Code Academy for Mobile platform

Considerations and ideas

Considerations

Typing on the phone

• It is not as fast as a regular keyboard.
• Accessing special characters (';', '{'...) requires more touches.
• Keyboard takes up a lot of screen real estate.
• Custom Keyboard?

Considerations

Size of the screen is limited

• 100 characters per line as code guideline.
• Horizontal Scroll?
• Rotate screen?
• Navigation controls.

Considerations

Engagement and session time

• Fast exercises, aiming for a 5-10 min work before you get prize/satisfaction.
• Connectivity issues: Can we code offline?

Exercises

Fill in gaps

• Have chunks of code with empty textboxes for the user to fill.
• Implement a Floy Layout on iOS.
• User does not have to type a lot.

Fill in gaps

Exercises

Move Boxes around

• No typing at all.
• Boxes could be used in the middle of normal text or just by dragging them.

Move Boxes around

Exercises

Result of a piece of code

• Typing is minimal.
• If we offer select options, typing would non existent.

Result of a piece of code

Flows

Concept of lesson

• A lesson will contain a certain number of exercises.
• A lesson should be completed within 10 minutes.
• A lesson would be completed if a certain amount of exercises are correct.
• API should be able to create random exercises that look similar and test the same concept.
• A lesson will contain a certain number of exercises.

Flows

Objective C is a dynamic Language

• It is possible to create new classes, methods, etc...
• Code could run in the iPhone.
• Creating shapes, changing colors, etc...
• Solution to space: use boxes again, but see results in your phone.

Objective C is a dynamic Language

Flows

Engage user

• Daily exercise.
• Write your own exercises.

Rest of interactions/features

Q&A, groups, etc...

• Native vs HTML5 (UIWebview).
• Glossary: definitely UIWebview (caching, search?).

Power of the mobile device

Some crazier ideas

• Location Services?
• Push Notifications.
• Contacts?
• Call for help?

¡Gracias!