GoodReads App Redesign

This project will be working on a redesign of the app, GoodReads. This app is used for readers to rate and comment on the books that they are currently reading or have finished. It allows for a community for readers to interact with one another, which essentially acts as a social media. All the users contribute to the rating of each book, which helps others decide if they would like to read it or not. There is also a filter function that allows readers to find new popular books, as well as search for them based on the genres they are interested in

User Perceived Quality Model for Web-Based System Assessment

The critical issue in software quality is to maintain the relevance of the software to the dynamics requirements and expectations. For the last forty years, many software quality models have been developed that focused on the technical and behavioural aspect of the software and little attention towards user perspective of quality. Our previous works in certification exercises have revealed the needs and rational for software certification from user approach. This is aligned with several new developments such as social networking software, various software on the market and development approach as agile methods that leads to user dominance and control over the software. Thus, users are more criticised and demanded in the quality aspects of the software service that accessible to wide range of people from various categories of users. The users of the web-based systems can be defined in several categories with different interests and perspectives but this research only focuses on web users in general. The new structure of quality model is defined. The enhanced quality model and system are valuable to overcome the limitations of previous models and further improve the application in assessment process and software certification

Software Certification Modeling: From Technical to User Centric Approach

Abstract: One of the most essential issues in software products is to maintain it relevancy to the dynamics of the user's needs. Many researches and studies have been carried out in quality aspect of software products to overcome these problems. Several software quality assessment models and metrics have been introduced with strengths and limitations. The current quality models such as McCall, Boehm, ISO9126, Sistemic and PQF model are used as the benchmark for product assessment. In order to enhance the assurance and buoyancy of the software products, certification process and models have been introduced and developed. Previous fundamental and basic software certification models such as SCM-Prod and SPAC were developed to solve the uncertainties in software quality in two views which are the end product and the development process. However, the models are based on specific requirements and have certain limitations. SCM-Prod model focuses on the certification and quality requirements of software products in general. While SPAC model focuses on software certification based on development process approach. Our previous experiences in conducting certification exercises and case studies collaborating with several agencies in Malaysia, the requirements for user based software certification approach is needed and demanded. The emergence of social network applications and other varieties of software in the market has led to the domination of users over the software. As software become more accessible to the public through internet applications, users are becoming more critical in the quality of the services provided by the software. Users should be able to assess and certify their own products within their own environment at anytime and anywhere. The quality attributes for software assessment should be based on user's perspective and view. This new paradigm should the alternative focus in software product quality assessment and certification. This paper presents the evolution of software certification and assessment from technical view to user centric approach. It discusses the concept of user centric approach in software assessment and certification which also focuses on the design and development of the model (ucSoftC), the components and attributes embedded in this model. The development is believed to be beneficial and valuable to overcome the constraints and improve the application of software certification model in future

Design for Mobile Mental Health:An Exploratory Review

A large number of mobile mental health apps are available to the public but current knowledge about requirements of designing such solutions is scarce, especially from sociotechnical and user centred points of view. Due to the significant role of mobile apps in the mental health service models, identifying the design requirements of mobile mental health solutions is crucial. Some of those requirements have been addressed individually in the literature, but there are few research studies that show a comprehensive picture of this domain. This exploratory review aims to facilitate such holistic understanding. The main search keywords of the review were identified in a cross-disciplinary requirements workshop. The search was started by finding some core references in the healthcare databases. A wider range of references then has been explored using a snowball method. Findings showed that there is a good understanding of individual design requirements in current literature but there are few examples of implementing a combination of different design requirements in real world products. The design processes specifically developed for mobile mental health apps are also rare. Most studies on operational mobile mental health apps address major mental health issues while prevention and wellbeing areas are underdeveloped. In conclusion, the main recommendations for designing future mobile mental health solutions include: moving towards sociotechnical and open design strategies, understanding and creating shared value, recognizing all dimensions of efficacy, bridging design and medical research and development, and considering an ecosystem perspective

Creative art-based technologies for interagency working together for safeguarding children and young people

Children themselves rarely engage directly with the child protection system unless they are already referred into the system by a third party adult. New technologies have enabled children to communicate in different ways than previously. A guiding question for this thesis is whether one type of technology access, that of an application or ‘app’, could also facilitate children’s direct access for advice, help and response from the child protection system in the UK. The current UK policy emphasis on child-focused systems and outcomes (Munro, 2011) forms a background to this thesis, which aims to identify the work required to co-produce new ways of working at the front door of child protection to extend the current socio-technical framework to improve outcomes for children. Past and present social and political developments in UK child protection and early help, a data review of smart phone apps relating to managing risk and safeguarding, and a comparison of the use of technology in related settings provide an overview of the context within which socio-technical change can occur. The underpinning methodology recognises a crucial factor in the successful design and implementation of socio-technical change: that any proposed alteration to existing ways of working must also be adopted by a range of gatekeepers to the system, including practitioners in social work, the police, health and education, who may identify barriers and present challenges to implementation. Two separate weeks of ethnographic observation were focused on the use of technology in information management in a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). Data on the child’s perspective on technology and app design for safeguarding was collected through school-based workshops. A co-produced design of an application is proposed as a way of sharing information and communication pathways for multi-agency professionals and children/young people. The project offers new ideas for promoting a child-centred approach to safeguarding. In doing so, it proposes the design principles of a digital platform consisting of a smart phone application. The proposed application is an extension of the traditional early intervention child protection discourse that will capture children’s social media conversations and stories connected to keeping themselves safe. It will also include educational ‘stay safe’ age-appropriate games and twenty-four/seven access to multi-agency advice and guidance. Challenges for app adoption are changes to the police communication departments and the creation of a localised children’s MASH to provide digital responses for self-referrals