ntuzer/write-away

Write Away

Write Away is a micro-journaling app that imposes a maximum character count as a low-commitment alternative to typical blogging services

Background and Overview

Many people like the idea of keeping a journal, but find the actual act of writing consistently everyday to be a daunting or time-consuming endeavor that can be difficult to integrate with their other responsibilities. Write Away is a private micro-journal that enforces a maximum character limit to encourage a regular, but low-commitment approach to journaling.

MVPs and Functionality

MVPs

• User authentication & demo login
• Posts
• Reminders
• Tags
• Photos
• Graphs

Functionality

• User Authentication
  • Journal entries are secured by user accounts.
• Posts
  • Posts are limited to a maximum of 500 characters each and one post per day.
  • Posts may be updated or deleted.
  • User can filter their post history by: all posts on the same date, all posts on the same day of the month, etc.
• Reminders
  • App will text user a reminder to post every day.
  • User can reply to text reminder to submit a post.
  • User can set custom reminder messages and times.
• Tags
  • User can tag posts with keywords.
  • User can filter their posts by tag.
• Photos
  • User can optionally attach a single photo to each of their journal entries.
• Graphs
  • Graphs will provide further information about user's journaling behavior, e.g., time of day, length of time spent writing, geolocation, emoji mood graph, etc.

Bonus Features

• User can attach a short audio file to their journal entries.
• Speech-to-text transcription of audio files.
• Gamification elements: Github-style commit squares to motivate user to maintain posting streak; motivational messages.

Technologies and Technical Challenges

Python/Django backend + PostgreSQL database + JavaScript/React/Redux frontend Possible Twilio API for text message reminders

Technical Challenges

• Setting up Django
• Learning how to use PostgreSQL with Django
• Understanding how to make models, controllers, and views in Django
• Connecting Django with React/Redux
• Using D3.js or Chart.js to make charts for the post data
• Integrating Twilio API for text message reminders

Group Members and Work Breakdown

Rewel Garcia, David Harris, and Alexina Chong

Weekend 1

• Set up Python3 and Django locally (ALL)
• Learn Python (ALL)
• Begin learning Django (ALL)
• Begin implementing user authentication (David & Rewel)
• Finalize proposal (Alexina)

W11D1

• Work on first draft of wireframes (Alexina)
• Set up database (David & Rewel)
• Finish implementing user authentication (David & Rewel)
• Work on posts (ALL)
• Make a model, view, and template for posts (David & Rewel)
  • Model: message, user_id
  • Views: (David & Rewel)
    • Index of posts
    • Create post
    • Update post
    • Show post
    • Delete post
  • Templates: (Alexina)
    • 'Create post' button should disappear if a post has already been created that day.
    • User should be able to add entries for any missed days.
• Work on homepage design (Alexina)

W11D2

• Finish implementing posts
• Work on reminders (ALL)
• Make a model, view, and template for reminders (Rewel)
  • Model: date, time, frequency, message
  • Views: (Rewel)
    • Index of reminders
    • Create reminder
    • Update reminder
    • Show reminder
    • Delete reminder
  • Templates: (Alexina)
    • User may have multiple reminders with custom messages and frequencies.
    • Implement recurring event date/time picker (similar to Google calendar reminders).
  • Integrate Twilio API for text message reminders (Rewel)

W11D3

• Work on tags (ALL)
• Make a model, view, and template for tags (ALL)
  • Model: message, post_id, user_id
  • Views: (ALL)
    • Index of tags
    • Create tag
    • Update tag
    • Show tag (all posts tagged with that tag)
    • Delete tag
  • Templates: (Alexina)
    • A post may have many associated tags.
    • A tag may be assigned to multiple posts.
    • Tags are searchable. (Implement dynamic search.)
  • Finalize overall site design (Alexina)

W11D4

• Work on photos (ALL)
• Make a model, view, and template for photos (David)
  • Model: photo_url, post_id, user_id
  • Views: (David)
    • Index of photos
    • Create photo
    • Show photo (modal)
    • Delete photo
  • Templates: (David & Alexina)
    • Ability to attach a photo to a post.
    • 'Upload photo' button should disappear if a photo has already been attached to that post.
• Set up Cloudinary/AWS to store photos. (David)

W11D5

• Work on graphs (ALL)
• Implement using D3.js or Chart.js. (David & Alexina)
• Graphs should show different aspects of journaling behavior, such as:
  • Time of day
  • Length of time spent writing
  • Geolocation?
  • Emoji mood graph

Weekend 2

• Finish styling (ALL)
• Make demo user account
• Populate seed data