Tweak the Tweet, AppInventor Addventure
Mobile Prototype, HCID 521 Prototyping Studio, t University of Washington
Background
In this assignment, we need to prototype a mobile application based on its Design Specification, only in less than one week. It was really a challenge for me, without develop and programming experience, to use AppInventor to make this hi-fi prototype. Tough, I enjoyed the process, and it had a lot of fun! Please download my app and have a try!
AppInventor Learning Process
At first, I found it really difficult to use AppInventor. For example, it seemed even impossible to edit the position. Later, I realized that AppInventor mainly aims to help with the “Develop”, instead of “Graphic Design”. Its functionality is in the middle of “Axure” and “Develop(i.e. Java)”. The core of AppInventor is to make the “Develop” much easier, and also help designers be able to prototype more complex interactions. Got this idea, I started to focus on developing the interactions.
First of all, I read and analyzed the design specification, and figured out three main problems I needed to deal with:
- Splash Screen
- Connect with Twitter
- Get the GPS location and Map
Fortunately, there are lots of examples, tutorials, and discussion forums for AppInventor online, though, it is important to choose appropriate tutorials, for instance, if you use AppInventor version 1.0 tutorials, it would cause confusions, and really hard to apply the same blocks in version 2.0. Also, even use the correct tutorials, and the same code, there would some small problems as well. One possible reason for connecting with Twitter failing is the difference of Timezone.
When Andy asked me what the most difficulty I felt during this assignment, I was a bit speechless. For me, I always faced new problems and bugs during the whole process. But, it was a must to solve problems. No perfect key and solution, just need to try, and fail, and figure out why fail, how to do next, and try and fail, and finally, succeed!
Programming is full of logic. It is also the key to solve problems. The first step of programming is to find the steps. What is the problem? Can I separate this problem into small ones? What is the general solution to solve those similar problems? What is the logic behind? When one solution works, is there any clever or innovative solution?
I am feeling so comforting that I learned several programming languages by myself before, though I did not code for large projects but only small assignments, understanding the programing thinking and the logic is really helpful.
Yes, I enjoyed the process, AppInventor is not perfect and even has some usability problems, it was such a great experience to use it to create my first app!
After figuring out almost all the functions of TtT, I noticed that the time was limited and I chose to work on the graphic design instead of the rest functions. I had also a lot of fun to design based on my own “feelings”!
Really love our prototyping studio! Love creating innovative and awesome staff by my own mind and hands!
