added proposal

Author: adamblanchard

contributing/proposals/mid-specialism-course-project.md

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+# Mid Specialism Course Project Proposal
+
+## Context
+
+In the old bootcamp, we had an individual project in the second half that practiced the "whole process" of creating a full stack app and deploying it. It was called "meal sharing".
+
+The project was split over multiple modules: [React](https://github.com/HackYourFuture-CPH/react), [Node](https://github.com/HackYourFuture-CPH/node.js) and [Database](https://github.com/HackYourFuture-CPH/databases). That makes it a little hard to see exactly the scope of the project, but all the old tasks are explained in those archived repos.
+
+The new Program does not currently include this meal sharing project. We are now planning on including a similar project, and this proposal outlines some intentions/assumptions.
+
+## The idea
+
+We'd like to include a similar "big" individual project like the meal sharing in the specialism courses. I'm calling it the "mid specialism course" project for now (catching name, right?!).
+
+Some starting points:
+1. It should be the same "theme" across all specialisms, but the implementation requirements differ.
+2. Each specialism has it's own scope based specifically on the course's content. See examples below.
+3. It should be organised  similarly as the mealsharing project, in that it should:
+    1. Run across 4-5 weeks in the specialism course
+    2. Be built alongside assignments in existing modules (React, Node, Databases)
+    3. Be an individual project
+
+
+## Main learning goal ideas
+
+1. Practice running a full end to end project (e.g. planning with trello, through to deployment)
+2. Feel ready to run a similar process for the final project
+3. Practice (potentially) more complex deployment processes
+4. Put the specialism knowledge and skills into "real life" practice during the course
+
+## How it could look
+
+The main concept is to keep a consistent theme across specialisms, but course-specific deliverables. This gives us flexibility if we change or create new specialisms, since they are not dependent on the same implementation details. 
+
+By keeping the projects entirely specialism bounded (e.g. backend only build the backend, rather then a full stack app), we can keep maintainence of boiler plate/starting codebases to a minimal.
+
+### Theme
+
+We should choose something other than "meal sharing" so trainees have something more unique to work (everyone knows everyone who graduates HYF has built a meal sharing app - it's a little tired now). It should be one well described theme.
+
+### Frontend
+
+Build _only_ the frontend part of the app. Backend data could be provided either with a very simple API, or a mock via hardcoded JSON data, or something similar. But we do not want anyone to get stuck with API work, they should be focussing on the frontend skills.
+
+#### Example deliverables
+
+1. Trello board with organised/completed tasks
+2. A standalone frontend codebase
+3. A deployed web app accessible via a public url
+
+### Backend
+
+Build _only_ backend related parts of the app. There would be no end to end app being delivered/deployed. They would focus on building a suitable database and API endpoints, along with documentation.
+
+#### Example deliverables
+1. Trello board with organised/completed tasks
+2. A standalone backend codebase
+3. A database schema/working database
+4. Deployed API documentation
+5. Deployed API and database
+6. Postman collection to test/demo all endpoints and example usage flows
+
+## Next steps
+
+1. Get feedback on this proposal (until end of year)
+2. Work with a couple of mentors to brainstorm themes and build out a couple of potential project tasks that fit well in the current specialisms
+3. Build and test any boilerplate/starting code for the projects
+4. Integrate into the existing specialisms, either alongside existing assignments, or replacing them (or reducing them, so it doesn't become too much work)