Tahreem Ishfaq

College: Queens College

Education Level: Bachelors

Career Interest: Front-end Software Engineer

I am a senior at Queens College majoring in Computer Science. I want to pursue a career as a Front-end software engineer. I want to help people through the use of technology. I like learning about different perspectives and maybe that’s why I want to travel the world and learn about different cultures. I also love trying different types of food. My hobbies include reading and baking.

What was your role?

Along with two other members of my team, I worked on coming up with suitable designs/layout for the Unadat app.

What did you work on?

What was the impact of your project?

The Unadat app’s interface was a little overwhelming. My teammates and I tried to simplify the app as much as we could without deviating from the website design too much. The new app design is not much different from the original but I believe it will help the user navigate through the app much easier. Also, the user will not have to learn a lot of new features after moving from the website to the app.

What did you learn or improve on from this internship or from your teammates?

I have learned that no one is going to judge you, if your unsure of something you can ask your teammates. Communication is key, discussing ideas and problems with teammates will help you get different perspectives, help develop your ideas and someone else may be running into a similar issue as you.

What skills have you gained?

I have learned to look at things from different perspectives. How I perceive somethingm may not be the way someone else perceives it. This is where communication is key and teamwork. I learned to discuss my ideas with teammates and work through them to make better sense of them. I also learned to effectively communicate with my teammates if I ran into any roadblocks.

What was the biggest roadblock you've overcome?

I believe communicating effectively is one of my biggest weaknesses. This internship taught me how to be a more effective communicator. I have learnt to try and communicate any issues, roadblocks or even ideas with my teammates and others. Although, my communication skills still are not the best, I believe I have significantly improved my communication skills through the course of this internship.

How has company culture guided your work?

The company culture has helped me take constructive criticism and use it to help further develop my ideas. Discussing our progress and roadblocks with other teams also helped me learn about similar issues others were facing and how they dealt with it.

What was your experience at Unadat?

I had a fun learning experience at Unadat this summer. I got to learn a lot from my peers, Sean and Daniel. Not only did I learn a lot about user experience but I also learned how to work with a team. I gained some insight to how the work field is like and possibly what to expect in my future roles.

What was one big project you worked on during the internship? Can you walk me through the process?

Coming up with a final design for the Unadat app. My teammates and I had various ideas for the app. We initially wanted to change many aspects of the app. However, after our discussions with Sean and with each other, we came to realize that the app can`t be completely different from the website. Our final design kept most of the same features expect we switched things around on the app a little, added a nav bar and added one or two new features.

What advice would you give to future interns?

Don`t be scared to discuss your ideas. Even though everyone may not like your ideas its okay and they may get rejected. That is part of the learning process. Also, communication is key. Discuss your ideas and your thought process behind it to get a better understanding of why it may or may not be the best course of action.