As a group, one of the major limitations we experienced is lack of experience and knowledge, since, at the beginning of this project, none of the group members had never developed an app before. With determination and hours of research, this limitation was overcome, and we were able to make several artefacts for both the user interface and back-end applications. As the scope of the app continued to grow, we had to prioritise and focus on the main points of the app. Nine main functions, which we focused on, were the comprehensive product list, web scraping, route planning, budgeting, history analysis, automatic html generation, user interface designing, web development and meal planning aspects of it. Simultaneously, we had to leave out other features and functions such as a desktop application, QR code integration and crypto currency creation.

The first iteration of this app was a meal planning and budget control app, where people could find meals, be shown the ingredients of the meals and the prices of each ingredient as well as the total cost of creating them. Once this data was provided, the user could then record their spending, to keep track of food costs with greater ease and were able to reduce their weekly budget. This was then expanded further to give the user the ability to use the route planning function, in order to make the commute to the shops as efficient as possible. In addition, we also expanded the product list from just food, to a plethora of different items sold by local stores, near the user.

Despite our limited time together as a team, we have created a multitude of artefacts/prototypes. Some of these were made within our team’s time frame, and others are projected plans, to be updated throughout the app’s lifetime. Some of the artefacts that have been made include:

• Web Scrapers for a limited number of stores – These are able to supply our app with the database (product titles and prices) for users of this app. These will also be constantly expanded throughout the life span of this application, to include more areas and stores. Initially we have web scrapers for IGA, Woolworths and Foodland. It has been implemented by leveraging the Selenium framework.
• Web development/User-Interface – We have created a user interface which allows the user to navigate the app/website. The information in the app’s database is limited but it is mostly viable and interactive, with most of the functionalities fully operational. The user will be able to navigate the app, looking up a range of items that certain stores have on sale and hence choose what items they wish to buy.
• Route-Planning – In our application we have also included a route planner, which optimizes the route the user should take, in order to expedite the shopping process. The route planner written in the back-end is fully functioning, allowing the user, once they have chosen which products to buy, to know the optimal route to complete their purchases. The application also displays the optimal route in which to visit the stores. Furthermore, the route planner in the website is also functional, despite the fact that due to the lack of a server, we couldn’t manage to have it work out the optimal route, in which the user should visit the stores. It was implemented, by leveraging Google Maps API.
• Back end – The back-end is fully functional, even though we have not included the barcode scanner functionality, since we do not know Java and it was not feasible to learn it, whilst simultaneously learning everything else necessary for the assignment within the given time frame.
• Budgeting – Through this application, before you go on your daily or weekly shopping trip, you will be able to know which products you plan to buy and hence are less likely to make unnecessary purchases (Caeser 2019)
• History analysis – In the back-end, the history analysis is fully functional, allowing the user to view the exact time and date, on which they completed previous purchases.
• Automatic HTML Generator – In order to create the website, due to its immense size, it was imperative to create automatic HTML generators. These generators use the data gathered by the web scrapers and create HTML code based on it. The generators were written in python.
• User Interface designing – So as to make sure that the website was created in the most professional and organized manner conceivable, we created a series of graphical portrayals, depicting exactly how the application should look, something which we adhered to, to the best of our abilities (https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lmVV8WM=/)
• Meal planning – One of the most important aspects of our website, is the meal planning feature. Through meal planning the user can base purchases around food they wish to make, instead of basing the food they wish to make on their purchases. By doing so, users can drastically decrease their expenses, whilst simultaneously creating scrumptious meals, and eating like a king. This is implemented on the website, with a few dozen recipes.

The team also has considered plans for future iterations of the app and is creating a time frame for further features of the app to be created, after the initial launch. These include:

• Incentive for people to subscribe – Various apps are utilising a new technology called blockchain to help the user make money in exchange for time. According to Burroughs (2021) Blockchain is a way to transmit funds and/or logging information through a decentralised ledger without any need of a financial intermediary or bank. There are various apps/programs that allow people to mine crypto currency or earn tokens that can be exchanged for crypto currency or transferred to your bank as flat currency, and in exchange, the user needs to log in everyday or use the app in some specified way.
• QR code integration – The local stores will be supplied with QR codes to display near their checkouts to allow app users to scan, when visiting these stores. This will allow the user to earn certain amounts in crypto currency, whilst simultaneously benefitting the stores, by allowing them to advertise sales and giveaways through this, and allowing the shops to gather vast amounts of attention from the hoi polloi.
• Much larger database – Due to the time restraints of this project only a few stores will be available with a limited number of recipes. Even though we will only have a few dozen recipes completed due to the time constraints; we plan to have a few hundred recipes on the application in the future.
• Due to the small database available to us, some features in the back-end had to be left out including product statistics, bar code scanning and quantity checking. In particular the group’s lack of knowledge in Java, hindered the creation of a mobile application, and hence also of the bar code scanner. Due to the limited time available, we could not learn the language as well as learn everything else required for the application, within the given timeframe.

Reference List

• Burroughs, C 2020, How to Make Money from Blockchain Apps, Geneva Business News | Actualités: Emploi, RH, économie, entreprises, Genève, Suisse., viewed 10 November 2021, < https://www.gbnews.ch/how-to-make-money-from-blockchain-apps/>.
• Caeser, T 2019, 8 Reasons to Make a Shopping List | Positive Lending Solutions, www.positivelendingsolutions.com.au, viewed 10 November 2021, < https://www.positivelendingsolutions.com.au/resources/information-centre/8-reasons-to-make-a-shopping-list/>.