01Understanding+the+Problem

Problem Statement

As a result of the flu that has plagued their junior marketing team, Apple has no advertisement development group. Steve Jobs requires an app advertisement that target adolescents. Jobs could have chosen any marketing team from hundreds of prospective organisations, however always thinking innovatively, Jobs has asked the Year 12 St Pretend School tech savvy IPT students to help out. He recognises that these students are the target audience for the app (adolescents) and are great multimedia designers. Jobs has acknowledged that the coding aspect of the project would present quite a challenge for them hence once students come up with their final solution he will get the development team to design the code; all the IPT students need to do is produce a quality 30-second advertisement. In order to produce this advertisement an understanding of how iPhone apps are created, interface design and feasibility is essential. Once students have an understanding of these key elements they are then able to storyboard, document data flow, create the advertisement and choose an appropriate implementation plans.

Gantt Chart



Preliminary Investigation

__Target Audience__ The participants that the app is targeted at are adolescents. Colman (2009) defines adolescents as those “between the ages of 11 and 13…through to… usually 18 years” (Colman, 2009). Prenksy (2001) would describes these adolescents as digital natives; those “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet. (p.1). Besides from education, adolescents main concerns and areas of interest revolve around music, fashion, games and the latest trends. Thus in designing an iPhone or iPod app for adolescents we are attempting to produce a piece of technology that amalgamates their needs and desires with their attitude and skill. As detailed in the problem statement the project involves producing an advertisement for an iPhone or iPod app that has been designed and documented. The programming will be taken care of by the Apple development team. Once produced the app will be released into the Apple store and able to be accessed by all adolescent iPod or iPhone owners. The advertisement will be released worldwide. The exact nature of this ad release has yet to be determined.

__Three existing apps__

__**Name**__: Facebook
 * __Version__**: 3.2.3
 * __Category__**: Social Networking
 * __Cost__**: FREE
 * __Size__**: 3.5MB
 * __Requirements__**: iOS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
 * __Creator__**: Facebook Inc
 * __Languages__**: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanesse, Korean, Portugese, Russian Spanish
 * __Description__**: This app is a customised version of the popular social networking site Facebook. It that allows users to keep track of their profile, chat to friends and upload media on the fly, all within an interface that is iPhone and iPod friendly.
 * __Screenshots__**:
 * Positives || Negatives ||
 * * Able to update and keep in contact with friends while away from the computer || * Some features like videos and photos are not designed to be used over 3G. Consequently lag or are unresponsive ||
 * * Upload and share photos in the moment (best over wifi) || * Push notifications constantly cause the app to crash ||
 * * Ability to update status anytime anywhere || * Chat feature crashes on 3G ||
 * * Smooth transfer between different views (profile to home screen to friends etc) || * While a customised version of Facebook is essential for a hand held device, the app misses out on crucial parts of a persons profile like “Info” ||
 * * Basic interface without to many flashy designs makes it clear and easy for the user to navigate || * When trying to add someone as a friend instead of having an “add” button it treats people as groups and has a “like” button instead ||

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 * __Name__**: Hipstamatic
 * __Version__**: 1.75
 * __Category__**: Photography
 * __Cost__**: $2.49
 * __Size__**: 18.6MB
 * __Requirements__**: iOS 3.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
 * __Creator__**: Synthetic Infatuation
 * __Languages__**: English
 * __Description__**: Hipstamatic is an app that uses the inbuilt iPhone or iPod camera to take vintage style photos within an old school style interface. Users are able to change lens, film and flash settings allowing them to produce unique images every time. They then have the option of viewing there photos either within the app or within the default Photo library on the device.
 * __Screenshots__**:


 * Positives || Negatives ||
 * * Produces good quality images || * Viewer is inappropriately sized (see second image top right) ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Auto saving to default Photo library allows easy transfer and sharing outside the app || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Recent Prints sections does not allow for preview bigger than thumbnail ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aesthetically the interface is accurate with a 1980’s style toy camera || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Only comes with one or two flash’s/films the rest you have to purchase on top of the app which can be inconvenient for adolescents with a lesser income ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Allows for optional more advanced lens to be purchased, facilitating for more serious photographers || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Takes a long time to launch the app ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Multiple filters (saturation, vignettes, blurring etc) allow for more detail || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does have a cost associated with initial purchase ||

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 * __Name__**: Angry Birds
 * __Version__**: 1.1.4
 * __Category__**: Games
 * __Cost__**: $1.19
 * __Size__**: 17.7MB
 * __Requirements__**: iOS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
 * __Creator__**: Clicker Game Technologies
 * __Languages__**: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish
 * __Description__**: This app is multi level single player strategy game. Using a slingshot and the angry birds as projectiles, users attempt to destroy glass, stone and wood structures to kill the green pigs that have stolen all the bird’s eggs. The app features 195 levels, ladder boards and Facebook and Twitter integration. Currently ranked as second most popular app
 * __Screenshots__**:


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Positives || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Negatives ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Addicting! || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Levels sometimes lag when bird comes into contact with structure ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Facebook and Twitter integration means that users are able to easy share their results with friends || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once one bird is launched unable to undo you must complete the whole level ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Coding and structure of the program is based on actual physics which makes game play more realistic || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No editor feature. Does not facilitate for more advanced users to create their own levels ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Level interface is easy navigate || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Order of birds is pre determined user gets no choice in what birds they get to use ||
 * * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lite (free) option available that is condensed. Allows users to try before they buy. || * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does have a cost associated with initial purchase ||

Prototypes <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">__DressIt__

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">

DressIt can be either used simply as a game or functionally as a tool to aid in choosing what to wear on a day to day basis. Screen one shows the opening interface. Screen two shows the wardrobe page wher users will choose what thier model will wear.



__Dtronic Djing__

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Dtronic djing app allows users to create a range of playlists similar to iTunes. However Dtronic enables users to be a Dj whenever wherever they like! Users can use the turntables to “scratch”, rewind, fast forward and stop track. Users may also cross fade in and out of songs playing simultaneously for the ultimate mashup.





__Social Cloud__

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Social cloud allows users to combine all their favourite social networking sites (SNS) and rss feed in to one simple to use app. Social cloud securely holds all your login details so you only need to log in once for facebook©, twitter©, Messenger© and many more.

Requirements Report

A new iPhone or iPod app is being created that targets adolescents. The app is required to address the needs and requirements of the adolescent ie: target something that is either in the real world of the adolescent or something that they would be interested in. Such domains include: social networking, gaming, fashion, music and the arts.The design of the app (including it's purpose and functionality) is required to be sent to the Apple development team so then the advertisement (actual solution) can be produced by the Year 12 St Pretend School IPT students. This entire process must be completed by the last lesson on Term 1, giving us roughly three months to complete the project (it is recognised that Apple won't actually develop the app and this is simply an assumed part of the process).

Social and Ethical Issues

There are many social and ethical issues related to app development. Outlined below are five that pertain to the project.

One social and ethical issue related to app development is privacy violation. With a app like Social Cloud users settings (usernames and passwords) for multiple social networking services must be stored somewhere. Hence instead of having to log onto multiple services users simply launch Social Cloud and enter their Social Cloud username and password and gain access to all said services. A way of addressing this issue is encryption. Using either SHA1 encryption (160bit) or AES encryption (256bit) the databases where this information is to be stored, the Social Cloud passwords and the combination of the user's social networking passwords all must be encrypted. This encryption would mean that if anyone was able to perform code injection (assumably SQL or SQRL) in order to hack the database that users settings would have another layer of protection.

Another social and ethical issue related to app development is copyright. With apps like Social Cloud, DressIt and Dtronic DJing while they meet the targets of the project, developers must make sure that they are not already in existence. Apps are able to be created that have the same functionality however the actual interface or the way in which users interact with the app must differ. If any app is developed whose interface is partly or in whole the same as an app already in existence the developer is open to intellectual property right violation. A way of addressing this issue is research. Before the app is developed it is essential that all apps in that category are researched ie: each app interface is examined and key structures noted. This way when it comes time to designing the app's interface developers can be sure they are not designing an interface that already exists.

Another social and ethical issue related to app development is discrimination. While this is not able to be addressed in every app developed, developers should take into account disabled users when creating their apps. Where possible apps should try and embed features like voice activation so they are more compatible with these users. A way of addressing this issue is embedding compatible features. Depending on what the app is designed for features like voice activation would mean that users who have a sight impairment would be able to interact with the app still. However with apps like Social Cloud even if voice activation was enabled the content included in the app is too complex to ever make this feature practically functional. Apps like DressIt and Dtronic are heavily reliant on vision eg: DressIt's function is to show users what a combination of clothes would look like together, and Dtronic's function is to physically mix music, and embedding features to make it non discriminatory would be difficult without losing the functionality of the app.

Another social and ethical issue related to app development is source acknowledgment. When designing an app a developer may choose to use a piece of open source code or incorporate an already existing system within their app. However it is essential that this source is credited somewhere in the app. A way of addressing this issue is by crediting all sources on an About Page of the app. For example on the Social Cloud app multiple existing systems are incorporated in the app (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, RSS feeds). Developers need to firstly quote these sources on an About page but also make clear that when users interact with these already existing systems that they are doing so under the terms and conditions of that particular system not just Social Cloud's terms and conditions. Another way to address this issue is using user content already in existence that has been already credited or licensed eg: with the DTronic Djing app instead of using music from an inbuilt library, the app can access the users music library on their device and pull the songs down from there. Usually the songs in the library have already been licensed through the Apple store, however if they have been obtained illegally liability for using them would be placed on the user not on DTronic Djing developers.