Mobile App Development: A Critical Report on Coursework 2

This report presents a critical analysis of a mobile app development project, focusing on the creation of a database-backed foodie application. The report details the major steps involved, including building the app idea, identifying business needs, prototyping, design, and integration with a Firebase database. It also highlights key learnings, such as the importance of user experience, Java programming, and understanding user requirements. The report discusses group dynamics, including the benefits of collaboration and problem-solving within the team, as well as challenges like coordination and time management. The enjoyable aspects of the project, such as designing user interfaces and coding, are described. Furthermore, the report evaluates areas of success, such as creating a user-friendly app, and identifies areas for improvement, including the use of native components and enhanced search features. Finally, the report explores monetization strategies, such as freemium models and native ads, and discusses the choice of the Android platform for future development, emphasizing its graphic design capabilities and security features. This report offers valuable insights into the mobile app development process and its various facets.

Running head: CRITICAL REPORT
Coursework 2: Critical Report
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:

1CRITICAL REPORT
Table of Contents
1. Major steps for the project...........................................................................................................2
2. Things learned from experience in the project............................................................................4
3. Group dynamics...........................................................................................................................5
4. Enjoyable aspect of the project....................................................................................................6
5. Areas succeeded and areas improvements made.........................................................................7
6. Ideas to monetizing the application.............................................................................................8
7. Platform would chose while developing the app again...............................................................8
References......................................................................................................................................10

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1. Major steps for the project
The project is based on developing database backed foodie application. The purpose of
this particular application is improving foodie experiences for the needs of food. The proposed
app is termed as “For foodies by foodies”. The steps which are followed to develop the mobile
application are:
i. Building idea of the application to solve business problems
ii. Identifying needs of app for the business and building landing page highlighted the app
idea
iii. Developing prototype means turning the application with functionality (Thibaud et al.
2018).
iv. Putting design of the application by creating registration page for the users using email
address, login name and password, creating login page for users, admin and certified
food critic by means of email address, password
v. Hiring of mobile app developer having great designing talent and having skilled
development team (Weaver et al. 2017).
vi. Integrating analytics helped to track downloads, user engagement and customer retention
for mobile app
vii. Introducing features of the mobile app such as list of restaurants are provided on the
page after providing login details, profile activity page for viewing the profile and edit
profile details
viii. Connectivity of app with Firebase database

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ix. Submission of design documentation, wireframe designs, full course codes, screenshots
of program and test documentation
Figure 1: Screenshot of review page of the food restaurant

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Figure 2: Screenshot of list of restaurants page
2. Things learned from experience in the project
As a graduate mobile app developer, I learned that creating app is a challenge to offer top
as well as easier user experiences.
A. I kept in mind two main principles at the time of developing foodie mobile application
like keeping intuitive of user interface and understanding the users of the app.
B. I got basic knowledge of Java Programming for app development and learned the
programming from Java book.

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C. I gone through needs of the users and analyzed the collected information of the app with
the user’s requirements.
D. Learned on activity lifecycle theories to use it
E. Learned about networking into mobile applications
F. I have lack of knowledge of coding, therefore in order to develop the app I learned how
to do coding based on the requirements
G. There is identification of gaps before building of application so that the technical
problems are to be resolved.
H. I performed an open communication with the project supervisor to take their feedback on
the project work. As per the feedback provided, I made modifications in the report.
3. Group dynamics
Group work helps in taking various suggestions on development of mobile app so that
various innovative ideas are taken. Each of the members in the group are provided with
innovative ideas and distinguished ideas so that the project should complete on time. I learned
that group work increase collaboration and scope for brainstorming which resulted to get more
mobile app development ideas. Our team members solved complex problems and tasks based on
their skills and expertise (Xu, Xu and Li 2018). Group work can provide productive and reliable
resources towards development of mobile application. Information exchange becomes easer
among the team members through team meetings. I found that benefit of group work is that it can
help to increase completed output (Friess 2016). While I faced challenges in coding, anyone
from the team member helped us to solve the issues based on their technical expertise so that it
was solved. Positive relationships with other group’s team members help to understand

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requirement of the project better so that it can develop the mobile app based on the business
requirements. I determined that group dynamics is helpful to understand decision making
behaviour of the project team members.
The challenge in group work I faced is poor coordination represents time as well as
energy that we are consumed while working in the project (Zhi 2016). While working in group, it
is a challenge as group dynamics takes long time to coordinate the schedule, arrange for the
meetings, make decisions and integrate contributions of each team members. As there are more
people in group, it takes more time to get opinions to be taken into considerations. Due to lack of
leadership, it leads to lack of project directions. It is required to know the project team members
better to guide the development work (Hew et al. 2015). While working in team, conflicts are
occurred when one person works less time than other person. Therefore, in future we decided to
allocate each of the members will equal tasks so that conflicts can resolve.
4. Enjoyable aspect of the project
While developing the mobile application for food business, our team enjoyed a lot to
create various pages for the users. We designed the application in a way that when the user
would clock on one of the restaurants, then new activity with the content from firebase database
is to be displayed which showing the date information on restaurants with an option to reserve
the tables. We enjoyed adding various features in the mobile app with developing of screenshots
of application and perform coding for program in plain text. We had provided full source code
for the proposed foodie mobile app. As the mobile app played a key role into growing
businesses, therefore it allowed the companies for providing access to the services at single click
(Abdulrahamon 2016). Through this designed app, we got information, attach with people, offer

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with the food services, advertise and buy the products by means of proposed mobile app. The
mobile app would transform food industry as it is not compromising with quality of food as well
as work schedules. The only challenge of this app is to give required features so that it can meet
with customer satisfaction plus required experience to design and give it to the users.
5. Areas succeeded and areas improvements made
When it comes to development of mobile app, user experience is required. The areas of
success of our team are when the mobile app provides better user experiences. Our app makes a
closer interaction between the developer as well as designer (Boryckia, Senathirajahb and
Kushniruka 2017). We kept the features of mobile app simple, with clear understanding of
functionality so that the user can use it perfectly. Therefore, real achievement of this project is
received through simplicity of the using the mobile app. Based on the customer engagement with
the app, we developed the app. Using Java programming, we coded the app to design it based on
its client’s requirements.
The areas of improvements into the mobile app are required to use native component into
the mobile app. There is required to improve consistency in design of app, so that the user can
make sure that they are on proper path as well as header design of the user interface of app.
There should also require adding logo so that it provides a unique look of the mobile app. It is
recommended to add more food pictures so that the customers are more attractive (Raheel 2016).
The developer should require improving the search features in designing of app.

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6. Ideas to monetizing the application
As per our point of view, following are list of the ideas which help the mobile app to
become monetization such as:
i. One of the best ways to make revenue from the app is using freemium app model.
The user is created throughout using free version of the mobile app. Later, they
can upgrade to the premium model by becoming premium customer when the app
is succeeded to engage with the users and it can hold interest of the users.
ii. There should be placement of native ads with the application as recommended
idea towards monetization of the mobile app. It causes lesser interruption with the
app users (Xu, Xu and Li 2018). The ads should be merged with visuals of the
mobile app ensured that the ads should not halt its performance along with other
processes.
iii. The mobile app should offer new content and use pop ups in addition to options
that invite the users for subscribing to newsletter as well as produce leads. It is a
way to drive the traffic on website throughout using the mobile app.
iv. The advertisers should display ads with the foodie app and run promotional
campaigns for the users (Abdulrahamon 2016). When the business can generate
lead throughout using app, then the business can able to earn the incentives.
7. Platform would chose while developing the app again
If we could do the development work of the app again, then we would definitely use
Android platform. This app development platform is chosen as it would provide various options
towards graphic design requirements. The graphic designing of Android platform is better as

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compared to mobile app development platform. The selected platform is secured to develop app
focused on various business needs (Phung et al. 2017). It also provides inter-app integration by
providing flexible tools. It would be selected to deliver better performance of app.

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References
Abdulrahamon, M., 2016. Development of a mobile workout application.
Boryckia, E., Senathirajahb, Y. and Kushniruka, A.W., 2017. The Future of Mobile Usability,
Workflow and Safety Testing.
Friess, P., 2016. Digitising the industry-internet of things connecting the physical, digital and
virtual worlds. River Publishers.
Hew, J.J., Lee, V.H., Ooi, K.B. and Wei, J., 2015. What catalyses mobile apps usage intention:
an empirical analysis. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 115(7), pp.1269-1291.
Phung, P.H., Mohanty, A., Rachapalli, R. and Sridhar, M., 2017, May. Hybridguard: A principal-
based permission and fine-grained policy enforcement framework for web-based mobile
applications. In 2017 IEEE Security and Privacy Workshops (SPW) (pp. 147-156). IEEE.
Raheel, S., 2016, November. Improving the user experience using an intelligent Adaptive User
Interface in mobile applications. In 2016 IEEE International Multidisciplinary Conference on
Engineering Technology (IMCET) (pp. 64-68). IEEE.
Thibaud, M., Chi, H., Zhou, W. and Piramuthu, S., 2018. Internet of Things (IoT) in high-risk
Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) industries: A comprehensive review. Decision Support
Systems, 108, pp.79-95.
Weaver, P., Jansen, L., Van Grootveld, G., Van Spiegel, E. and Vergragt, P., 2017. Sustainable
technology development. Routledge.

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Xu, L.D., Xu, E.L. and Li, L., 2018. Industry 4.0: state of the art and future trends. International
Journal of Production Research, 56(8), pp.2941-2962.
Zhi, G.C., 2016, August. A project-based blended learning mode for mobile applicaton
development course. In 2016 11th International Conference on Computer Science & Education
(ICCSE) (pp. 757-762). IEEE.