Question

1. Analysis question

2.1 You are a small and medium-sized education institute and you are going to use cross-platform development for a e-learning app.

Please pick a framework from the top 5 frameworks and illustrate your reason to select it. Compare it with 2 alternatives. (5marks)

2.2 Draw a formal usability test plan for the App of you mobile banking service. You should include necessary details to implement each step in the test.

Answer 1

2.1 A mobile app framework is an app development platform that contains many components like toolsets, compilers, debuggers, coding interfaces, and so on. So a developer writes the source code for the app, and then the framework renders the app for the desired mobile platforms by using different components.

1. React Native

React Native is an open-source, cross-platform app development framework from the house of Facebook.

Features of React Native

. Impeccable performance

. Reusable components

. Integration with third-party plugins

2. Flutter

Flutter is an excellent choice for developing aesthetically pleasing mobile apps. Unlike many other mobile app frameworks, the codes are written in dart language. And the codes can be reused for upcoming tasks as well. The backing of Google itself gives Flutter an extra edge of credibility.

Features of Flutter

. Faster Development

. Cross-platform

. Attractive and Interactive visuals

. Native like performance

3. Xamarin

Xamarin is a cross-platform app development framework for producing android and ios apps. Since they use C# language, It requires lesser codes. So the coding process is faster. It also lets us share the codes across different platforms like Windows and macOS quickly.

Features of Xamarin

. Rapid Development

. Native look and feel

. Compatible with various platforms

4. Ionic

Ionic is another universally employed mobile app framework that has quickly become a favorite pick for app developers. It’s a free app development platform that uses the combination of CSS3, HTML, and JavaScript technologies to develop native, web, and hybrid apps.

Features of Ionic

. Cross-platform app development

. Uniform UI

. Optimized Performance

. User adaptability

5. Corona SDK

Corona is a free cross-platform app development tool that is best suited for creating high-quality apps and games for various mobile and desktop platforms. They use a robust yet lightweight scripting language called Lua for providing apps and games with higher graphics quality.

Features of Corona SDK

. Top-notch Visuals

. Wide variety of plugins

. Realtime testing

. Optimal performance

The best way to pick the suitable app development framework is by comparing different tools with one another. So, in contrast to other app development frameworks, Corona is considerably fast, simple, and comprehensive.

2.2

1. The Objectives of the Usability Test

The first step of any usability testing session is to set the goals straight. What questions do you want to answer with the usability test? What hypothesis do you want to test with the usability test?

2. The Tasks that will be Performed

the task scenarios that are set should be:

. Realistic, actionable and without any clues on how to perform the steps

. Ordered in a sequence that ensures a smooth flow of the test session

. Tied to one or more objectives

3. The Usability Test Documents

There are a number of documents that you would need when conducting usability testing. While the number of documents and their content may vary, you would typically need the following:

Consent form: (for minors or adults)

Post-test questionnaire: This content of this questionnaire can range from the two simple post-test questions recommended by Uxpert Jared Spool to standard questionnaires such as the Post-Study Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) or the System Usability Scale (SUS)

4. The Test Participants

The mobile application usability testing method that will be discussed in the next section is a user-oriented testing technique, meaning it involves real users undertaking realistic tasks that the app is intended to achieve. Although testing with real users is more resource-consuming, this realistic scenario tends to yield more accurate result.

There are several considerations that need to be taken when choosing the participants for a usability test. Participants must:

Be representative of the users for whom the app is intended (i.e. the target users)

Own a device whose Operating System is the one on which the app is intended to run (including the appropriate version/s)

Be available at the time, place, frequency of the intended usability tests

Be ready to sign a usability test participation consent form.

5. The Mobile Application Usability Testing Methodology

There are two main methods for conducting usability testing of mobile applications. Needless to say, each comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. These are:

Laboratory-based usability testing

Remote usability testing.