UCSD Mobile Framework

UCSD Mobile FrameworkA Mobile Framework for the UCSD Campus

m.ucsd.edu

June 15, 2011

UCSD Campus Web Office

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Website UI WebApp UI UCSD Web Consistency

Background: UCSD’s iPhone AppJune ‘09 UCSD first public university to provide iPhone app

Provided web services and data feeds to TerriblyClever.

Blackberry and generic mobile launched soon thereafter

In early 2010, TerriblyClever was bought out by Blackboard

We wanted to do more…

Smartphone OS Market Share Q4, 2010

Source: International Data Corporation (IDC)

Smartphone OS Market Share, 2012 (predicted)

Source: International Data Corporation (IDC)

How do we keep up?

Mobile Web Browser

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Involved Campus IT Groups

ACT

ACT, ACMS, SA, Colleges, Libraries, SIO, Bio Sciences

Student Affairs Libraries

Selection CriteriaDevice agnostic, front end framework

Sustainable over a 1-2 year period of time.

Standards based

Require little training for developers.

Easy to migrate to a new technology in the future.

Or integrate additional UI Libraries as they mature

Reviewed 8 Mobile FrameworksUCLA, MIT, SproutCore, PhoneGap, jQuery, WebApp.NET, Sencha, iMobileU

Ranked TechnologiesRanked each technology based on

License Cost, OOTB Feature Set, Industry Standards, Documentation, Ease of Implementation/Adoption, Learning Curve, Time Required to Implement, Maintainability, Scalability, Cross-platform Support, Run in Mobile Browser, Extensibility, Availability/Maturity, End User Usability, End User Accessibility, Integration with CMS

Avg. RankingUCLAmobile: 130/150

Sencha: 90/150

What is MWF?Device detection using WURFL

Correct CSS and JS is served up based on device capabilities

Minification

Image compression

… it works for all mobile devices!

Ok, maybe not all devices…

Mobile Framework

UCSD-styled mobile decorator leveraging UCLA Framework

Documentation for UCSD web developers

Implemented UCSD Mobile under m.ucsd.edu, using data feeds developed for the vendor back in ’09

Regardless of technology or app hosting environment, all apps appear unified

UCSD Mobile Framework

Student Affairs (.net)

ACMS (php)

Colleges (php)

Biological Sciences

(java)

HR (.net)

Housing & Dining

(.net)

Framework hosted on central server (ACT)

m.ucsd.edu

ConsiderationsSecurity: App layer handles it as it does with desktop devices.

No additional security layer in MWF

GovernanceCampus Web Steering Committee weighs in on taxonomy

m.ucsd.edu GovernanceTo be linked from m.ucsd.edu or a subsequent category

App’s content is relevant to the campus community

App is using the UCSD Mobile FrameworkNeed to retrofit Libraries and Shuttles

App is hosted in a secured environment that is monitored, has backup and recovery.

CWSC approves the addition in a majority decision

Metrics1 Month Page Views:

Mobile home page: 38,223

Campus home page: 803,676

Operating Systems

Other UC’s in Production or Pilot

Next upApps

My TritonLink

Dining locations and menus

FrameworkAdditional UI elements to handle navigation

ChallengesHow do we fold in websites managed in the CMS into the MWF?

How do we accommodate responsive design?

MyTritonLink

Campus Dining

Campus Dining (cont.)

Publish to Mobile Device Stores