POMOgranate Extension

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Inspiration

We came up with the idea because we realized students have difficulty with focusing on work while using the web. The idea of an extension appealed to us since it’s a very quick way to block distracting sites and set up a timer for using the pomodoro technique while working.

What it does

The extension works by allowing the user to start a work timer which blocks most unproductive sites while on. Once the timer runs out, it immediately switches to the break timer where all websites are unblocked for that duration. This repeats for the number of intervals listed out of 3. All of this is stored and communicated to using Google chrome’s local storage. Additionally, we wanted to give the user the option to blacklist other sites they are on by clicking the block site button. Or if they wanted to unblock a site, they could do that too. We wanted the options button to take you to a website where they could adjust the settings to their preferences as well as see some information about the extension.

How we built it

We started working using a storyboard to work out all the tasks we would have while developing the extension. In the onenote we assigned everyone to tasks to work on when we split. One member was in charge of developing the front end of the website because they had previous experience using html and could complete the task quicker. Another member was in charge of developing the timer functionality and any backend since they had the most experience working with web development. The other two members were tasked with working together to make the extension since no one had any experience making one and they’d be in the same position no matter what they were assigned to. If we had any issues we would gather in the main voice channel to work out the issue.

Challenges we ran into

This was the first hackathon for all of us and the first time using html/JavaScript for a few of us. All of us were constantly learning and adapting throughout the 24 hours and it was difficult trying to get work done and finding out how to get work done at the same time.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

This was our first project and first hackathon, which was a greater challenge especially as it was fully online. We're proud to say that we were able to work well together as a beginner team, and that the team was able to learn more of and apply our knowledge of JavaScript and GitHub for our first project.

What we learned

In this completely new experience, we learned that collaboration in team projects, when remotely completed, require a lot of active participation from all members of the team. Originally, we began the project with the idea that teamwork would be difficult especially with all members working on the code at once. However, with the help of the mentors, we were able to collaborate and complete some functions for the prototype. We also picked up new skills in JavaScript, as well as a better understanding of GitHub.

What's next for POMOgranate

Our next steps and improvements include working out minor bugs, refactoring some of the code and planning better ahead of time. As next steps, we’d likely find a way for users to be able to set the timer using Google Assistant voice commands.