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Campus IT

uWaterloo and Mobiles: Identifying Interest in Mobile Device Uses and Mobile Application Development

Mobile device uses and application development for mobiles have been identified for an investigation to learn where greater collaboration, and possibly creation of a project, might benefit these activities.It seems a good start to assemble interested people from across uWaterloo to learn about current activities and needs. Information gathered from the session will be presented to the University Committee on Information Systems and Technology, UCIST, for discussion. Depending upon the outcomes of the meeting and discussions, a project may be struck to help progress the activities in a strategic way to benefit the interested parties and uWaterloo as a whole.

Session Topics
Hubs of interest in mobile devices exist at uWaterloo. Interest may be in uses of mobile devices (e.g., as a classroom feedback device or field data collector) or in developing applications for mobile devices (e.g., a way-finding device for navigating uWaterloo campuses; a target for information from Waterloo LEARN, or important events or deadlines). People involved in such activities have various needs, different approaches or capacity for development, and may encounter problems in what they are trying to achieve. It makes sense for the University to determine its directions in the mobile space so groups can work together in a cohesive effort to share information, knowledge, and perhaps resources.This information sharing session is intended to discover what interests exist for use of and development for mobile devices, what activities are underway, what barriers exist, and how areas might benefit from more cohesion and collaboration.

Topics to address at the meeting include:

  1. What uses or development are you working on or thinking about for mobile devices?

  2. Who’s working on these? What skills do they have? What skills are missing?
  3. What is needed for your mobile interests? E.g., access to data on which to build applications, good cell or wifi access in particular areas of campus, skills or development tools?
  4. What problems do you encounter in what you are trying to achieve?
  5. What have other universities done in your areas of interest?
  6. For those interested in mobile application development, you likely have researched current technical directions (e.g., web development versus native application development)? Any conclusions for your area of interest?
  7. What infrastructure or resources would help make your use of mobiles or your application development for mobiles more effective and efficient?
  8. Anything else?

If you are interested in participating in the session held on Monday, October 17th, 2:00 – 3:30, MC2009, please contact bob.hicks@uwaterloo.ca

Last updated on October 4, 2011.