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October was a month of spirited learning, with tasks contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of software development in a complex, large-scale environment. My work this month emphasised the value of user-centred design, thorough testing, and collaborative problem-solving. Through activities like the Clash Facade Test Fest, client interactions, user research, and architectural planning, I gained technical skills and new perspectives on product usability and long-term maintainability.
Work Summary
Clash Facade Test Fest
One of the primary events this month was the Clash Facade Test Fest, a focused testing initiative to identify bugs and usability issues in our product. This was an in-depth look at our app, where we examined each feature and function to identify bugs in the app's functionality. My role involved finding bugs, documenting them carefully, and creating detailed tickets. Each ticket outlined the bug, provided context, and recommended solutions to ensure efficient handling by the team responsible for fixes.
Through this exercise, I gained a deeper understanding of systematic testing, which taught me the importance of a structured approach to quality assurance. Unlike quick-fix testing, this event emphasised attention to detail, and I learned how to identify subtle bugs that could affect the overall product experience. Together, we found many bugs with niche use cases and made tickets to solve them. As such, the Test Fest also reinforced the value of thorough documentation; clear, well-organised tickets help streamline the troubleshooting process for others.
Client Call and User Feedback
Another highlight of October was a client call, where I had the opportunity to hear firsthand how our product is used in real-world applications. Along with my manager and our product manager, I joined a conversation with an Australian client who uses our model coordination app. He shared insights into his workflow and gave us feedback on planned updates for the app's clash features. Throughout the call, the client also mentioned a few things as "nice to haves" that we'd also been discussing internally (e.g. the Hack Week project I worked on in August), which was very validating as it highlighted that we're moving in the right direction.
As part of the call, we shared screenshots of upcoming changes and asked for his thoughts on how they might improve his experience. He gave his comments in various forms, like speaking about the project, but we also gave him a questionnaire and ranking-style questions.
This conversation sparked a growing interest in the user research side of product development. I realised that working closely with end users not only strengthens the product but also builds my understanding of how to make technology solutions that are both practical and valuable. I fed this back to my manager, who scheduled a user research session with our user research specialist to take me through how Autodesk approaches user research.
User Research Session
Building on my interest in user-centred design, I attended a meeting with our user research colleague from Canada. This meeting focused on understanding the various methods Autodesk uses to collect and analyse user data. During this hour-long discussion, we explored key metrics from Mixpanel and Amplitude, two platforms that provide detailed insights into user behaviour. This experience was particularly gratifying because some of the data we analysed was generated from a tracking feature I had recently implemented. Seeing the results of my work in production code and how this data informed our decisions was both satisfying and educational.
This session was an in-depth exploration of the user research process. I learned about different data collection and analysis methods and how we use metrics to shape our product strategy. The researcher also shared examples from her previous work at Autodesk, providing insight into best practices for user research and UX design. This part of our discussion was particularly engaging, as it offered practical tips on improving user experience based on real data, which I plan to incorporate into my work. She also provided some UX pointers, which I found valuable as I continue to explore ways to make our app more intuitive for end users.
Tackling Complex Tickets
In October, I handled several complex tickets requiring technical skill and more importantly patience. One of these tickets involved coordinating with another team to address a functionality issue. After researching the problem, I found that this team already had a similar ticket on their backlog. So, I added more details to that ticket that I found during my investigation to ensure a thorough resolution. This process reinforced the importance of inter-team collaboration in a large-scale project; communicating with other teams and aligning on shared goals can streamline the resolution process and prevent duplicate work.
Another ticket involved fixing a flaky Cypress test, which brought me back to the testing framework after several years. Since I was returning to Cypress after a break, I had to familiarise myself with recent changes in the API and adapt to Autodesk's specific practices. This task was a valuable refresher on end-to-end testing, and it highlighted the importance of staying up-to-date with evolving tools and best practices. Revisiting Cypress also showed me how the company's approach to testing differs from my past experiences, which was a learning opportunity in itself.
Finally, I participated in discussions around an internal Architectural Design Record (ADR) proposal to standardise error handling in the Clash Facade. This was my first time being involved in such a large-scale change from the brainstorming phase through to the implementation phase. The ADR discussions emphasised consistent design choices and error handling across all app components, which is vital in building a reliable product. Being part of this process gave me an in-depth understanding of the rationale behind and the specifics of the changes. It also proved invaluable when it came time to implement them at the code level, as I had more context around the problem.
Reflection and Growth
October was a month of significant growth, both technically and personally. Working closely with end users and exploring data-driven insights taught me the importance of user-centred development. This month's experiences reinforced that software is about serving the user and that their feedback should be the ultimate guiding force in development.
Future Goals
I eagerly anticipate the upcoming DevCon next month. DevCon is a developer conference held at Autodesk's Birmingham office that includes an office tour showcasing specialised machinery and equipment, which I'm excited to explore. Additionally, later in the month, I'll spend two days at the Sheffield office for an intern social, giving me an excellent opportunity to connect with my coworkers in person and experience the new office that the Sheffield team have recently moved to.
Takeaway
The biggest takeaway from October was the importance of viewing the product from the user's perspective. Direct client feedback and detailed user data analysis sessions helped me appreciate how valuable user input is for guiding our development choices. In addition, as I worked on challenging tickets and engaged in planning discussions, I learned the importance of writing adaptable code and creating a stable infrastructure that supports future scalability.