Workshop 01 - Traffic Light Puzzle and Personal Reflection

"The Office (US)" via Tenor GIFs

In our Multimedia Development workshop, we were tasked with coming up with a solution to the following scene:

A traffic sequence puzzle

We simply had to create a sequence for the traffic lights, and lay it out step by step. Being a driver myself, I was sure I would have no problem with solving this.
  Unfortunately, I was wrong. I couldn't even wrap my head around where to start. I knew what had to happen, but had no way of communicating how it should be carried out. The team I was working with were having similar problems. It wasn't that nobody could solve it, it was that nobody knew how to get the solution started.
  Fortunately, other teams were able to overcome the challenge. The solution that seemed to be correct went as follows:

  • The lights signalling the cars travelling East to West and West to East turn green.
  • The lights signalling the cars travelling East to West and West to East turn amber.
  • The lights signalling the cars travelling East to West and West to East turn red.
  • The lights signalling the cars travelling North to South and South to North turn green. 
  • The lights signalling the cars travelling North to South and South to North turn amber.
  • The lights signalling the cars travelling North to South and South to North turn red.
  • Repeat.
This is for a scenario that involves no pedestrian lights or turning lights.

The solution is quite simple. But breaking a simple process down into each individual step can be challenging. This is reflective of coding. If you leave even one small step out, it could turn into a car crash.
  For such a seemingly small exercise, the lesson is immense, and one that I am glad to learn now before getting deep into coding and developing.

Personal Reflection

"What worked well for you last year?"

Keeping on top of my workload was the best thing I could have done last year. I wasn't under too much stress, I had plenty of time to put in good quality work, and I didn't have to cram to make a passable attempt. I put in hard work, and I'm happy to say that my grades reflected it. I've been in the other boat before; coasting through and not really committing myself to hard work. Starting early and putting in the hours feels so much more rewarding that a last minute rush.

"What would you like to change or improve on?"
I would like to be on time more often. As the year went on, I was often late in the mornings. This was due to changes in my personal life that couldn't be helped, but it had a knock on effect that I could have avoided. I became aloof with missing a few minutes here and there, knowing that I would be able to catch up. But this just cut into the time I had for working, meaning I had less time to complete all of my tasks. Staying punctual will mean that I can take my work in my stride and still have plenty of time to get the job done.

Reflecting on reflection
It's interesting to review my own triumphs and shortcomings. Admission seems to make them real. I know now what I want to keep up and the things I want to change so that this year can be even more productive than the last.

- Ultan

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