Tausif - AS2 - Week 9 Blog: Checkpoint Demonstration, Testing and Feature Planning

 

Tausif - AS2 - Week 9 Blog: Checkpoint Demonstration, Testing and Feature Planning

Week 9 brought together the checkpoint demonstration, direct feedback from Roshan, a full app testing session, and a clear plan for the final stretch to Week 12.

The Week 9 checkpoint demonstration took place in class. The team presented the current state of VehicleGrid including the three portal system for Driver, Host and Admin, the host charger listing and verification flow, the admin verification rubric, and the driver explorer and booking flow. Manzil walked through the build and I contributed to the presentation by contextualising the development decisions we had made, particularly around the scope restructuring from the broader EV routing platform to the community home charger marketplace as the primary feature.

Roshan's feedback acknowledged the strengths of the current build including the application structure, navigation design and the implementation of the Host marketplace concept. His main concerns were around backend depth and the absence of the API integration and EV intelligence features outlined in the original proposal. He specifically asked where the API integration was and noted that the map was running on static data. He also pointed out that to reach Distinction or HD the app needed real data flowing through it and deeper logic beyond interface screens.

Following the class session I raised the two additions we believed were feasible within the remaining timeline. The first was integrating the Open Charge Map API into the existing map screen so real public charging stations appear based on user location, alongside approved host chargers from our Supabase database displayed with different coloured pins. The second was a basic EV range calculator in the trip planner screen where a driver inputs their battery percentage, selects a vehicle type from a static list and enters a destination distance, and the app calculates whether they can make it and where to stop if not. Roshan confirmed both were appropriate additions and noted that even if advanced routing logic was not fully implemented, the backend needed to be structured to support it as a future pathway.

After the class session I conducted a full testing walkthrough of the app across all three portals on my own device, creating test accounts for each role and working through every screen systematically. The host charger listing flow worked end to end, the admin verification rubric functioned correctly, and the approved charger appeared in the driver explorer with accurate distance detection. I identified and documented several bugs during the session including a status update issue after admin approval, search bar keyboard not triggering in multiple places, payment authorisation failing on checkout, the vehicle edit button disappearing after first save, and trip planner input fields not accepting typed text.

I compiled the findings into a structured report and shared it with Manzil along with clear notes on how we plan to implement the two new features together. We identified the specific areas of the codebase where the API integration and range calculator need to be added and will be working through the implementation together in the coming days. Everything needs to be demo ready by the Week 12 final presentation and pitch.