Database Implementation – IT Living Lab

This project had the initial goal of streamlining the a compnay’s payroll system and updating to a new version of QuickBooks. After a meeting with the client, interviewing employees, and gathering information about their current system, the project took another direction. It was viewed that the needs of this client were much greater than just streamlining their payroll system and a new database design would be more beneficial to this corporation’s productivity. To finish out this project, a database was designed and passed along to an university database class to be built.

Student Member: Kevin Wikman

Testimonials

The Living Lab has taught me that not all projects will go as planned. You will run into problems and situations that frustrate you. I have, however, learned a great deal about logs and log management. I gained confidence in my problem-solving skills and overcoming obstacles when it comes to IT projects . Samuel J. Jacobs

The Living Lab has been a great experience for me throughout the semester. I worked with some technologies that were previously unfamiliar and consulted with a client to develop a good solution to implement for them. Working in many unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations truly pushes you, and I believe it’s the best way to foster growth in any profession. So for the Living Lab to give that opportunity is a great thing. Nathanial William Adams

The Living Lab has provided a great learning environment to improve my technical skills, build my ability to work in a team, and establish my communication skills. Lindsay Hamstra

Living Lab is a great class to gain experience that you can apply to the real world. The small class means there is more one-on-one time with the lab instructor. The Living Lab also lets you get your hands dirty with hardware and not just focus on exams and homework. I can apply what I learned in other classes to real-world scenarios. My favorite thing about Living Lab is that I can put everything that I achieve in class on my resume, which puts me ahead of the curve with potential employers. Bhaumik Yashesh Pandya

The Living Lab experience has helped me better understand my abilities and what I need to work on. I worked with others in a team and also learned to lead others when my project needed help. In a previous IT job, I did similar tasks to those in the Living Lab, and it shows just how good an experience this can be to help others be better prepared when they graduate. Justin Tanner Andrew

The Living Lab experience has helped me see what it can be like in the real world. David C. Bryant

Living Lab has been a great experience for me to learn daily obligations to maintain a healthy network. I’ve learned independent research is a very important process before network testing is conducted. I’ve also learned that you must have a process to monitor packets flowing in and out of the network. Working with packet sniffing programs has been helpful. In a team environment, I’ve also learned to install network cables, mount and install switches, and test networks. Charles Alan Stone

The Living Lab has been very educational for me this semester. I gained experience in collaborating with a client in order to install a Polycom Videoconferencing system, to provide a new way of communication for the client. Paul D. Bailey

The Living Lab was a great opportunity to gain different technical experience in the IT field. The projects were all challenging and simulated a real-world environment to deliver upon. Nick Barnett

The Living Lab is helpful because it exposed me to an environment similar to one I would face in a real IT job. Abdulrahaman Ahmed Banjar