Production research

I am still researching different production ideas and methods so that it is not rushed into. I will be commencing the production on the 6th April over the Easter holidays. I feel I will have done sufficient research and combined all my findings to aid the development process. At this moment in time I am favouring the PHP route as it will open up new possibilities as far as web development and ease of use.

C# Vs PHP

My two options for the final product production would be C# and PHP. Here are the Pros and Cons:

C# Pros-
Fast
Easy to use
Does not rely on the internet
Easy to create a backup procedure
Better security

C# Cons-
Windows only
Relies on a single computer


PHP Pros-
Cross-platform compatibility (can be updated using any internet ready device)
Potentially fast - Dependant on internet connection speed
Internet/server based
Easy to manage
Can be accessed all over the world
If the server is regularly backed up and has a RAID drive configuration then the chance of data loss or downtime is minimal.

PHP Cons-
Must be connected to the internet
Relies on a server and stable internet connection
Relies on an internet browser
Potential security hacking problems

Questionnaire results findings

The results of the questionnaire were quite surprising and will be a great aid in creating something useable and worthwhile. I will be following the needs and wants of the users closely so that it would be a valuable finished product. From the results I have come to the conclusion that privacy is very important; so a login feature could be implemented. Also the application must be intuitive so they do not have to relearn to use something they need to use quickly.

I also found that people already using To-Do Lists consider themselves to have reasonably good memory. I personally thought it would be the other way around. This could be due to their use of time management software which is boosting their memory as they are physically writing it down opposed to trying to remember it from thought alone. This however would be a long psychological study by itself.

Questionnaire results

The results of the questionnaire have been processed and they are as follows:

The results show the average score:

1. How important is it for the application to be intuitive? 7/10
2. How important is the design and look? 5/10
3. How important is the cross-platform compatibility? 6/10
4. How important is the flexibility? 6/10
5. How important are the amount of features? 8/10
6. How good is your memory? 7/10
7. How important is privacy for your To-Do List? 9/10


1. If you were to purchase a To-Do List application what would you look for? Alerts, able to view anywhere, clear and concise, easy to use and a calendar.
2. Are you using an existing To-Do List application? If so please state. Only five out of 10 applicants use an existing T0-Do List application. They were generally built-in to their device or Outlook 2007.
3. What device would you use to manage the To-Do List? Computer, iPhone and Pocket PC

To-Do List questionnaire

I will be running this questionnaire over the next week and will publish the results once computed. It will be vital in order to achieve a well produced piece of software.

On a scale of 1-10 where 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest please rate the following questions:

1. How important is it for the application to be intuitive?
2. How important is the design and look?
3. How important is the cross-platform compatibility?
4. How important is the flexibility?
5. How important are the amount of features?
6. How good is your memory?
7. How important is privacy for your To-Do List?

Please answer the following questions is as much detail as possible:

1. If you were to purchase a To-Do List application what would you look for?
2. Are you using an existing To-Do List application? If so please state.
3. What device would you use to manage the To-Do List?
   

Outlook To-Do List Video

This video shows how Microsoft Outlook 2007 uses a To-Do List feature.

What others are there?

Here are some example websites of companies who have created a similar application to what I will be producing:

http://www.todolistsoft.com/
http://www.dextronet.com/swift-to-do-list.php
http://www.effexis.com/achieve/to-do-list-software.htm
http://www.smarttodolist.com/

I will be evaluating and inspecting each application for strengths and weaknesses to that I may incorporate the best aspects of each application. I will also conduct a short questionnaire with a poll of 10 people to see what average users would look for in a time management program.

What aspect of memory is this idea based on?

My idea is based on the working memory model, short-term memory and long-term memory. We are given a task to complete which would pass into our working memory and can sometimes not pass into the long-term memory. This means that the task is not remembered or very minute details are remembered. This can lead to decreased productivity, loss of money and stress. Situations where the task would not be passed into the long-term memory are when multiple tasks are presented, the tasks are presented at a stressful time, the person needed to remember the task is tired or ill and concentration is not instated so that the task is not even passed into the short term memory.