QLine

Inspiration

Currently, the queue line to get help from TAs is created on a whiteboard at the front of a room at the beginning of each help session. Students must go to the whiteboard and write their names by hand to add their names to the queue. TAs must walk back to the board every time they want to erase a name. The whole process is cumbersome and time-consuming.

What it does

QLine is a website that lists all the TA hours and creates digital queue lines for each TA help session. Students can add their names by typing into the appropriate box. All authorized users can see who's in the queue line.

How we built it

Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS for the website. Flask and SQLAlchemy for storing and accessing the user data. Google Realtime API to create the real time, automatically updating queue line

Challenges we ran into

How to use the Google Realtime API. How to authenticate users. How to create a database for the user information. Trying to not over-complicate the website. Trying not to make certain drop-down functions overlay over other content. Trying to have consistency between webpages.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Designing a sleek, modern website to display TA hours. Creating our own sign in and user authorization process to ensure that only Smith students can see who's on the queue line and add themselves to the queue.

What we learned

Managing real time data is very hard. Integrating and updating information constantly in coordination with multiple users is extremely hard. In addition, there is a steep learning curve for learning integrative API's or Flask and databases such as SQL. Working in multiple languages is hard.

What's next for QLine

Adding additional capabilities for administrators/TAs, like viewing statistics about the TA session. Making sure that students can only remove their own name - no cutting in line! Optimizing the website for mobile devices and/or creating an accompanying app.