A protocol for evaluating mobile applications

The number of applications available for mobile phones is growing at a rate which makes it difficult for new application developers to establish the current state of the art before embarking on new product development. This chapter outlines a protocol for capturing a snapshot of the present state of applications in existence for a given field in terms of both usability and functionality. The proposed methodology is versatile in the sense that it can be implemented for any domain across all mobile platforms, which is illustrated here by its application to two dissimilar domains on three platforms. The chapter concludes with a critical evaluation of the process that was undertaken

Project Management Methods for the Implementation of an Online Faculty Development Course

The case study describes the project management methods used in the implementation of a faculty development course at a small liberal arts university. The faculty development course, which was delivered online through the Learning Management System (Blackboard), not only provided faculty with technical competencies, but also a pedagogical framework for online instruction. As faculty members began to see the potential of using technology to overcome time and distance challenges, they became more interested in online education. To accomplish the project goals, the instructional design team created a detailed spreadsheet that outlined the design and implementation strategy for the initiative. Success criteria included increased demand and enrollment in the course, formal adoption of the professional development course as an institutional requirement, expansion of student enrollments in online courses, and student retention rates. The case study describes the unique project management considerations, documentation, and planning required throughout the project