Team Multi-talented #W03
| Name | Student ID | Course Code |
|---|---|---|
| Liam Simpson | 43939871 | DECO3500 |
| Haoxuan Yang | 43967566 | DECO3500 |
| Chung Yu Pan | 43210703 | DECO3500 |
| Nik Aisha Dalia Binti Shamsul Anuar | 44257778 | DECO3500 |
| Velta Azizah Destiana | 44484051 | DECO3500 |
Project Title: CultureConnect
Made for a community that fosters connections between international students, migrants, and locals through the platform of food, language, events and meet-ups.
When international students/migrants move to a new area, finding new friends and socializing could be tricky. For some people, creating connections online is often easier than in real life; especially if they're new. Not only that, some people could also be locals who would like to learn about international culture but do not have the luxury of time and/or money.
With CultureConnect, we aim to make socializing and learning about different cultures easier for international individuals and locals. Users are able to connect to forums broken up into local culture and international culture. From here, users will be able to choose which channel category they want to explore. For example, an international student from Latin America comes to Brisbane and wants to connect with other Latin Americans living in Brisbane, but also wants to practice their English with Brisbane locals. This app would provide information on events, food/restaurants while enabling the international student to communicate and interact with other users to assist them in exploring Brisbane and discovering their own real world community.
Idea and Rationale
The idea behind this app is simple; there has yet to be a mobile app that enables individuals and/or communities (international or local) connect with each other in terms of cultural exchange. With CultureConnect, users can choose channel categories they would like to explore such as food, language and/or events. From there, users could create as many more channels are they want under the same channel category and arrange meet-ups outside of the app. We hope this app would fill the gap in that sector while helping users to connect with their own or other cultures.
Channel Categories:
- Food: Users are able to interact with each other by sharing community generated recipes and the best ethnic restaurants.
- Language: Users can be a part of a local community forum focused on learning and practising foreign languages.
- Events: Users will be notified, attend and be a part of the conversation around upcoming cultural events happening in their area.
- Meet-Ups: Users can add, arrange and join upcoming meet-ups based on the three channels mentioned above.
Project Aim
To create a diverse community that fosters communication between international students, migrants and locals through the platforms of food, language and events.
Project Audience
- International Students
- Migrants
- Locals
How Our Idea is Different From/Improves Other Current Offerings
-
Mates at UQ
A web portal made by The University of Queensland. It is targeted at both local and international students, but mostly on international students. Its aim is to enable these students to connect and engage with each other by joining groups, events and activities. As of today, Mates at UQ provides email subscription service for students. Students can sign up for their mailing list to stay in touch and be kept up to date with happenings in the community, events, activities and group meet-ups. Updates are sent to students every two weeks via email subscription. Mates at UQ also has a Facebook group that enables students to stay in touch with events and activities happening. There are currently five different groups/categories that students could join which include:- Chat Mates
A group that encourages students to improve their fluency in english and confidence. Whenever group meet-ups are held (usually once a week for 1 to 2 hours) students would get to have interesting discussions about cultural differences, global issues and other topics surrounding the engaging backgrounds of their group. - Language Mates
Language Exchange Mates has been designed to provide authentic speaking opportunities for UQ students who are interested in learning, developing or sustaining non-native languages. Participants can match in pairs or small groups to help one another to improve their target languages. - Dinner Mates
A social experience group enabling students to meet on a regular fortnightly basis to participate in a food-related activities around Brisbane. - Market Mates
A group that enables students to meet on a regular fortnightly basis to participate in market activities and festivals around Brisbane. - Mature (Over 23) Mates
A channels for mature students (23 & over) to meet, connect and network with other like-minded peers. This group has their own email subscription service and Facebook group.
- Chat Mates
-
Our idea differs from Mates at UQ since we are planning to develop a mobile app which acts as a channel for users to explore local and international cultures - categorized into further channels such as food, language or events. CultureConnect is an all-in app consisting of separate areas for different channels that enable users to socialize without needing to subscribe to a mailing list or a third-party platform like Facebook. Hence, it would be easier for users to communicate with each other on one platform. Not only that, our primary target audience is not only limited to international students but migrants and locals. Through these ready made channel categories, users are able to generate their own content in different categories. They will also get notified every time there is a newly uploaded post that matches their interests and when there are upcoming and live events or activities happening in their area.
Areas of Social and Mobile Theory
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Emotional Design
We want our users to experience positivity (such as pleasure, trust, secure) when they use our app. This could be curated by creating and setting a user interface that looks and feels fun, enjoyable, safe and emotionally beneficial for users. Ultimately, a deep attachment or bond between users and CultureConnect would exist. -
Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)
Theories from CSCW will be applied in our app, such as synchronous distributed interaction (from groupware time-space matrix), awareness and collaboration. -
Groupware Time-Space Matrix/Collaboration Framework
- Synchronous Distributed Interaction
Users could use CultureConnect at the same time in a different place. For example, instant messaging/chatting with other users in the app.
- Synchronous Distributed Interaction
-
Awareness
Users will be able to gain knowledge about what other users are doing in the app through forums regarding different topics/platforms they are interested in, such as events. Not to forget, users will also be notified about live and upcoming events in their area. -
Collaboration
The rich content from CultureConnect will be mostly user-generated. This is because users can create their own channels in different channel categories, for example, food, language or events. -
Shared Information Spaces
CultureConnect provides a shared information space for users by enabling them to collaborate in a centralized channel where they can engage in and socialize with other users with the same interests by creating or joining different channels. -
MoSo
CultureConnect is both mobile and social. Mobile since it's portable (and will most likely be used with mobile phones) and will also have a location feature for the events channel (where users can input location for events), hence, coordinating social activities. It is also social since it's a platform for users to engage with others users with similar interests. -
Potential Feature: Online Data Usage
To retrieve user data that already exists on the internet, users could sign using their Facebook or Google account instead of creating a fresh new account. Since Facebook and Google already have their user information, users do not need to input all their information repeatedly. This could also enable users to trust other users in terms of online identification; since their profiles would be linked from Facebook or Google. However, if a user feels uncomfortable with signing up with Facebook or Google, they could create a new account on CultureConnect.
| Name | Student ID | Roles and Responsibilities | Course Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nik Aisha Dalila Binti Shamsul Anuar | 44257778 | Team Leader and Manager, Front-end Development, UI/UX Design | DECO3500 |
| Velta Azizah Destiana | 44484051 | Front-end development, UI/UX Design, Content Creation | DECO3500 |
| Haoxuan Yang | 43967566 | Logistics (equipment, meetings, transport, etc), Front-end Development | DECO3500 |
| Chung Yu Pan | 43210703 | Back-end Development | DECO3500 |
| Liam Simpson | 43939871 | Back-end Development | DECO3500 |
Team Principles and Processes
The team will be committed to principles that maximize potential to learn and grow, while also ensuring that a product will be delivered that will be of the highest quality that each member can output.
Principle
The team will foster an environment where feedback can be given and received by all members. This feedback will have to fall into the realms of:
- Positive specific (i.e. A compliment about a specific paragraph)
- Positive general (i.e. A remark about how a team member is very attentive and receptive to the group chat)
- Negative specific (i.e. I think this sentence can be written better, and should flow like...).
Rationale
All feedback should be a taken as an attempt to foster team spirit and to deliver on the highest quality of product possible. It is important to the team to specify these attributes and attitudes to feedback delivery, feedback enables us to grow and to deliver a great product, and is a powerful tool when defined with the above constraints.
The team will also be committed to an environment of innovation and developing the unique talents of each individual team member. This will be achieved by allowing team members to select the work that speaks most to them, and to allow themselves to take a genuine interest in the work they are participating in, and allow development based on the investment in their choice. In adopting this principle, we believe that this will create an environment where every member is invested in delivering the best contribution they can to the project.
Operational Processes
To achieve the principles we have outlined above, it is expected that all team members will follow basic courtesy and etiquette rules.
One of them will be to allow an attitude of open feedback, it will be the responsibility of the team members to make sure that feedback delivered fits into one of the categories of: positive specific, positive general or negative specific. The danger lies within the ‘negative general’ feedback category, this piece of feedback will likely not be specific enough to be helpful, and will likely work against fostering team spirit. If a team member is unsure of which category the feedback falls into, they should discuss it with an unrelated team member, who can assist them in confirming it falls into one of the three acceptable categories.
To foster an environment of innovation, work will be broken up into segments, dubbed as tasks. Tasks will be available for team members to choose from, with each team member required to select a specific number of tasks. If two team members wish to select the same task, it will be solved by a coin toss.
Task Division
Tasks will be allocated as fairly as possible, through discussion within the group. Work will be allocated first by volunteering then via group discussion. When allocating work, deadline and standard required will be clearly defined. All members will contribute equally to the project workload. Any group members who are unsatisfied with the allocation should raise it in a group meeting. Group members are expected to do their best to deliver tasks on time, and should contact the group in advance if they anticipate being unable to do so.
Decision Making
Decisions will be made collectively as a group ensuring every team member’s ideas are taken into account. In case of discrepancies, the decision will be based on a voting system; in the case of a any disputes in voting, we will consult with the tutors or the course coordinator to assist with any problematic decision.
Non-Compliance
Minor non-compliance will be defined where:
- A team member does not abide to the document standards set out by the team. (style guide will be decided upon before tasks are designated).
- A team member does not update team-coordinating software when an update on a task’s status has been changed (i.e. not moving a task on Trello).
- A team member does not inform the team of their planned/unplanned absence in a team meeting at least 3 hours before the meeting. (via Facebook Messenger, Slack, email, etc.)
Major non-compliance will be defined where:
- A team member does not respond to assessment specific communication in one day. (If a question is asked about progress, etc.)
- A team member does not fulfil their contribution to assessment specific tasks at the due date, or a date agreed upon by all team members.
- A team member does not prioritize attendance at team meetings, and is consistently absent from team meetings.
Dispute resolution
Any group member who takes issue with the actions of another group member should raise it either with the person in question, or at a group meeting, as appropriate. If these measures are unable to resolve it, only then it should be raised, by the group, with a tutor or lecturer. See also rules for peer assessment in the course profile (email co-ordinator, group notification/meeting, peer assessment).
- Our team will meet once a week on a Friday (outside our workshop session) at 5 pm at The University of Queensland.
- Files will be stored under a Google Drive folder, currently named 'Team Multitalented' and a Github repository named Team Multi-talented.
- All files will follow a naming convention and the structure is as follows: DocumentName_GroupName_CourseCode.FileType
- Trello will be used to keep fellow team members on track of the project. Tasks will be uploaded to Trello, and team members will indicate which task they are working on and when.
- Slack: All team members are in the #teammultitalented channel, all communications and discussions will happen there.
- Facebook: This will be the second option of communication if Slack is not working or any of the members is not responding.
- Trello: Trello will enable easy and mobile task allocations via the Trello App.
| Project Phase | Date | Week | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research | 08/09/17 | 7 | Sufficient amount of research has been done by team members. Mobile app idea confirmed. |
| Requirements | 15/09/17 | 8 | Survey performed. Requirements gathering completed. Product backlog created successfully and published on Trello. Standup (Wednesday, 13/09/2017) |
| Design | 22/09/17 | 9 | Paper prototype created. |
| 23/09/17 - 01/10/17 | - | User testing performed, UI style guide for app finalized. Start on initial app prototype. | |
| Construction | 06/10/17 | 10 | Initial app prototype. Standup (Wednesday, 04/10/2017). |
| 13/10/17 | 11 | Continue developing app prototype. | |
| 20/10/17 | 12 | Scenario-based user testing performed. Reiteration. Continue developing app prototype. Standup (Wednesday, 18/10/2017). | |
| 25/10/17 | 13 | Final reiteration. App prototype finalized. Social & Mobile Showcase (Wednesday, 25/20/2017 - 4pm - 7 pm). | |
| 27/10/17 | 13 | Final Submission (Friday, 5 pm). |
Before actually developing an app, we need have a deep understanding of our chosen domain and idea. Our research will include the current existing similar product in order to perform a UX comparison evaluation. This will enable us to get an idea as to how to improve our app not only in terms of design, but the functionality for users. This research is not only limited to requirements gathering from the internet but from users via survey and low-fidelity prototyping.
Below are methods in achieving requirements for our app:
Internet Research
The internet is the largest portal that enables us to research deeply about this app’s domain and idea, while allowing us to gather information about similar products.
User Survey
We will upload online surveys via Google Forms for our target audience; from where we can collect and analyze results in order to achieve a more specific set of requirements.
User Testing
User testing is vital. This is because it enables us to understand how to create an excellent user experience while also providing great usability for our users. By performing this test, we will be able to improve our user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) based on the result of test upon analyzation.
- Design Stage
User testing via paper prototype. We will mainly focus on testing with UQ international students, especially those who join in Mates at UQ. For testing section, firstly we will ask tester to complete different tasks through the mock-up to test each aspect of changes. Then we will do a short survey to collect different feedback from tester. - Construction Stage
Scenario-based user testing. In this stage we will more prefer to collect user testing feedback from public, it could be done with creating survey online and doing physical interactive survey with people in public area. So, we will choose Brisbane Library or Southbank to pick passer-by to do a short survey by asking them interact with prototypes without any tasks to see if they can understand what the purpose of this application and how much degree that the application can help them in their life.
During the design stage, we will develop a paper prototype (low-fidelity prototype) which will then be used for user testing. From the results of the test, we will finalize our wireframes/rough mock-up designs that will be used as a guide for the actual construction of the app prototype.
Our app prototype will be developed using HTML, CSS JavaScript, PHP and SQL. Each feature of the app will be tested, reiterated and finalized based on user feedback from user testing.
Research
- Information gathering
- Idea confirmation
Requirements
- Requirements gathering (Survey)
- Collection and analyzation of user feedback
- Product backlog
Design
- UI Designing
- Paper prototype (low-fidelity) design
- User testing using paper prototype
- User feedback (Critique)
- Reiteration
Construction
- Application prototype development
- Implement functionality
- Scenario-based user testing using prototype
- User feedback
- Reiteration
- Final prototype
Computers, Sourcetree, Github, Notepad++, phpMyAdmin, MySQL, Google Drive, inVision, Proto.io, PhoneGap, Web Browsers
Emotional Design CSCW Shared Information Spaces Collaboration Awareness Synchronous Distributed Interaction
Community Culture Exchange