Critical Reflective Essay on Mobile App Development Project - CIS8501

This essay presents a critical reflection on the development of a mobile-based application for care insurance, exploring the project's journey from inception to completion. The author discusses the acquisition of new skills in mobile application development, focusing on essential concepts and diagrams for understanding the healthcare service applications. The essay delves into challenges encountered, such as device compatibility issues, research work complexities, and resource planning limitations, alongside valuable lessons learned in project management, teamwork, and strategic planning. It also considers the application of different project designs and approaches, including deductive and inductive methods, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and diverse information sources. The author reflects on the benefits of the project, highlighting the importance of evaluation and assessment in personal and professional development, and emphasizes the significance of teamwork, communication, and adaptability in project execution. The author provides valuable insights into the author's project management skills, teamwork, and strategic planning.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Critical reflective essay on Development of Mobile based Application for Care Insurance
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Project process essay
After completing the project on the development of Mobile based application for care
insurance, I can say that my experience was good. I got to learn the basic concepts regarding
the mobile applications, which the users can avail for getting the healthcare services.
Diagrams helped me to get a better understanding of the applications and the processes of its
development. Along with this, I also learnt about the skills and competencies needed for
developing the growth of the mobile applications. In this, I can specifically make mention of
the elements, which are crucial for securing the market position. I have also gained
experience regarding selecting the target audience, which is vital for adding value to the
provision of healthcare services.
My knowledge has increased about contacting the Insurance Companies for
enhancing the awareness about the health insurances, which the users can avail. I can point
out the issue of checking the compatibility with the devices, which was a major issue. The
major drive behind this was that not all the phones were updated and lacked the modern
android operating systems. Along with this, I have also gained an insight into the fact that
monitoring is essential for completing the projects according to the requirements. However,
lack of proper performance management systems compelled us to encounter negative results.
Strategic planning needed in this case is in at the raw stage, which necessitates the need for
constructing design layout for ensuring that the mobile applications work according to the
requirement of the users.
I felt that the most challenging area were research work, which was time-consuming.
As a result of this, balance was destroyed in the execution of the project related activities.
Within this, mention can be made of the application in terms of renewing the healthcare
insurance, where explicit research prolonged the process of renewal process (Lawlor et al.

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2018). One of the other challenges was selecting the appropriate policy, which deprived the
users from the basic healthcare services. Apart from this, I also excavated the issue of finding
skilled and qualified doctors, who can be readily available once the users are in need of
healthcare service. One of the striking facts, which I have found is poor resource planning,
which was challenging in terms of planning the investments based on time, cost and
resources needed. Limited documentation aggravated the complexities in the process of
evaluation for the constructed strategies and plans. I also felt that fragmented outputs was one
of the other challenges, which added ambiguity in the process of deducing relevant
conclusions and recommendations.
Research work was challenging for me, as I failed to incorporate keyword search in
the process of collecting the necessary information about the mobile based healthcare
services. As the research took long time, therefore, I failed to proceed to the literature review
portion. Along with this, I also felt that limitation in the sources limited my knowledge
horizons, due to which I encountered difficulties in making theoretical application into the
proposed facts regarding the development of mobile services in healthcare. However, I felt
that improper resource planning was the major challenge, which degraded the unity and
integrity in the project related activities.
According to me, if I had observed some of the previous projects, I would have got
the basic idea of doing the project. I also feel that conducting journey mapping would have
proved beneficial in terms of calculating the benefits, which I can achieve by indulging in the
project. Participating in the group discussions and forums would have been effective in terms
of diversifying the thinking skills and judgmental capabilities. I feel this approach would
have helped me to improvise on the respect towards other cultures, especially their
viewpoints. Visiting libraries for collecting data on the technological advances could have
assisted me to enrich my knowledge, skills and expertise.

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Along with this, I also felt that if I had discussions with the peers, trainers and
experts, I would have applied different approach to the execution of the project. Here,
affirming with the arguments of Endersby, Phelps and Jenkins (2017), I can make mention of
exploratory, explanatory and descriptive designs, which are necessary for doing a project.
According to me, exploratory design is the most applicable, as it helps me to explore the
unexplored realms of the subject matter. In terms of explanatory, I can say that it is time-
consuming. This is because this design needs the explanation of every aspect related to the
topic. I also felt that Descriptive design is not applicable due to the limitations of time and
financial constraints.
I can also make mention of the approaches of deductive and inductive approaches,
which is vital for deducing conclusion and recommendations. Among these, deductive
approach is the most relevant, as it acts as an agent for proposing conclusions through
synthesizing the collected and available facts. In this, I felt that reliability, authenticity and
validity are crucial aspects. Therefore, I agree with the viewpoints of Tucker and Abbasi
(2016) regarding referring to the sources, which have been published not less than 10 years is
an ethical approach towards conducting the projects. For conducting this project, I
remembered the inclusion criteria in terms of collecting the relevant information. Typical
evidence of this lies in excluding the websites, which needs subscription. However, I can
relate an incident, where one of the team members was unable to submit the work on time, as
he spent much time on searching for an information on these websites, requiring subscription.
I can also cite the reference of philosophy, with which a project needs to be
conducted. These are mainly positivism, post-positivism and interpretivism. Mostly,
positivism philosophy is applied for incorporating real, scientific and objective knowledge to
the collected and the available facts. Post-positivism is the estimation after application of the
facts to the concepts (Adegoke 2017). According to me, calculative approach is needed for

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this estimation in terms of averting the hypothetical intervention, which raises doubts
regarding the propositions and arguments. However, I feel that hypothesis is necessary in
terms of assessing the positive and the negative relation between the variables. This approach
is productive in terms of deducing relevant conclusions and recommendations. Here, I can
point out the importance of conceptual framework, which enhanced my awareness about the
correlation between the variables of the project topic. Diagrammatic representation of this
correlation acted assistance for me to detect the cause-effect relationship. If I had conducted
this causal-effect relationship after presenting the conceptual framework, I would have been
able to produce calculative approach towards proposing the arguments.
According to my opinions, the sources from which the information is collected is
important. If diversification prevails in this reference, the arguments are strong. Apart from
this, I also feel that referring to numerous sources enhanced my ability to critique the
scholarly opinions. Conducting this comparative study is apt for enriching the preconceived
skills, knowledge and expertise (Thistlethwaite 2015). I referenced the sources at the end of
the project, which I felt was wrong. If I had inserted the references while referring to them, it
would have helped me to develop a strong argumentative literature review for the project.
Aligning with the arguments of Lohuis et al. (2016), this comparison also seemed fruitful for
me in terms of synthesizing the facts for reaching to the conclusion. This approach would
have been more logical and systematic.
I think preparing the structure or outline of the project would have been effective in
terms of attaching a good start to the project. This is in terms of enhancing my awareness
about the points, which I have to cover for executing the project in an efficient and effective
manner. After this, I could have verified the structure from the supervisors and trainers,
which would have acted as an evaluation for the prepared structure. Countering this, I think
this discussion could have been conducted after selection of the topic. Upon receiving the

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approval, I could have proceeded with the development of aims and objectives. Evaluation
and assessment after each activity would have assisted me to measure the effectiveness in
terms of the standard performance, which I am expected to deliver in terms of project
management.
I also felt that creating action plans would have been beneficial in terms of
systematizing the activities according to the requirements. Incorporating the arguments of
Whitehall et al. (2018), I think that setting time limits for the activities could have helped me
to measure my performance. Along with this, I also thought that personal development plans
would have been beneficial in terms of upgrading the standards and quality of my
performance. I think indulging in discussions with the team members, supervisors and
trainers would have been fruitful in terms of measuring if the propositions and arguments are
on the right track. Maintaining consistency in execution of evaluation would have been
beneficial in terms of uplifting the standards and quality of approaching the allocated duties
and responsibilities.
After completing the project, I just submitted it. However, if I had analysed the
benefits of conducting the project in my future career, it would have reflected my personal
and professional development. Before achieving the closure, I could have evaluated my
overall performance in the project, which would have helped me to detect the areas in which I
need to modify and upgrade my performance.
Teamwork essay
Consideration of Tuckman’s stages of team development helped me to create a team.
Inculcating the views of Ferguson, Makarem and Jones (2016), I can say that forming,
norming, storming stages enhanced our awareness about the roles, which we had to perform
while conducting the project related activities. Involving the like-minded candidates in group

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discussions acted assistance for me to examine the effectiveness of the propositions and
arguments. Selection of the team members was done on the basis of their familiarity with the
subject matter and approach towards conducting the allocated duties and the responsibilities.
Introduce Yourself Forum proved beneficial for me to find the prospective
candidates, who can help me in conducting the project. This forum helped me to participate
in the interactive sessions, which proved beneficial for me in terms of mapping their thinking
skills, abilities and competencies. Affirming with the arguments of Jiang, Jackson and
Colakoglu (2016), I considered relevant course knowledge along with prior experience of
handling projects for recruiting the team members. I also preferred forming my own team
members. This is because forming own teams is assistance for disseminating the instructions
to the team members in such a way, in which my leadership skills, abilities and competencies
can be enhanced. However, I also felt that forming own teams can be somewhat difficult, as it
lacks the presence of the trainers and supervisors. Encountering difficulties aggravates the
complexities in terms of evaluating the effectiveness of the exposed performance.
I invested my talents in the project, which added value to the Final Project.
Countering this, I felt that evaluating my performance at frequent intervals, added value to
the final project. The team members were different in their skills, competencies and abilities.
This is obvious, as diversity prevails in a team. However, aligning the arguments of Sims,
Hewitt and Harris (2015), I felt that mixed approach towards the execution the project related
activities proved beneficial in terms of getting diversified results. On the contrary, if I worked
solo, I think I would not have been able to produce the expected results. Non-participation
was one of the striking issue, which adversely affected the progress of the team. I can make
mention of one of the team members, who suffered from inferiority complex while
participating in the group discussions. One-to-one sessions were organized for involving the

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member in the mainstream business activities. This session proved beneficial in terms of
gaining an insight into the mind-set of the team member.
I also collected feedbacks from the team members regarding the levied strategies and
plans. This approach proved beneficial for me in terms of detecting the areas, which needs
modification for reaching to the benchmark level of performance. Using the checklists and
templates proved fruitful for measuring the performance against the identified and the
specified goals and objectives (Blasco et al. 2015). Communication was crucial, which
helped in enhancing the unity and coordination. Apart from the face to face discussions, we
also incorporated the means of Skype for contacting the members, who could not make up to
attend the meetings. This reflected the consistency and balance in the execution of the
activities. Emails were also sent to the team members for making them aware of the latest
decisions. Upon evaluation, I detected that email was one of the productive means of
communication, as the essential information was disseminated to all of the team members at
the same time.
Working as a team, I had bad experience, as I had to deal with lot of challenges and
issues. Within this, differing and varying grasping skills, abilities and competencies of the
team members was a pertinent issue. Difference of opinions resulted in conflicts,
discrimination and harassments, which contradicted the unity and coordination needed in a
team. Handling these conflicts was the most challenging part of the teamwork. At one
instance, one of the team member came down to physical abuse of another team member on
disagreement towards performing the duties. In this situation, involving the statutory bodies
of law was a vital step in terms of averting illegal scandals and issues.
Working as a team member for this project proved beneficial for me in terms of
enhancing the preconceived skills regarding the carrying out the project related activities.

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Training were provided to us for enhancing our awareness regarding the dealing with the
projects in an efficient and effective manner. Some of the members hesitated to participate in
the group discussions. For them, hiring counsellors would have been an effective option in
terms of mapping the areas in which the mind-set of the team members venture regarding the
subject matter. I think more discussions would have sufficed the need for gaining an insight
into the thinking skills and judgemental capabilities. Indulging the team members in various
types of exercises would have been beneficial for expanding the scope and arena of the
thought horizons.
Affirming to the arguments of Lin and Chuang (2019), involving the team members in
the post training tests would have been helpful in assessing their capability in making
practical application of the learnt skills in executing the allocated duties and responsibilities.
Scores of the team members was needed in terms of assessing the future courses of action in
terms of maintaining the balance in the project related activities. If the training materials had
been more diversified, the team members would have got an easy understanding about the
dynamics of the project. Dividing the lectures into sessions proved beneficial in
disseminating exact information to the team members. However, I felt that sending drafts
regarding the progress of the team members would have seemed beneficial in terms of
making plans regarding the introduction of lucrative schemes, discounts and offers for the
team members.
Creating action plans at the initial stage of commencing with the project would have
attached flexibility to the approach. Verifying the action plans with the identified goals and
objectives would have proved beneficial in terms of maintaining the balance between the
project related activities. Circulating the action plans between the team members would have
acted assistance in averting the instances of the misunderstanding and misinterpretation.

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