Project Obstacles

The original plan for this capstone was inspired by what I learned in Omar Nema’s class, where we focused on using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create interactive websites with customizable visuals. His course provided me with a clear framework for approaching web-based projects—from sketching initial designs in software to meticulously writing and adjusting code in Visual Studio Code to ensure seamless functionality and an engaging user experience. This foundation fueled my ambition to create a digital capstone that combined technical precision with creative storytelling.

Building on these skills, my initial vision for the capstone was to develop an interactive visualization hosted on GitHub. The goal was to immerse viewers in a dynamic and creative exploration of NYC’s real estate landscape, almost as if they were experiencing it firsthand. However, as I started building the backbone of the interactive website, I quickly realized that the scope of the project was too ambitious. Coding nearly every aspect of the site proved incredibly time-consuming. While I had developed a solid foundation in HTML and CSS, the real challenge came with making the website interactive using JavaScript. Ensuring that all elements worked seamlessly and creatively as envisioned was a daunting task.

This setback reminded me of a similar experience during my creative coding class, where I underestimated the time and effort required to execute complex projects. I initially thought I could manage everything but found myself overwhelmed by the technical and creative demands. To overcome this challenge, I had to step back and reassess my approach. Instead of pushing forward with the original plan, I scaled back the scope and explored alternative ways to present my findings on NYC real estate. This adjustment allowed me to focus on delivering a meaningful and engaging final product while ensuring it was realistic within the given timeframe.

After consulting with Professor Omar, he agreed that the JavaScript portion of the project would be the most challenging aspect. Since we didn’t cover much JavaScript in class, creating a dynamic and creative website seemed nearly impossible. Fortunately, I was taking a lab class this semester with Robin Miller, and after discussing my struggles with her, she introduced me to Manifold, a digital platform that could potentially solve my problem—especially given my strengths in HTML and CSS. She encouraged me to leverage tools I was already comfortable with to achieve my objectives.

To adapt, I transitioned my original website layout to Manifold, reformatted the HTML code, and made targeted adjustments to margins, fonts, and visualizations to create a polished and cohesive design. The revised website was tailored to present an accessible and engaging exploration of how economic changes, cultural influences, and social shifts are shaping New York City’s real estate market. This platform allowed me to effectively balance technical functionality with creative storytelling, making the data both visually compelling and easy to understand for users.

I incorporated hyperlinks to articles, videos, and interactive data visualizations, providing users with the opportunity to explore the study in greater depth and gain a more comprehensive understanding of New York City’s real estate landscape. By streamlining the technical aspects and prioritizing storytelling through data, I aimed to create a platform that not only conveys the complexities of NYC’s real estate market but also makes it engaging and accessible for anyone interested in understanding the forces driving the city’s housing dynamics.