Tech in the palms of their hands: Students building apps

Students in the introductory course in information systems experienced how technology affects business by creating a prototype smart phone app for the Barrett Honors College. Working with Windows smart phones on loan from Microsoft Corp., they used AppMakr software in the project. "The students gained appreciation for the technical knowledge and skills you need to build a dream app," said their teacher, clinical associate professor Sule Balkan.

On a crisp morning recently, 10 students stood before Vice Dean Margaret Nelson of the ASU's Barrett Honors College and walked her through the features of a proposed Barrett smart phone app that they were developing in class. Even though the end of the semester was in sight, the students were nevertheless serious about finishing the app they’ve been working on. They hope to make it a useful tool for Barrett students, faculty and staff. Dressed for business, they were convincing presenters. “I’m so impressed,” said Vice Dean Nelson. “I can envision so many things that this could be used for — I’d want all the features you’ve described and more that you and I could imagine!” But the quality of the project was not the only remarkable thing about the meeting. You might be thinking that students who present a sophisticated report to a dean are probably seniors working on their capstone project, but if so, you’re wrong. The presenters were first semester first-year students — among them several non-IS majors and a couple who were self-admitted tech-phobes when they arrived at ASU a few months ago. It’s about business in the real world The students are enrolled in Computer Information Systems 236 (CIS 236), the honors section of the introductory course that all business majors are required to take. Clinical Associate Professor Sule Balkan and graduate teaching assistant Matt Sopha launched the class launched in fall 2009. It exposes students to the basics of information systems with an accent on how technology impacts and moves business. The department’s industry partners are helping Balkan make that real-world connection clear to the students. Last year students interacted with managers and executives at the Phoenix offices of American Express, which gave students an on-the-ground picture of how IT works in that business. The first class numbered 19 honors students. Word spread and this semester Balkan has 126 from an assortment of business majors. This year, Microsoft Corp. loaned the department 13 Windows smart phones so that students could experiment with the AppMakr development tool. Balkan and graduate teaching assistant Matt Sopha are using the phones and AppMakr in CIS 236. The hands-on project, Balkan said, would require students to think about business issues that might be addressed using smart phone technology. The applicability of apps During the semester students learn the fundamentals of technology and how it’s applied in businesses. The app project gives them a chance to think this through by identifying a business issue, determining whether an app can solve it and figuring out what the technical requirements would be for the app. Each group wrote a paper about an app concept that they identified based on their daily encounters. Besides thinking through the steps of developing a conceptual app, the same set of student groups also designed and built a functioning app for the Barrett Honors College using the Microsoft Windows phones and the AppMakr tool. The app presented to Vice Dean Nelson was an aggregation of the features created by the various groups. Apps are software programs that are used on smart phones and other mobile devices. The students’ Barrett app provides access to information already available on the ASU website, delivering it in a form that’s easier to read on a phone versus a laptop. The app pulls RSS feeds from Barrett web pages, making the latest information readily available on the device in their pockets. The advantage of AppMakr, students explained, is that it allows the designer to customize the look of the app on the user’s phone with headers and splash screens. AppMakr also enabled them to upload images. And everything can be done without any coding. But as they worked on the app, the students realized that AppMakr has limitations. For example, because it relies on RSS feeds, the value of the information delivered on the app depends on whether the website it draws from is current. It can’t handle animation or custom interfaces, location-based services cannot run on it, it’s locked in portrait view and large feeds slow it to a crawl. Most important, AppMakr apps are passive — users cannot sign up or comment on content using the apps. The AppMakr software is great for first-year students, Balkan said, because it enables them to get over techno-phobia and follow their curiosity by manipulating the interface while the code runs in the background. But, as the students discovered, most of what makes today’s hottest apps cool and useful is beyond the scope of the current AppMakr software. More sophistication in this type of development tool is clearly on the horizon. That’s part of what made the project such a great learning experience, Balkan said. The projects parallels what analysts do for companies every day: explore the technology options for solving business problems and finding the ones that work. "The students developed critical thinking and problem solving skills by being able to identify the gap between what they were able to build and their dream app," Balkan said, "and they also gained some appreciation for the technical knowledge and skills you need to acquire to be able to build a dream app." Embracing technology For some of the students, the project broke through a wall. Carrie Dougher, a business exploratory major, learned that “tech is not just for techies! It never has been.” “I think a lot of people who have experienced frustration with technology in the past or who may not have much experience at all often put up a wall and allow themselves to be continually frustrated by technology,” she said. “If anything, this project has shown us that there are resources that make ‘techy’ things not ‘techy.’ You might have not worked with a particular software, program, or web application, but it’s not impossible. You just need to take a step back, a deep breath, and break down the wall!” Nicole Antol, a business global politics major, dreaded the class but ended up calling it the best experience of her first college semester. “I have always considered myself the least tech savvy person on the planet, so a class made up entirely of computer technology honestly frightened me,” she said. The class was hard work, she explained, but she learned a lot, fast. “I went from having never touched an iPhone before in my entire life to designing and implementing my own app and being able to teach others about it. I have discovered a new passion that I never even imagined was there before. I look forward to using the skills I have learned from building this mobile app to assist me in my future business career.” Besides getting comfortable with technology, students learn a lot about business and the IS discipline. Balkan said that while they were working together on the app, the students were completely engaged. They reached out to companies to learn about databases, learned how to think like the user, talked to the domain company Go Daddy, and gained an appreciation for the evolution of technology in business. Joshua Valdez-Elizetxe got a glimpse of the impact his classes are going to have on his future. “This project gave us a preview of what we can create by applying what we learn in class,” he said. “Technology is everywhere. Being mobile friendly isn't just a luxury for businesses anymore; it's a necessity.” Added information systems major Kelley Gullo: "Technology has grown to the point where it's not just for 'techies.' Anyone can contribute to the growth of technology; it's now accessible to everyone and it's not only relevant, but necessary in every industry." So what’s next? The students are hoping that they can continue to work together on the Barrett app, by acquiring the necessary system analysis knowledge and technical skills to be able to design and develop the features that will make it the go-to tool for Barrett students. Dean Nelson is excited about their continued work on the app and sees it as a great asset for Barrett and W. P. Carey. And now that the students have seen how technology can be used, Balkan thinks that a few of them may even choose to add CIS as a second major.