Developing 'The Farm' Mobile App: A Heuristic Principles Approach

The Farm mobile application was developed to streamline user interactions using the Balsamiq tool and adhering to heuristic principles. The application incorporates features such as system status visibility, user freedom and control, real-world matching, consistency, error prevention, and recognition over recall. Key user requirements, including easy food ordering, event booking, and payment processing, are addressed within a single, integrated mobile application. Influenced by applications like 'Scoopon Deals,' The Farm aims to provide a user-friendly interface with multiple functionalities accessible through a single platform. The development process involved incorporating feedback from team members and leveraging heuristic principles to ensure optimal usability and business requirement fulfillment, enabling customers to easily buy, order, and book events.

Abstract
The Farm mobile application is developed to sort the problems of user in an easy manner.
This mobile application is developed by taking the help of Balsamiq tool. Development of
“The Farm mobile application” is done in such a manner so that all the heuristic principles
can be justified in a proper manner. Also, different buttons, breadcrumbs, images and text
fields are used so that the mobile application can look attractive. After using heuristic
principles and different options of Balsamiq an attractive mobile application is developed.
Different applications are listed under single mobile application. Also through this mobile
application user can access different services in easy and convenient manner. also during
development of this mobile application different changes are also entertained that are
suggested by other team members.
Introduction
Customers prefer smart and mobile devices through which their problems of daily life can be
sorted in an easy manner. Also, users and consumers force the community of the software
engineering to adopt the approaches that are associated with the ‘fast development’. All these
things make a different mobile platform to act as a strong contender among user (Dehlinger
et.al, 2011). To make the application feasible to the user there is the need of following proper
principles so that user can use them in an easy manner. all these things can be followed by
taking the help of the Heuristic principles. Through these principles, the application can be
made impressive to the user in an easy manner (Inostroza, 2014).
Reflection
Interface design:
Development of “The Farm mobile application” is completely based on the heuristic
principles. Different heuristic principles that are followed in this “The Farm mobile
application” which is shown below:
 System status visibility:
According to this principle, there is the need of providing a feedback in a certain amount
of time. The feedback has to be there in less time so that user can know about the status of
the action that he has performed. This thing can be seen on the payment screen. As soon
as user made the payment his/ her payment ID is going to appear on the mobile screen
(Alotaibi, 2013).

 Freedom and control of user
According to this principle, there is the need of freedom so that user can perform the
function in an easy manner. This thing can be seen through the back button that is present
on each page of the mobile application. through this functionality, user can land back to
previous page in an easy manner.
 Matching of system with real world
According to this principle, there is the need for an application to speak the language of
the user for which that application is built for. As there may be instances in which user
can’t understand the features which are developed for the benefit to the user. This thing
can be seen through the icon images. Through these images, user can opt functionality in
an easy manner.
 Consistency and standards
In every mobile application, consistency can be considered as the success factor. for that,
there is need of following certain standards so that every page looks same and consistent.
This thing can be seen through the button tray which is placed at the bottom of
application.
 Prevention of errors
According to this principle, there is a mechanism so that user can be stopped from
entering wrong information. this thing can be seen in order page. All the details are going
to be calculated in an automated manner. As a result, user is going to get correct cost that
they have to pay for (Nayebi et. Al, 2012).
 Recognition rather than recall
According to this principle, there is the need for designing the application is such a
manner so that user doesn’t have to remember much. This thing can be seen on the
product page. Breadcrumbs are placed so that user can navigate to another page without
remembering anything.
User’s requirement
One of the major requirement that is required is to order food through their mobile in an easy
manner. For that designing of the system is done in such a manner so that user can login
inside the system by taking the help of the login screen. Also, there is the requirement of
signup page in which user personal information and its associated address have to come.
Also, there must be a page of booking so that user can book the event in an easy manner.
Also, payment page is developed through which user can pay for their services in an easy

manner. All these features of users are implemented under single mobile application in fully
flagged manner.
Influencing factor
There are different factors which influence the Farm mobile application. as a user want the
application in which multiple functionalities can be accessed through single application. This
thing influences me to build this mobile application. Under this mobile application which is
named as ‘The Farm’ several applications like login, logout, social plugin, booking of room
for event and ordering of food and payment via a mobile device is implemented in a
successful manner. after reading lot of journal, I suggested going for Heuristic principles as
Heuristic principles can be treated as the best tool for designing the mobile application. all the
business requirement like revenue generation, crowd gathering can be seen through this
mobile application. all these requirements are going to be there as a result of using Heuristic
principles.
Similar interface
I got inspiration of this mobile application through ‘Scoopon Deals’ mobile application. The
main inspiration of using this mobile application is that it provides user with catchy discount
offers. Also this mobile application offer user to book restaurant in easy manner. all the
discount pages and booking event page is inspiration of this mobile application. Also this
application makes fine dining in affordable rates. This thing is also implemented in my
mobile application. link of ‘Scoopon Deals’ is
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.scoopon.android&hl=en.
Figure 1: Scoopon
Conclusion
The Farm application is successfully developed by taking the help of Balsamiq tool.
Development of this mobile application is done by taking the help of the Heuristic principles.

Through this mobile application user can get the diverse functionalities under single mobile
application in easy manner. Development of the mobile application is successful because of
the contribution from different members of team. Through this mobile application customer
can easily buy, order and book hall for event through single click.
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