INFO1265

User Experience

Project #1 – Social Media / Messaging System

In this project, you will be developing the concept for an app that creates
scavenger hunt events, and provides a social media / messaging system to
support it.

In this assignment, you will:

1. Develop your understanding of the design process and all that that entails.

2. Become familiar with the special constraints and advantages of mobile

apps.

3. Develop your skills with a prototyping tool.

Scenario

You wish to develop a mobile application that allows participants to:

• create scavenger hunt events

• join these events
• communicate with event participants between events
• encourage friends to join

The way this apps works is that a “leader” sets up an event by giving it a name, a
date, and start / end times. The leader travels along any path, either walking or
using public transit. (These modes of transportation are best as the participants
will need to travel the same path and may not have cars). At various points, the
leader stops and clicks a button on the app to indicate this is a “node” on the
path. The GPS of the point is registered by the app. The app then prompts the
leader for a clue that the participants will get at that location.

Participants then sign up for events. They may participate as individuals or in

groups of 2 or 3. At the set day and time, they follow the path given by a map. At
each node, they click the app to indicate they have arrived, and then they get the
clue for that location. They then have to provide a response on what they see at
the location.
At the end of the path, the participants put their responses to the clues together
to form a final response which can allow them to win the game.

The winner is announced to all participants as soon as a winner is determined.

Note that participants have special needs and constraints to do with “context”.

You may assume that the web will be accessible wherever the tours plan to go.

Module A

Description (5 marks)

A description of the app, and its various purposes, including its business
purpose. Also explain future goals for the app.

Research (10 marks)

Research should be done to investigate the field of application. Do such apps

already exist? Provide links, and screenshots wherever possible. What might
people use now to accomplish the same goals? Are conventional social media
sites such as Facebook able to serve the same purpose, or as well? Describe
the features needed by your app and explain how yours would be different form
existing apps. Why does it make sense to develop this app? What revenue
streams might exist for it? Are there future possibilities that exist for extending
the business purpose of this app?

Technical Issues (10 marks)

• What special device hardware features would the app require?

• What special input controls or display features would the app need?

• What constraints or advantages to do with context are involved in this

app?

Use Cases (10 marks)

Develop a fairly complete listing of the use cases for this app and create a
diagram for them. Then form that list, choose three of the more interesting use
cases, and develop use case descriptions for them.
Deliverable:

Bundle the answers to these questions into a document. Submit an electronic

copy by email. Also submit a hard copy to your instructor.

Module B

Entities (10 marks)

Identify all the entities for the app with all the fields for each entity. A tabular
format would work well for this.

Content Plans (20 marks)

Provide a description of the text, features and input controls on each page.

Prototypes (30 marks)

Develop professional mockups of the screens showing using JustInMind

Prototyper (or other professional tool with your instructor’s permission).

Final Report (5 marks)

Assemble all these documents from both Module A and Module B into a polished
report with introduction and conclusions. Include a table of contents. Submit an
electronic copy by email. Also submit a hard copy to your instructor.