to maintain the artistic identity of the school while integrating modern usability features.

User Persona: Emma Carter

To guide the design process, I developed a persona named Emma Carter:

• Background: A 32-year-old freelance graphic designer and art enthusiast from Brooklyn, NY, with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.
• Goals: Stay informed about exhibitions, browse artwork galleries, and learn more about the school’s history and programs.
• Pain Points: Finds academic sites outdated or cluttered, struggles with complex navigation, and dislikes slow-loading pages.
• Needs: A user-friendly event calendar, high-quality online galleries, responsive design, and engaging multimedia content.

Figma Prototype

Using Figma, I developed a high-fidelity prototype for the redesigned website. The prototype reflects a modern, clean aesthetic aligned with the school’s artistic brand. Key features include:

• Navigation Menu: Simple, intuitive design for seamless exploration.
• Five Core Pages: Home, About, Apply, Exhibitions, and Log In.
• Call-to-Action: A prominent “Apply Now” button to streamline the application process.
• Visual Enhancements: High-quality galleries, a responsive layout, and engaging multimedia elements.

Key Takeaways

This project provided valuable hands-on experience in user experience design and prototyping. I gained skills in:

• Conducting requirement analyses and creating user personas.
• Identifying and addressing usability challenges.
• Using Figma to create professional, user-friendly prototypes.

This project reflects my ability to integrate creativity and analytical thinking to deliver visually compelling and functional digital solutions. It also demonstrates my proficiency in applying user-centric design principles to real-world scenarios.

Link to my prototype website: https://www.figma.com/proto/4DlI5Vgdf4bXPTuxXa5Oug/Untitled?node-id=1-2&node-type=frame&t=It6jbWBpAqvMVSQh-0&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&page-id=0%3A1

Microsoft Project 2016 Essential Training

I developed a strong grasp of Microsoft Project 2016 and learnt how to efficiently oversee projects from inception to completion in this course. In order to create realistic timetables, I looked at how to put up project components such as tasks, milestones, and resources and connect them. Additionally, I learned how to monitor workloads, control resource availability, and maintain projects on schedule and under budget. Project 2016’s new features, such as the “Tell me what you want to do” area and numerous timelines, improved the efficiency of my job. I felt competent by the end of the course in monitoring developments, resolving scheduling conflicts, and disseminating project information in various ways to guarantee project delivery success.

 

Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization

An in-depth overview of design thinking, a user-centered approach to problem-solving that prioritizes creativity and teamwork, is given in this course. By examining important tactics including customer journey mapping, concept creation, prototyping, and service blueprint building, it helps executives cultivate a design thinking attitude within their teams. In order to illustrate how design thinking revolutionizes firms at scale, author Turi McKinley offers insights from her experience working at frog, a worldwide design and strategy agency. The course explores the leadership styles, roles, and environments required for successful design thinking, including interacting with people of all backgrounds and abilities. It also emphasizes hypothesis generating, creative teamwork, and quick prototyping to advance designs. In order to exchange educational experiences and deepen their understanding through dialogue, participants are urged to join a LinkedIn group. By the end, students will have the skills necessary to coordinate teams, lead change, and apply design thinking to spur creativity.