ITSU3008 - Project 1: Makeable App Database Development Report

This report details the Makeable App database development project, focusing on a literature review of relevant research papers and design considerations for a mobile application. The project aims to create a database for an application designed to help individuals with disabilities find technology solutions. The report explores the use of Node.js for backend database, mobile app development, and cross-platform frameworks like Flutter. The literature review covers topics such as server-side scripting languages, mobile application accessibility, and the advantages of cross-platform development. The report also discusses the importance of usability and design principles for applications catering to users with disabilities, and the functional and non-functional requirements. The project's scope, methodology, and feasibility are also outlined, providing a comprehensive overview of the Makeable App database development.

Running head: MAKEABLE APP DATABASE DEVELOPMENT
MAKEABLE APP DATABASE DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author note

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Literature Review
As per the research done by [1], the essential thing about a web server is that it should
have the ability to tackle much number of users in an efficient way. For this purpose the
programming language that should be chosen has to be selected in a careful manner. Server
side scripting languages such as PHP, Python has to be compared with Node.js. As per the
authors Node.js is a very good tool in case the application that is to be developed has to
include live interaction along with real-time results. Node.js has the capability to quickly
deliver data up and down a specific web server. Some years back, with CPU performing a
single thing at a time, people had to face lot of problems. Multi-threading was the solution to
this problem that allowed users to have multiple threads on a CPU. It has switch in between
them every time resulting in lots of overhead. Node.js came as a solution to this overhead
problem by running in a single event-driven thread. It is just that instead of developing a new
thread every time when a request is made it can use only one thread for every single request.
When making a call to a database for instance instead of blocking it till it gets returned one
can run a call-back function after completion of the call. The only thing is that at a time only
one call back function can be executed. All other functions such as incoming HTTP request is
easily addressed by Node simultaneously. The application code will not be executed at time
when anything else is getting executed thus having the full attention of Node’s JavaScript
engine while it is on the run mode. Node.js has a good performance when considering
multiple users as compared to PHP and Python. The authors suggest that selecting a proper
database is very important taking into consideration a web server. Softwares such as Node.js
help application developers to establish connection of their applications with their database
easily and they do not have to worry about the coding at the server side.

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As per the research done by [2], mobile applications can certainly be made use of by
the disabled people. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) addresses accessibility of the
mobile applications. ISO 9241-201:2010 provides proper guidelines for the human centred
design for interactive systems. Involving disabled people in these applications designs is not
an easy process rather it is tough to cater to the needs and requirements of these people.
Mobile assistive technologies have become one of notable achievements in case of disabled
people. Application developers are coming up with various applications that can be used by
people with impairments. Authors are of the opinion that these applications have various
benefits such as ease of portability, lasting benefit and other psychological benefits. The key
or vital concept in designing mobile application interface is accessibility. The main element
of an accessible application is a set of certain functional elements that make it possible for the
people with impairments to use the same for various purposes. Designing applications for
people with impairments also means that they can be used by everyone that is the central
concept is “Design for all”. Another important concept is usability and this can be said to as
closely relate to accessibility. It not only considers how these applications work but also how
the end user interacts with the application. Usability of an application refers to three
important features that are effectiveness, satisfaction as well as efficiency. Some
recommendations that are suggested by the author to develop these types of applications are
as follows:
1. Navigation and graphic designs- This includes certain points such as application should
have consistent as well as simple menu, minimal user input, good contrast in between text
and background and many more.
2. Requirements to text- Images should be used for reducing the cognitive load, easy
language with short as well as simple title.

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3. Personalization- The menu of the application requires being adjustable so that it adapts
well to the user’s needs.
As per the research done by [3], mobile application development is different from the
traditional ways of software development in various ways. Application developers need to
consider various factors that include battery life of the host device, lifecycle of mobile
applications considering frequent interruptions as well as limited hardware capability of the
mobile devices. On top of these if the applications are to be built for persons with
impairments it requires more functionality. Choosing appropriate framework is another issue
in case of the development of applications. Cross platform development frameworks can be
made use by the developers and all these have their own advantages as well as disadvantages.
Google’s Flutter is one such cross platform development framework that is made use of in the
development of applications to give it a feeling of website. Cross-platform toolkits as such
wrap the native platform controls providing some cross-platform abstraction over them. The
applications when being built for people with impairments should have a lot of functionalities
and thus developers can certainly make use of Flutters’ rich widget library along with open
source widgets. This makes it a feature-rich platform and the developers find it easy to work
it. The developers that use Flutter make use of Dart as the programming language and the
engine of Flutter compiles application to native ARM code that is packaged with Flutter
runtime engine that allows the user interface to work on not only Android but also on the iOS
platforms. Android Studio 3.1.4 was made use of as IDE for developing Flutter applications.
Dart 2.0 was the primary programming language. Flutter requires fewer line of code than its
native counterparts such as Native Android and Native iOS. Thus authors are of the opinion
that cross-platform development frameworks provide various opportunities making
applications compatible to different platforms with a single codebase. High quality
applications can be built by making use of these cross-platform development frameworks.

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References
[1]. S.L. Bangare, S. Gupta, M. Dalal and A. Inamdar. Using Node. Js to build high speed
and scalable backend database server. In Proc. NCPCI. Conf (p. 19). 2016, March.
[2]. J. Dekelver, M. Kultsova, O. Shabalina, J. Borblik, A. Pidoprigora and R. Romanenko.
Design of mobile applications for people with intellectual disabilities. Communications in
Computer and Information Science, 535, pp.823-836. 2015.
[3]. M. Gonsalves. Evaluating the mobile development frameworks Apache Cordova and
Flutter and their impact on the development process and application characteristics. 2019.