Demonstration of Skills and Achievements

Throughout the development and enhancement of the Algorithms Testing Application I faced complex challenges such as algorithm optimization, data structure selection, and real-time performance visualization. I employed innovative techniques and industry-standard tools to create a robust and interactive solution. These enhancements reflect my ability to design and evaluate computing solutions, communicate technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences, and adhere to best practices in software development. The following outcomes showcase how these skills have been demonstrated and further refined through the project’s progression:

• Design, develop, and deliver professional-quality oral, written, and visual communications that are coherent, technically sound, and appropriately adapted to specific audiences and contexts. One of the key enhancements was the real-time algorithm visualization. I implemented visual aids where each element of a data structure is represented by a rectangle. The rectangles dynamically change colors to visually communicate the search process: starting with black, turning blue when visited, and highlighted in green when the target element is found. For sorting algorithms, I introduced animations that show the movement of each element as they are sorted, with rectangles shifting from right to left and turning blue once sorted. In the QuickSort algorithm, I highlighted the pivot element in red on each iteration. This visual representation significantly enhances the user experience by clearly demonstrating how each algorithm operates.
  Below each algorithm, I added Vertical Boxes to display execution results such as runtime and memory usage, along with clear explanations of the algorithm’s behavior and time complexity. This visual and written communication ensures the application is technically sound and easy for users to understand. Additionally, I included extensive comments throughout the code to ensure that collaborators and future developers could easily navigate, understand, and extend the project.

• Design and evaluate computing solutions that solve a given problem using algorithmic principles and computer science practices and standards appropriate to its solution, while managing the trade-offs involved in design choices. Porting this artifact from C++ to Java with JavaFX involved critical design choices and adaptations. I faced the challenge of translating and restructuring the code to fit Java’s syntax and object-oriented structure while ensuring the application maintained its original functionality. This transition not only improved the user interface with JavaFX but also enhanced the performance of the algorithms. I implemented multiple sorting and searching algorithms to test them across different data structures, allowing for a versatile execution environment. For example, sorting algorithms were applied to course objects alphabetically by course name, while searching algorithms targeted course objects by course number. To compare performance, I added both recursive and non-recursive searching algorithms, allowing users to test and evaluate their efficiency in real time. This enhancement demonstrates my ability to design computing solutions that address specific problems while managing trade-offs in performance and complexity.

• Demonstrate an ability to use well-founded and innovative techniques, skills, and tools in computing practices for the purpose of implementing computer solutions that deliver value and accomplish industry-specific goals. I refactored and modularized the code into distinct classes, separating the algorithms from the data structures, following industry-standard practices. This modular design makes the application scalable, maintainable, and easier to debug. I created a GlobalUI class that implements the main components of the user interface, such as algorithm boxes, buttons, rectangles, containers, and labels. This class is reusable and adaptable, meaning future developers can easily modify the UI by working within this class without affecting the core functionality of the program. By centralizing UI management in the GlobalUI class, the project becomes more flexible and resilient to changes, enabling easy updates or redesigns to the interface. This modular approach, along with the integration of performance metrics (runtime and memory usage), ensures that the application delivers tangible value while adhering to best practices in software development. It also provides a solid foundation for further enhancements, such as integrating more advanced algorithms or refining the visual experience.