Case Study 1: GetHelp!

When I first read about this app, it reminds me of Yahoo! Answers! The idea is pretty similar but Yahoo! Answers! is a standalone website that is integrated with the Yahoo! users and this app is dependent on Facebook users.

I’m suppose to analyze the screenshots and uncover what was the problem faced. However, it’s very tricky to tell if the design is usable or functional just by looking at the screenshot. It will be base on our assumptions that it will work out the way it’s meant to be and it might not be an accurate review. Still, since the app is no longer on Facebook, I guess I have to make do with what’s available, screenshots.

1. Home Page

Red
The icons are beautifully designed and clearly represent what it meant to say. However, the buttons are a little too slanted. I think the new project button should not be red in colour. Red is normally associated with not available, cancel or busy in terms of internet context.

Forms/Options
I think there are too many options for the users to choose. This app is suppose to make life easier for the requester, hence I don’t see the need to provide more detail information. Since they are developing for Facebook, I think they should exclude other social mediums such as rss, twitter and sms. It’s like flooding every possible means to get an answer and it’s quite unpleasant. The checkboxs are checked for both “post to all your friends” and “no, i want to pick & choose reliable people!”. There is a conflict between the selections.

2. Overview page

Feeds
The overview page is showing too many feeds. And i think friends can only see the latest request and the rest left hidden. It will be good, it they have pages or category to sort out the feeds into something more manageable.

Search
Search is a must for a app like GetHelp! If the feeds are not organized and there is no search, it will be hard for the friends to help.

3. Project Page

Status
It needs to have a status button to indicate if the person’s help is answered. This will prevent future friends clicking on a request that is answered and they go and help friends that still need helps.

4. Statistics Page

Percentage/Ratings

VS     

Badges are a good way to reward the users. However, I prefer the the way Yahoo! Answers! deal with statistics. The requester can vote for the best answers given by all users. By voting the best answer, the person that answers the questions will rise in it’s percentage in terms of best answers. In this way, everyone will know about his reliability of providing answer. More incentives need to be given.

Conclusion
I like the consistency of the top navigation bar throughout the app. Still, I believe the flaws with the app is due to the short time-frame of the CS3216 schedule. Everyone can design an app within a few steps, however designing a good app is another story. To build a good app from my perspective requires deep planning. In short, this app have it’s potential but with the low support group, it’s very hard to survive. I will rather go for Yahoo! Answers that will provide me with more professional help and with a larger user group.

Inexperience in UI design
From the 1st assignment, I see that most of the groups including my group does not have a good UI design. It could be due to the team formation. However, I think the main reason is that most of the groups have little experiences in terms of UI design. One key factor of Apple’s sucess is because of the good UI and it is only possible with lots of trials and errors. A good app without a good UI will restrict the people from trying out the app.

 

Vsee Talk

3 Things
This is the second time I been to his talk. The CEO, Milton is an interesting guy. Apart from selling what his company does, he gave us a life lesson talk too. I still remember the part of reflecting 3 things you learn everyday from the previous talk. I tried it for a couple of days and eventually I gave up. This talk came in as a reminder to me and I seriously hope I can start doing reflections everyday. One have to be hardworking enough to learn new stuffs and this method will let you learn new stuffs without you feeling the pain.

Boredom
To be honest, I hate boredom. Stoning for one whole day without a purpose makes me feel terrible. Well, Milton mentioned about aiming for boredom and breakthrough in thinking. To me, it’s more like when a person is relax, your subconscious mind will start working. And it’s always that subconscious mind that throws out the perfect idea.

Sales
I always find sales to be more attractive than programming. The rewards are so much better. Basically, if you can sell, you will get the bucks. It also about hardwork, the paycheck and commissions is determined but how much effort you put in. The more effort the more money. Well, this is if you are successful in all your sales but it still beats sitting down in front of the computer and drawing a fixed monthly salary. However, I’m not a good salesman and I don’t think can one either.

Not forgetting, find a good partner.

 

Pitching Session

Last Monday was the external pitching session. Various companies came to sell their idea to attract us to collaborate with them. However, I’m not particularly interested in anyone of them. While a few of them tries to tell us as much as possible for what they expect and wants to build, the majority of speakers are holding back about their ideas or too provided little information to interest us. I understand that due to their company policy it may be forbidden to say out but how can you pitch if your audiences are not buying or convinced about your idea?

Some comments on the different parties.

I feel that Module-Review was once a good website before they decided to revamp it and included all the tertiary schools in Singapore. Reviews written by students were gone after the revamp and the current website didn’t gain back all the lost comments. Hopefully, they can do something to encourage more people to comment. Anyway, they talked about the future expansion of integrating such as lecturers review. I think they should be more focus and work on the current website. After all, it’s called module review not campus review.

Dr Dana Elliot talk on CPR/AED is interesting and informative. With so many AEDs mounted onto the wall in school, it finally make sense of their purpose and functions. Although, I can’t operate one now, i hope that i can in the near future to save life.

Pitching is not easy.