Coming to you from an enthusiastic desk
There is a first time for everything... I know you and I are no stranger to this saying so there is absolutely no point in trying to impress you with dramatic words. With this being the case, why don’t we just delve right into the story of our first time.
Hello, I’m Words and yes, that's my name don’t overthink it.
This story stretches right back to the beginning of time. Just take a minute and visualize when time first started. Did you get any images? I bet you got several.
Well, for my team and I, time aptly began on that fateful Easter Monday just after Christ rose. When we all got out of our beds and realized the rug had been yanked off our feet. We were right at the start of our long-awaited SideHustle Bootcamp and I kid you not we were like flock without shepherd or assistant shepherdess as the case may be.
This is the point where I introduce you to Drey, our Taskmaster.
Nah! Don’t hate him. He’s doing the Lord’s work.
Back to the story.
Day 1
Drey had asked each team the week before time started to convene amongst themselves and appoint a Team Lead and an Assistant Team Lead or as you and I know it to be; the shepherd and assistant shepherdess. Well, you’d expect that before time every team would get that little task out of the way, at least as an effective way to begin the teaming. But what do you know! We, the Unsullied members of Product Management Team 10 woke up when time actually began!
Upon seeing that our task for the week is to collaborate with a Product Design Team to create a Product Requirement Document (PRD) for a Food Delivery Mobile App to be submitted by Friday, everyone on the team realized this shit ain't funny anymore and we hustled out a Team Lead and Assistant Team Lead amongst ourselves in a matter of minutes and scheduled a team meeting in the same breath!
I mean, you needed to see the speed. It was like being in the presence of Flash!
During the first in-house meeting, we met and introduced ourselves properly and got to addressing the elephant in the room. You know how an elephant can be huge and intimidating? Well, by the end of the meeting, everyone left with a chunk of the elephant in their bag and it wasn’t so frightening anymore. It became exciting even being that we had earlier tried our hands on a PRD during the last week of our SideHustle internship but this time it gets to be with a real design team! Yay!
At the end of the day, it appears everything is going smoothly for this flock. Right? Wrong!
Day 2
Tuesday dawned on us rather suddenly and we woke to a message from our shepherd. Apparently, while you and I slept some sheep wandered; that is, we had been asked the day before to drop our emails so we can be added to a ClickUp workspace, attach our names to sub-tasks in our to-do list and vote for a name for our product. However, these things were undone. Instead of being handicapped by the team's unresponsiveness, our TL took it upon himself to get the ball rolling by attaching tasks on ClickUp to the available emails as well as assigning names to the remnant sub-tasks on the to-do list. All was not lost.
Then there was the issue of choosing a name that would best suit our product as well as our intention for the product. Do not be surprised when I tell you that by the end of the day, we were unable to agree on a befitting name for the product.
Fast-forward to the first meeting between the PM and PD teams scheduled for 9pm which I must say was the silver-lining in an otherwise gray cloud. By the end of the meeting, each team left armed with ammunition to execute individual and team tasks. By the way, Team 10 was tasked with submitting our PRD by Wednesday, 12 noon so the PD team can begin designs. That being said, fingers crossed.
Then the night and the morning came and it was the third day.
Day 3
Wednesday stumbled on us bright and early and it was no surprise to see that most of the team members had turned in their sub-tasks except, as one would expect, there were a couple laggers. This, however, did not deter the team as critiques, suggestions and comments were made on all of the sub-tasks submitted and by the end of the day, against all odds, we were able to work up a beautiful name befitting our product.
A copy of our rough PRD was sent to the PD Team so the basis of their design could begin and we would all be in tandem.
and then voila!
Day 4
Still on the edits of the previous day, members of the team needed to effect some changes on their sub-tasks based on comments given. While this was ongoing in the background, our TL dropped snapshots of three logo suggestions for the product that had been designed by the PD team. We went down to voting and one logo design finally emerged at the top of the pile. You would envy our logo. Trust me.
As a team aiming for perfection, another merged meeting that lasted into the dead of the night took place between PM Team 10 and PD Team 10. This meeting, one could say, was the finishing spin of a potter on a newly created piece. Hammers were brought and every crooked edge was strengthened into place or at least discussed. It was a fulfilling meet and both teams appreciated the hard work of the other and hoped to work again together in the near future. Imaginary groundnuts and gin was passed around and everyone had a mouthful.
However, it was not yet the end.
Day 5
The last day came upon us with a dour face. You could hear every team scampering around to tidy the hanging bits. The fear of missing the deadline loomed over us all as we pored through the details of our projects looking for sly errors that may have evaded us. A meeting had been set for 6pm between the two teams so we could exchange documents and turn in our individual projects. However, the PD team could not be in the meeting as they were in a bit of trouble with their wireframe. Something with the wireframe was not wiring. What? This last minute? No! You could smell the panic in the air! But keep calm, brethren. Let’s have faith.
Close to the deadline and we are all sitting on the edge of our seats when bam! The PD team had successfully resolved the issue with the wireframe and this only means one thing submission is a go! Pheww! Who say miracle dey tire Jesus? I know I didn’t.
Anyways, to draw this story to a temporary close, this week has been an absolute adventure and we all look forward to the remaining three weeks and the amazing work we would do together. I know you are excited to hear from me again. I am excited to write to you soon too. So, just be on the lookout but ta ta for now.
Just so you know, changing the world takes a team and this lot is a force to watch; Solomon Edo (TL), Ebieme Silva Words (ATL), Opemipo Daramola, Afolabi Mary Tomiwa , Busola Afolabi, Nnenna Nzelu and Olayemi Oyedele - Product Management Team 10.
Hold on! Don't leave yet. I have a gift for you.
Shhh! It's for your eyes only. docs.google.com/document/d/1APY_2oJbDPRXX-s..