2000 words, due in 12 hours

Module Overview:

This module explores the historical, current, and emerging issues, technologies and

practices involved in creating applications to use on mobile devices. A particular focus is on

using critical thinking to evaluate mobile development technologies and applying rational

methods to selecting mobile development technologies when presented with a variety of

choices. Briefly, the purpose of this module is to help you to become aware of:

 Current development platforms and technologies in the context of developing mobile

applications.

 Current trends in the application of mobile technologies

 Mobile applications user interfaces design

 Mobile applications development for various platforms

 Emerging technologies, “hot” topics, and new developments.

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Appraise the current state of research and development in the field of mobile

application development

2. Analyse the requirements for a mobile application from a given scenario (or a chosen

project)

3. Critically evaluate the design and technology decisions when considering mobile

application development.

Assignment Part 1 (50%)

Your report should be max 2000 words in total.

Title: Research Activities

Assignment:

You are required to carry out the following research activities. Please be concise and

address the issues directly (no more than 2000 words totally). You have to use facts (proper

data and relevant examples) in order to justify your answers. Also remember to reference

your data.

Detailed Specification

Choose 2 of the following and write 100 – 250 words on the topic:

 Explain what makes App Inventor different to other mobile apps IDE such as Xcode for iOS, Eclipse for Android and Visual Studio for Windows Phone? State clearly the advantages and disadvantages of App Inventor.

 Define Responsive Design and clarify what techniques can be used to create a responsive design for a web application?

 Explain what makes jQuery Mobile different from other JavaScript libraries such as jQuery and jQueryUI?

Do research into current trends in the smartphone market; and based on your findings, recommend two platforms for developing an app in 2015 that will reach the majority of users. Critically review the different ways of mobile apps development and justify which one should a mobile application developer use?

Marking scheme

30%: subject matter knowledge. 20%: critical analysis. 15%: evidence of proper research 15%: coherence. (This means that the ideas should be smoothly joined together.)

20%: proper referencing, presentation and clear English language.

Assignment Part 2 (50%)

Your report should include documentation for your work

Title: Mobile Web App

Assignment

You are required to create a personal web application with at least three web pages. Your

app has to demonstrate your professional studies, career, hobbies and family events. This

web app should be responsive, in which it will deliver different content and layout to three

different screen sizes: desktop, tablet and smartphones.

1. Web App Design: You have to design wireframes (screen blueprint) as a visual guide to

represent the skeletal framework of your different versions (desktop, tablet and mobile, basic

wireframes for each is introduced in Appendix A).

1.1. The desktop version should include a header section, content section, side bar

section and footer section (a basic wireframe skeleton for the desktop version is

illustrated below).

1.2. The tablet version should include a header section, content section and footer

section i.e. without sidebar.

1.3. The smartphone version should include a header and content sections only.

1.4. All versions should have suitable titles, images, texts and navigation links.

1.5. Your design should consider the HCI factors.

2. Web App Implementation: You have to build your web app using standard web

technologies with the following considerations.

2.1. Use html, css and javaScript/jQuery to build your web app from scratch.

2.2. You can use multiple html pages for content for different versions.

2.3. Displaying different content and styles for different versions should be done using

css and javaScript/jQuery.

2.4. You have to use three break points to display content for different screens.

2.5. Smartphones and tablets version should be created mainly using jQuery Mobile

technology.

3. Web App Documentation: You have to test and document your work as follows:

3.1. Write a document justifying your decisions in the design of your app.

3.2. Show how your design relates to the HCI principles.

3.3. Justify your breakpoints selection.

3.4. Deploy your app online server and provide a link in your report.

3.5. You have to test your web app with different screen sizes; a screenshot should be

included in your report for each test.

3.6. Document your code as needed.

Marking scheme

25%: proper design 35%: proper implementation 10%: nice styling and finishing 20%: testing and documentation 10%: report structure and presentation

Desktop version (basic wireframe)

Tablet version Smartphone version

Appendix A