VCOM 462 Project 2

“The stats are startling. According to technology research company Gartner,
physical downloads of apps reached 2.5bn last year. These were overwhelmingly
on iPhone and iPod Touch devices. But since iPhones amount to less
than 1% of all phones, you don’t have to be a genius to realise the enormous
potential. It could be that Gartner’s predictions of 4.5bn downloads this year
and an astonishing 21.6bn in 2013, equivalent to more than three for everyone
on the planet, will prove an underestimate.

The good – or bad – news, is that a staggering 87% of these downloads will be free for users. That’s great for you and me, but it is not an obvious way to encourage a growing industry to hire people to make up for the black hole caused by the banking collapse. Many of these “free” downloads will be supported by advertising and others will be corporations promoting their brands. But most will be free because creators don’t think they can charge for them.”

Vic Keegan - The Guardian

Topics to develop
The environment is an underserved area in phone apps. because these devices allow us to find, store, photograph and aid our everyday life without use of disposable materials mobile devices can augment our natural world experience. Look for ways to develop an app for the nature freak in all of us.

The art world is also an underserved area in phone apps, in part because the art world is sceptical of innovation and the notion that quality comes from toil. Technology embodies speed and novelty. Design an app that takes into account the experience of viewing, researching, learning or making art.

Design Brief
With a partner, design and develop an app for at least one platform of your choice. You must be able to demonstrate your project on the device so you will need to investigate the procedures to make this happen. Do not wait until the end of the design and development stage because you will need to test the app as you are creating. Select one of the two topics to work in and research the subject and your targeted audience level of understanding. The app should take advantage of the sensors built into the handheld device and not just replicate the desktop website. Investigate other apps. of this type and determine how you may create something unique to your subject.

To be handed in:
- You will be formally presenting at the midpoint of the project your idea, findings, mock up and technical focus of your project.
- A mobile device app, concept map, documentation of usability tests of a few participants (not in the class) using the prototype of the app.