Sprint #2
Sprint Timeline
| Sprint Duration | Task | Due Date | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
Sept 15 – Sept 26, 2025 |
Wed, Sept 24, 2025 @ 11:59 PM ET |
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Due during Sprint 2 |
Lab |
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Wed, Oct 1, 2025 @ 11:59 PM ET |
Resources - See the Resources section at the bottom of this page for a link to the Starter Guides, which cover tools like Python, R, SQL, and GitHub.
Sprint Tasks
✓ Professional Development
During this sprint, we will focus on skills needed for the upcoming Career Fairs and beyond, including developing your elevator pitches and strengthening your personal branding, as well as psychological safety to reinforce your Team Contract and teamwork. Please note the combined topic-tasks below pertain to one assignment in Gradescope, called Sprint 2: Professional Development.
Create a Elevator Pitch
Why: Elevator pitches are crucial for career fairs and other job search settings because they allow you to quickly capture the interest of potential employers, making a memorable impression in a short amount of time. A well-crafted elevator pitch can effectively communicate your skills, experiences, and career goals, setting the stage for deeper conversations and networking opportunities.
What: Review Elevator Pitch Guide to learn the key elements of a strong pitch. Then complete two-part assignment in Gradescope "Sprint 2: Professional Development":
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Draft your elevator pitch script.
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Record and submit yourself delivering it.
Create a Psychologically Safe Team
Why: These ideas are crucial for creating a supportive and effective teamwork environment. Incorporating warm-up activities can enhance the sense of belonging within the team, making everyone feel comfortable and valued. By integrating these concepts and practices, we can foster a more welcoming and productive learning environment.
What: Learn about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs by watching this video (3 minutes) or reading this article. This will help you see how basic needs support higher growth. Next, explore The Four Stages of Psychological Safety by watching this video (3 minutes) or readong this article. These ideas connect directly to your Team Contract and how your team collaborates.
After reviewing the resources, complete the reflection questions. Be sure to connect the concepts to both your professional development and your project experience.
Build Personal Branding
Why: A strong personal brand helps you stand out in a competitive job market, building both trust and credibility. Understanding the difference between business professional and business casual ensures you dress appropriately for various professional settings, including career fairs, interviews, networking events, and even The Symposium. Dressing correctly demonstrates respect for the occasion and shows that you understand and can adhere to workplace norms, which helps make a positive impression on your reputation and image.
What: Read the following article on Business Professional vs. Business Casual (5 minutes). Then complete one or more of the following tasks:
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Update your profile picture on Office 365 (or your university’s respective collaboration suite) to be your headshot.
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Add an email signature featuring your name, graduation year/degree, and related clubs or activities.
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Purdue students can also submit a request to update their preferred Office 365 name.
Professional Development Due: on Gradescope by Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Late work will not be accepted.
✓ Team Contract
Why: Creating a team contract is important because it establishes clear expectations, roles, and responsibilities for all team members from the beginning. This document promotes accountability, enhances communication, and minimizes misunderstandings by outlining agreed-upon norms and procedures. It serves as a reference point throughout the project, helping to resolve conflicts and ensuring everyone is aligned with the team’s goals.
What: In lab, you will (or may already have) discuss the topics included in the Team Contract outline. These discussions help establish norms and set clear expectations for your team early on—so you can avoid common issues like miscommunication, uneven workloads, or missed deadlines later. Before lab, take a few minutes to review the Team Contract Outline and begin thinking about what should be included for your project. As you prepare, also reflect on why the contract matters and how it can support your team’s success.
✓ Sprint #2 Report
Why: The Sprint Report is part of your grade and helps you reflect on the last sprint (the past two weeks). It also gives you the chance to step back, recognize your impact, and track your growth as a teammate and professional. Each section is designed to help you think about your role, your progress, and how you are applying professional skills in real project settings.
What: For Sprint #2, your report has three parts:
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Self-Evaluation – evaluate your presence, contributions, and collaboration using the provided rubrics, and justify your choices.
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Implementation Check from Professional Development – share the steps you practiced in Sprint #2 to prepare for mentor meetings, evaluate your success using the scale, and explain with verifiable examples.
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Reflection – connect your experiences from this sprint to project practices and the program.
Sprint Report #2 Due: on Gradescope by Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Late work will not be accepted.
Resources
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Starter Guides are designed to help you up-skill during the first couple of sprints and give you a solid foundation with the tools you’ll be using throughout the semester. Work with your TA to identify which tools and topics (for example, Python, R, SQL, GitHub, or Jupyter Lab) from the Starter Guides are most relevant to your project.