Purpose & Goal
The goal of the project was to create a platform that would make professional translations easily accessible and cheaper for all people. The idea was to simplify the process, allowing users to effortlessly upload documents, photos, or text and receive high-quality translations within a short timeframe. To ensure the best quality, we had a team of skilled editors who meticulously reviewed each translation to guarantee its correctness. Additionally, the app included a convenient chat module that enabled clients to communicate directly with the translators, facilitating effective collaboration and addressing any specific requirements or details related to the translation process.
Lessons Learned
The biggest takeaway I gained from this experience is that the success of a project isn't solely dependent on its quality alone. It's essential to recognize that factors such as the market and competition play a significant role. Even if you have a brilliant idea and a top-notch product, it doesn't automatically guarantee success. It's crucial to develop a clear vision of how you will reach your target audience and differentiate yourself from competitors before diving into product development. Equally important is having a solid business plan and a well-defined funding strategy. Without these critical elements, it's easy to become overwhelmed by the sea of competitors and lose sight of your objectives.
Problems & Solutions
The biggest challenge I faced during this project was developing a chat module that would allow clients and translators to communicate. I implemented a WebSocket-based solution that enabled real-time communication between the two parties. One of the problems of WebSocket connections is that they can be terminated unexpectedly, so I had to implement automatic reconnection and 'ping-pong' mechanisms to ensure that the chat module would remain functional even if the connection was lost.
Another interesting part of the project was developing e-mails, wild adventure. I had never created e-mails before this project and I was surprised how much work it takes to make them look good and work properly. Not to tear my hair out in frustration, I stuck to a framework called Foundation for Emails 2 (formerly Ink) that really eased the process of creating responsive templates.
Another valuable lesson I gained from the project was my experience with Tailwind CSS and LESS. It was an opportunity for me to explore different styling approaches. However, I came to the realization that SCSS was far superior to LESS in terms of functionality and flexibility. Tailwind CSS, on the other hand, is a great tool for prototyping and creating quick mockups, but, to my mind, it's an arguable choice for large-scale projects.
