A process-oriented modeling approach for graphical development of mobile business apps

Business apps support the digitalization of business operations by utilizing the potential of ubiquitous mobile devices. Whereas many frameworks for programming cross-platform apps exist, few modeling approaches focus on platform-agnostic representations of mobile apps. In addition, development is mainly executed by software developers, while domain experts are rarely involved in the actual app creation. The MAML framework is proposed as model-driven approach also targeting non-technical users. Data, views, business logic, and user interactions are jointly modeled from a process perspective using a graphical domain-specific language. An inference mechanism is presented to merge partial data models into a global specification. Through model transformations, apps are then automatically generated for multiple platforms without writing code manually.

The domain of mobile apps encompasses a fast-changing ecosystem of platforms and vendors in which new classes of heterogeneous app-enabled devices are emerging. To digitize everyday work routines, business apps are used by many non-technical users. However, designing apps is mostly done according to traditional software development practices, and further complicated by the variability of device capabilities. To empower non-technical users to participate in the creation of supportive apps, graphical domain-specific languages can be used. Consequently, we propose the Munster App Modeling Language (MAML) to specify business apps through graphical building blocks on a high level of abstraction. In contrast to existing process modelling notations, these models can directly be transformed into apps for multiple platforms across different device classes through code generators without the need for manual programming. To evaluate the comprehensibility and usability of MAML’s DSL, two studies were performed with software developers, process modellers, and domain experts.

BackgroundGiven the effective role of a mobile applications in disease management, disease monitoring, and self-care in patients with COVID-19 disease, we aimed to design, development and evaluation of a self-care Mobile app for COVID-19 patients not requiring hospitalization.MethodsThe design, development and evaluation the usability of the self-care and education mobile app for patients with COVID-19 disease were conducted in two main phases at 2021 in Northwest of IRAN; (1) Determine the features and capabilities and (2) Design, development and evaluation of self-care mobile App. JAVA programming languages and Android Operating System were used and selected to design and development of a mobile app. There were 25 participants who conducted evaluations of the mobile app’s usability and impact using the mobile health app usability a Questionnaire of User Interface Satisfaction was administered to assess the usability of the developed application. The results were analyzed via Excel 2013.ResultsThe model of developing a mobile app as an Information System was the Waterfall model. The smartphone application based on a set of capabilities and features was designed and consists of two main parts: the login screen for user registration, and the main home menu. The user interface includes three main pages or activities; (a) Main Menu for quick access to all of the pages, (b) Symptom management and monitoring to monitor the signs and symptoms during the illness, and (c) Set Reminders and Alarms to notify patients. The users’ mean score of the application usability was calculated as 7.91 out of 9 indicating a good level of satisfaction.ConclusionThis app can be a guideline and a useful tools for managing and monitoring symptoms, reminding medications, and implementing self-care instructions in outpatients. The authors suggest evaluating the efficacy and functionality test of mobile-based applications for COVID-19 in clinical trial studies.

The increasing demand for mobile apps is out the current capability of mobile app developers. In addition, the growing trend in smartphone ownership and the time people spend on mobile apps has raised several opportunities and risks for users and developers. The average time everyday a user spend on smartphones to use mobile apps is more than two hours. The worldwide mobile app revenue increase is estimated to grow 33%, $19 billion. Three quarter of the time used on mobile apps is solely for using game and social networking apps. To provide more customized services and function to users, mobile apps need to access to personal information. However, 80% of mobile apps put people's information privacy at risk. There is a major gap in the literature about the privacy concerns of mobile device users in the context of mobile apps. This dissertation addresses one fundamental research question: how does individuals' privacy change in the context of mobile apps? More precisely, the focus of this dissertation is on information privacy role in individuals' and mobile app developers' protective behaviors. We investigate the information sensitivity level influence on mobile app developers' emphasis on privacy across mobile app categories. The results show information sensitivity level has a significant impact on developers' emphasis on secondary usage of information. Moreover, we analyze the privacy trade-off dynamism in using a new social networking app and how it could result in emotional attachment. Results show initial use and initial disclosure influence the privacy trade-off from pre-use to initial-use period. Finally, the effect of privacy concern and engagement on emotional attachment is demonstrated. This dissertation addresses one fundamental research question: how does individuals' privacy change in the context of mobile apps? More precisely, the focus of this dissertation is on information privacy role in individuals' and mobile app developers' protective behaviors. We investigate the information sensitivity level influence on mobile app developers' emphasis on privacy across mobile app categories. The results show information sensitivity level has a significant impact on developers' emphasis on secondary usage of information. Moreover, we analyze the privacy trade-off dynamism in using a new social networking app and how it could result in emotional attachment. Results show initial use and initial disclosure influence the privacy trade-off from pre-use to initial-use period. Finally, the effect of privacy concern and engagement on emotional attachment is demonstrated.

This research is about the development, testing and application of mobile app for optimum location spot of a single facility. The approach is to use Center of Gravity Method to locate the central locations of the facility. This equality would reflect balance and minimum time and cost. The main variables to be considered in the systems are customer's distance, customer's demands and transportation rates. In general, firms which apply technologies will perform significantly better than those that do not. This leads to the development of a mobile app to identify best location for a single facility which will serve several demand centers. After the development of a mobile app, this undergoes testing which includes verification whether the mobile app will provide the same result in theoretical computations. The study confirms that the mobile app is consistent with the theoretical computations for location planning. This mobile app becomes a decision support system suggesting that they can access this mobile app to improve the firm's performance on decision making. A faster and effective decision making since instead of manual computation which will take time, the computation will be in a few seconds plus you could visualize the geographic areas being investigated. Moreover, the mobile app is practical to implement because it is flexible and easy to use. The data needed is easy to gather. The mobile app can generate up to 100 iterations to ensure that global maxima is obtained.

BackgroundA personal health record (PHR) system encourages patients to engage with their own health care by giving them the ability to manage and keep track of their own health data. Of the numerous PHR systems available in the market, many are Web-based patient portals and a few are mobile apps. They have mainly been created by hospitals and electronic health record (EHR) vendors. One major limitation of these hospital-created PHR systems is that patients can only view specific health data extracted from their EHR. Patients do not have the freedom to add important personal health data they collect in their daily lives into their PHR. Therefore, there is an information gap between clinical visits.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a new mobile PHR app that can be easily used to manage various types of personal health data to fill the information gap.MethodsA user-centered approach was used to guide the development and evaluation of the new mobile PHR app. There were three steps in this study: needs assessment, app design and development, and conducting a usability study. First, a large-scale questionnaire study was conducted with the general population to gain an understanding of their needs and expectations with regard to a mobile PHR app. A mobile PHR app for personal medical data tracking and management was then created based on the results of the questionnaire study. End users were actively involved in all stages of the app development. Finally, a usability study was performed with participants to evaluate the usability of the mobile PHR app, which involved asking participants to finish a set of tasks and to respond to a usability questionnaire.ResultsIn the questionnaire study for needs assessment, there were 609 participants in total. The answers from these participants revealed that they wanted to manage various types of personal health data in a mobile PHR app. Participants also reported some features they desired to have in the app. On the basis of the needs assessment findings, a new mobile PHR app (PittPHR) was created with 6 major modules: health records, history, trackers, contacts, appointments, and resources. This app allows users to customize the trackers according to their needs. In the usability study, there were 15 participants. The usability study participants expressed satisfaction with the app and provided comments and suggestions for further development.ConclusionsThis new mobile PHR app provides options for users to manage a wide range of personal health data conveniently in one place. The app fills the information gap between clinical visits. The study results indicated that this new mobile PHR app meets the need of users and that users welcome this app.

One of the challenges facing resource-constrained environments is the proliferation of smartphones, the lack of skills to develop mobile apps, the high cost of professional mobile app development and the fact that there are no interventions to change the tide. Both communities and businesses, particularly the small- to medium-scale businesses have had two options: a) to use generic apps which are often not customisable, or b) not to use the technology. Globally, there are two emerging phenomena: the citizen developers and the mobile app development platform (MADP) with little or no programming code. Neither the citizen developer nor MADP are new but they have reached levels of maturity at which their potential in resource constrained contexts makes logical sense. The potential lies in empowering ordinary citizens to design and develop mobile applications that address their specific needs without being constrained by the lack of technical skills. This chapter presents a model to empower citizen developers to acquire mobile app design and development skills to develop mobile apps with few or no code development platforms. The chapter explores an empathy-driven mobile app development (empathy-driven MAD). MADs are safe and fun, they are called ‘digital sandpits’. The empathy-driven MAD without code has been shown to enhance creativity within multi-disciplinary teams and allow members of such teams to act as citizen developers who rapidly build apps, obtain feedback from ‘clients’ (peers) thereby shifting the dispositions of both the citizen developer and their community (world). This chapter uses Gidden’s structuration theory and an empathy map to exploit both tacit and discursive knowledge in the design of mobile apps and then using low-cost no-code MADPs learn quickly about user needs and build useable apps for communities.

BackgroundMobile phones and tablets currently represent a significant presence in people’s everyday lives. They enable access to different information and services independent of current place and time. Such widespread connectivity offers significant potential in different app areas including health care.ObjectiveOur goal was to evaluate the usability of the Connect Mobile app. The mobile app enables mobile access to the Connect system, an online system that supports cancer patients in managing health-related issues. Along with symptom management, the system promotes better patient-provider communication, collaboration, and shared decision making. The Connect Mobile app enables access to the Connect system over both mobile phones and tablets.MethodsThe study consisted of usability tests of a high fidelity prototype with 7 cancer patients where the objectives were to identify existing design and functionality issues and to provide patients with a real look-and-feel of the mobile system. In addition, we conducted semistructured interviews to obtain participants’ feedback about app usefulness, identify the need for new system features and design requirements, and measure the acceptance of the mobile app and its features within everyday health management.ResultsThe study revealed a total of 27 design issues (13 for mobile apps and 14 for tablet apps), which were mapped to source events (ie, errors, requests for help, participants' concurrent feedback, and moderator observation). We also applied usability heuristics to identify violations of usability principles. The majority of violations were related to enabling ease of input, screen readability, and glanceability (15 issues), as well as supporting an appropriate match between systems and the real world (7 issues) and consistent mapping of system functions and interactions (4 issues). Feedback from participants also showed the cancer patients’ requirements for support systems and how these needs are influenced by different context-related factors, such as type of access terminal (eg, desktop computer, tablet, mobile phone) and phases of illness. Based on the observed results, we proposed design and functionality recommendations that can be used for the development of mobile apps for cancer patients to support their health management process.ConclusionsUnderstanding and addressing users’ requirements is one of the main prerequisites for developing useful and effective technology-based health interventions. The results of this study outline different user requirements related to the design of the mobile patient support app for cancer patients. The results will be used in the iterative development of the Connect Mobile app and can also inform other developers and researchers in development, integration, and evaluation of mobile health apps and services that support cancer patients in managing their health-related issues.

In recent years, the diffusion of mobile applications (mobile apps) has risen significantly. Nowadays, mobile business apps are strongly emerging in business, enhancing productivity and employees’ satisfaction, whilst the usage of customized individual enterprise apps is still an exception. Standardized business apps enable basic functionalities, for example, mobile data storage and exchange (e.g., Dropbox), communication (e.g., Skype), and other routine processes, which support mobile workers. In addition, mobile apps can, for example, increase the flexibility of mobile workers by easing the access to firm’s information from outside the enterprise and by enabling ubiquitous collaboration. Hence, mobile apps can generate competitive advantages and can increase work efficiency on a broad scale. But mobile workers form no coherent group. Our research reveals, based on two case studies, that they can be clustered into two groups: knowledge workers and field workers. Knowledge workers and field workers fulfill different tasks and work in different environments. Hence, they have different requirements for mobile support. In this paper we conclude that standardized mobile business apps cannot meet the different requirements of various groups of mobile workers. Task- and firm-specific (individualized) requirements determine the specification, implementation, and application of mobile apps.

Mobile apps developers encounter a range of challenges and problems during the development. These issues can vary depending on the platform (iOS, Android, cross-platform) and the specific project, but here are some common problems faced by mobile app developers. The need for a structured mechanism in mobile apps development is urgently crucial to reduce the cost of manpower charges in conjunction with the simple and easy framework to assist mobile apps developer. In response to these scenarios, this paper introduces the Multiple Dynamic Flip Algorithm (MDFA), a new algorithm in developing mobile-based applications that serves as the mobile app’s framework. The algorithm developed allows the data to be stored in the database and the administration of the system can only change the data according to the categories of data that have been systematically arranged in the database. This technique allows changes to information and data to be done automatically without requiring users to run back to mobile-based programming. Process of updating information needs to be generated back in mobile-based programming and needs to be uploaded back in the play store and users must download the application software back. By using this MDFA algorithm, the problem is no longer needed and can be solved more quickly. Implementation results of MDFA via university-industry real case study through Bread on Mobile (BOM) apps used for mobile apps bread ordering.

Electronic Health (eHealth), particularly in the form of electronic health records (eHRs), has proved to greatly provide to the health sector, a number of benefits such as real time receipt of health-care information and timely addresses health issues. However, many of the eHRs are fragmented as such they face some operational challenges, one of which is eHRs interoperability. The interoperability is caused by lack of architectural guidelines toward eHRs development, and poor collaboration among eHRs development vendors to mention a few. Early efforts to interoperate eHRs suggest that a single mobile app that can access multiple integrated eHRs is among the viable solutions on the way to eHRs interoperability. The research work reported in this dissertation focused to support sharing of information among different eHRs through a single mobile app by creating a data exchange framework. Tanzania as a case study was used to survey issues and challenges facing mobile apps development process when developing mobile app solution for eHRs interoperability. A preliminary study was conducted in mobile app development environment and it was established that the developers have no unified development process to connect multiple databases/repositories. Interviews, questionnaires, and observation were used as data collection tools in two different regions in Tanzania namely; Dar es Salaam and Arusha. The interoperability issues and challenges identified by the survey revealed a demand from mobile app developers of a single mobile app connection to multiple integrated eHRs. The main objective of the reported work was to satisfy this demand - a mobile app connecting to multiple eHRs. As a result, a new Mobile App – Data Exchange Framework (MADE-Framework) has been developed and a prototype implemented and evaluated by mobile app developers and the health practitioners. The framework incorporates a Data Exchange Component (DEC), essentially an exchange engine, acting as its core data exchange and access control mechanism to facilitate data and information sharing among multiple eHRs. The DEC Architecture can integrate multiple eHRs to interoperate and extends the capability into a single mobile app. It involves Open Health Information Mediator (OpenHIM) and MEDIATOR as sub-components to facilitate the data and information sharing mechanism. Based on the evaluation tests, the DEC has successfully proved to connect a single mobile app to multiple eHRs. Therefore, the new MADE framework is a new approach to utilize legacy and newly implemented eHRs without much worry on obsoleteness of database technologies. In this way it will protect investments and providing business continuity within the evolving eHRs.

Mobile apps are fast emerging as assistive learning platforms for pre-schoolers, as well as junior school students. In fact, not just the parents but also the junior-level teachers encourage children to use mobile learning apps due to its many benefits such as interactive, enjoyable and informal, etc. Needless to say, the advent of mobile apps must also equitable for students with learning difficulties to take advantage of the same learning opportunities as other students. Students with learning difficulties suffer from disabilities in language, information processing, etc. that prevent them from performing their academic tasks in the same manner as other students. It is crucial to realize the development of mobile learning apps for students with learning difficulties requires inclusive designs that make the apps usable for them. The paper presents an evaluation of a mobile appDisleksia Belajar, which developed for students with dyslexia in junior school to learn the Malay language. Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that causes problems with language processing e.g. reading and writing. The evaluation is performed using SUS and Fun ToolKit (v3) techniques, which intend to explore the usability and engagement of the mobile app. There is a total of 12 students with dyslexia aged 7 to 12 years old recruited as the participants. The findings contribute towards understanding and improvement for the future development of mobile learning apps for students that having similar difficulty.

The implementation of system development methodologies (SDMs) in mobile applications (mobile apps) development has a positive effect on companies and their respective software projects. SDMs provide a framework for planning, executing, and managing the process of developing software systems. In this paper, we investigate the worthiness of using of SDMs in the development of mobile applications. A survey was conducted among software developers in various organizations. The organizations included software development companies, financial institutions, telecommunication companies, engineering companies and educational institutions. A total of 152 out of 392 questionnaires distributed, were returned, giving a response rate of 38.8%. Furthermore, the responses were categorized into two groups (users/non-users of SDMs) and T-test analysis was performed to determine the differences between the means of the two groups. The findings indicate that SDMs are effectively used in developing mobile apps and there are significant practical differences between the users and non-users of SDMs in mobile apps development in areas of organizational size, the number of developers in the organization, years of experience, the number of applications developed and application success. The users (companies and individuals) are larger, more experienced and more productive. Furthermore, the use of SDMs in mobile apps development leads to more successful mobile apps. We conclude that SDMs are indeed worthy of use in mobile apps development.

Mobile Applications Development with Android: Technologies and Algorithms presents advanced techniques for mobile app development, and addresses recent developments in mobile technologies and wireless networks. The book covers advanced algorithms, embedded systems, novel mobile app architecture, and mobile cloud computing paradigms. Divided into three sections, the book explores three major dimensions in the current mobile app development domain. The first section describes mobile app design and development skills, including a quick start on using Java to run an Android application on a real phone. It also introduces 2D graphics and UI design, as well as multimedia in Android mobile apps. The second part of the book delves into advanced mobile app optimization, including an overview of mobile embedded systems and architecture. Data storage in Android, mobile optimization by dynamic programming, and mobile optimization by loop scheduling are also covered. The last section of the book looks at emerging technologies, including mobile cloud computing, advanced techniques using Big Data, and mobile Big Data storage. About the Authors Meikang Qiu is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Pace University, and an adjunct professor at Columbia University. He is an IEEE/ACM Senior Member, as well as Chair of the IEEE STC (Special Technical Community) on Smart Computing. He is an Associate Editor of a dozen of journals including IEEE Transactions on Computers and IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing. He has published 320+ peer-reviewed journal/conference papers and won 10+ Best Paper Awards. Wenyun Dai is pursuing his PhD at Pace University. His research interests include high performance computing, mobile data privacy, resource management optimization, cloud computing, and mobile networking. His paper about mobile app privacy has been published in IEEE Transactions on Computers. Keke Gai is pursuing his PhD at Pace University. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal or conference papers, and has received three IEEE Best Paper Awards. His research interests include cloud computing, cyber security, combinatorial optimization, business process modeling, enterprise architecture, and Internet computing. .

Mobile medical apps (MMAs) work in close loop with human physiology through sensing and control. As such it is essential for them to achieve intended functionality, without having harmful effects on human physiology, affecting the availability of the service and compromising the privacy of health data. However for a mobile app manufacturer, generating evidences regarding safety, sustainability and security (S3) of MMAs can be time consuming. To accelerate the development of S3 assured MMAs, we propose Health-Dev β tool that takes high level description of MMAs and automatically generates validated code and evidences of safety, security, and sustainability. Using the mobile artificial pancreas medical control application we show that Health-Dev s tool can generate code that satisfies requirements and reduce development time by a factor of 1.8.