The repository of all things resulting from my past, present and future
Dr Sharmin (Tinni) Choudhury is currently an entrepreneur and consultant CTO. Formerly, she was a researcher on topics include data management, knowledge management, ontology-based technology, smart wearable research and visual analytics.
Virgo 19 has released its second major app! My First Bangla App is targeted at kids up to the age of 5. It teaches Bangla nouns for many pets, farm animals, body parts, wild animals, fruits and vegetables. We have plans to expand it to include counting games, fun quizzes and the phrases. But for now, it has over 70 nouns that can be taught to my niece, I mean, your kids!
I have made a significant change to Tea Tracker. It was so obvious that I am wondering why I didn't think of the feature from the start! The obvious answer to why it took me so long to put in this important UI change is that when I first thought of the Tea Tracker app, I envisioned it as a grid of tins. So, when I built it, a grid of tins is what I put in the "main activity".
However, just using the app for awhile showed me that I had missed something vital for a good user experience. Yes, the app showed my tins, but it did not quickly show me which tins were full and which what tea! That was a real "D'oh!" moment and made me glad that I have not yet run a huge promotion campaign for the app.
The marketing push is coming, but I want to spend a few more weeks refining the app. Also, I would like to add a widget feature and not to mention, test it more by using it myself. I mean, I did make this app because there was a need for it in my life.
It is, however, interesting how easily it is to miss UX pitfalls. Of course, part of the reason missed such an obvious UI usability issues is because I am used to doing, as I like to say, "everything but the pretty graphics". I didn't do what I know my friends in UX design would have done, which is that they would sit down with pen and paper and start with the user interaction. They would develop apps top-down. As a middleware and backend engineer, my first instinct is to build from the bottom up. But this, as was the case with my Tea Tracker app, can lead to UX blindspots.
I will need to change Virgo 19's development workflow to avoid this in the future. Especially since the next app in the pipeline is made for toddlers! Now that's a tough demographics!
Since my last post, I have been working on improving the Tea Tracker app. Firstly, for some visual prettiness and to clear some clutter, I move all buttons to the app bar. The only button left on the screen is the timer control buttons.
More importantly, the major update the Tea Tracker was to introduce a tea history feature. The history page tracks every tea that ever made it into a tea tin but also allows users to add additional tea types they haven't bought, at least since the installing of the app.
I am happy with this new feature. As it lets makes the Tea Tracker more complete in its quest to be an all round tea inventory management system. The only thing missing is a teaware tracking system.
I have considered adding a teaware tracker function. But I don't think it will be as useful as my next planned feature: map integration to show nearest tea shops and tea bars.
Also, I have to work on getting the app listed on other Android app stores such as Amazon. Finally, in the long run, I would like to make an iOS version of the app. Watch this space for updates!
After many delays and spending entirely too long in pre-launch, I have finally been able to get Virgo 19 established as an Android, app maker. Virgo 19 will be operating as an arm of Route-17 Pty Ltd. We made this distinction because we have bigger plans for Route 17 as a whole.
The first major app off the production line of Virgo 19 is the Tea Tracker. I am a big tea drinker with a substantial collection of tea tins. I don't like putting ugly physical labels on them. Besides, I like trying different teas, so the tea tins usually have an ever changing array of teas insides. So I always wanted an app to track my tins and tea. I couldn't find the app I wanted, so that seemed like the right app for Virgo 19 to establish itself with.
It was great experience making the app. But one of the biggest surprises post launch was how people wanted a save button! Initial designs for the app did include a save button on the "Add Tea" activity screen. However, we decided to drop it as a redundant function since the back button auto saved the information. But the lack of a save button seems to bother the early adopters. So now we are thinking about how to put it in without cluttering the screen, which was another factor in deciding to drop the button.
Further expansion plans for the app include adding a tea collection management activity. That tracks tea purchase history and allows users to add new teas they want to try. Plus a shopping list to help them replenish their tea stock. Maybe even a shareable wishlist function, especially ahead of Christmas.
It is a niche app. But the mobile market is now mature enough that focusing on niches is better than chasing "everybody". So focusing on tea lovers seem like as good a starting point as any..
"Add Tea" Activity Screen