CHAPTER 1 1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 Similar Mobile Application Study and Evaluation
2.2.1 Expiry Wiz by Terrific Mobile Adopted from
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.terrificmobile.expirywiz&hl=en>
Figure 2.1: Main View of the Expiry Wiz Application
Figure 2.2: Add Product View of The Expiry Wiz Application
Figure 2.3: All Product View of The Expiry Wiz Application
Figure 2.4: Soon to Expire View of The Expiry Wiz Application
Figure 2.5: Setting Page of the Expiry Wiz Application
Figure 2.6: Group View of The Expiry Wiz Application 2.2.1.1 Main Features of Expiry Wiz
1. Add New Product
Referring to Figure 2.2, users can add a new product, set reminders, and set the expiry date. Users can also set the group of the product such as credit cards,
food, documents, medications, and cosmetics so that users can view products according to the group. Apart from that, users can choose a specific date of the reminder if there is no suitable reminder period that is suitable. Besides, users are able to create a new group to store the product. In addition, users are able to add notes and photos of each product.
2. View product in different categories
As shown in Figure 2.1, users can view products in different categories. Users can view all products, products that are going to be expired, and products that are expired. Plus, as shown in Figure 2.3 and Figure 2.4, users can view products by the group. Each category will show the product name, product group, expiry date, and day to expire.
3. Notification/ Reminder
The application will remind users of the reminder date of the product added to the application. Figure 2.5 shows that users can change the convenient time for receiving notifications and reminders from the application.
4. Edit or manage product and product’s group
The application allows users to edit all added products and delete added products. Users can modify the product’s name, expiry date, reminder date, group, and annotation. Besides, users are allowed to add, edit or delete the product’s group.
5. Backup and restore function
Since it is an android application, it allows users to back up data to the user’s Google account and restore data from the user’s Google account. So that users can backup data and restore it when the user changes a new mobile phone or wipe out data on the mobile phone.
2.2.1.2 The User Interface Design 1. Neat and clean design
The application has a very clean and neat design. Every part of the application is grouped and arranged accordingly. The application has three groups, Products that show products by the expiry date, Group that shows products by group, and Settings that allow users to set their preference. On the main page, the application shows the Product tab that containing All products, Soon to
expire products and Expire products and the number of products in each category on the right side. Users can know how many products they have, how many products are going to expire, and how many products are already expired with just one glance. By navigating to the Group tab, it shows products by group. It allows users to search for the product they want according to the group the user assigned it to. The Settings tab contains user preference, like allowing users to choose the colour palette for the application, on and off the notification sound and choose the convenient time for the user to receive the notification.
2. Add Button that is easy to find
The add product button is at the Product tab and is indicated with a big round blue button with a ‘+’ sign. The add button is easy to understand because there is a ‘+’ sign on it. Besides, it is on the right bottom of the screen which allows users to click it easily because the position is closed to the user’s finger. On the Group tab, the add product button is changed into the add group button. The
‘+’ sign is changed into a folder symbol with a ‘+’ sign inside the folder. It is easy to understand by users because the application indicates the group using a folder symbol.
3. Use colour to distinguish the level of importance
First of all, the main page shows “All Products” in green colour fonts, and below “All Products” is “Soon to expire” which is indicated in orange colour fonts. Then, the last row “Expired” shows in red colour fonts. Red normally means warning and importance, orange is normally used as a transient warning while green normally means safe and encouraged. In this application, red indicates the product is expired or almost expired, orange indicates the product is going to expire while green indicates the product is still far from its expiry date. The same technique is used in displaying the days to expire of each product. A product that is almost expired or already expired will be shown in a red colour circle, a product that is closed to its expiry date or soon to expired will be shown in an orange colour circle while a product still far from its expiry date will be shown in a green colour circle.
4. Using a symbol to indicate the meaning of the label
Every label has a symbol that indicates its meaning on the left side.
2.2.1.3 Hardware Used 1. Phone Camera
The camera is used to capture the image of a product.
2.2.2 Aladdinpro-expiry reminders by Aladdinpro