Mobile App Critique

I chose to evaluate an app called NAMP. This abbreviation stands for Naval Aviation Maintenance Program. This app provides the resources necessary to ensure the readiness and safety of naval aircraft. The app aims to streamline processes, improve communication, and enhance the efficiency of maintenance operations. 

Usability

This app has ease of navigation due to its simplicity. In my opinion, it is a bougie pdf viewer. Having an app for this manual is especially useful because we can access it from anywhere rather than logging into a government website to download the PDF every time. Because this app is so simple, it is highly efficient and allows users to find information quickly. The layout is sleek but very basic. All the information is in order based on the table of contents. From the table of contents, users are able to click on a chapter link and be directed to that chapter within the document. This app also offers an option to leave feedback through an email that gets sent directly to Navy headquarters. 

3Design

Once you download the app and open it, you have a few icons to choose from. These icons are used to print, search, return to the table of contents, and view secondary functions. The font is black and standard size (Times New Roman 12, I believe), and you can zoom in on sections, paragraphs, and words. Important notes are highlighted in yellow, and links are highlighted in blue. 

Functionality

Due to regulations on how official manuals and instructions are controlled, we typically are not allowed to have this manual on electronic devices because if it gets updated, we risk using an outdated manual. However, this app is controlled by the Navy and can be updated whenever it is opened for use. The search function is slightly laggy because the document is 1,922 pages long. Scrolling is not very fluid, only allowing users to scroll one or two pages simultaneously. Some cool features are the ability to make quizzes and leave notes within the document.

Recommendations

1. Speed up the search process - I understand the document is huge, but if there is some way the search function can be faster, then we can add another star to this app's rating. 
2. Integrate the font to adjust to the screen - Very similar to how the Kindle app works. You can change the font, and the page will adapt to the size of the screen. However, with this app, you have to pinch to zoom and scroll through the paragraphs from side to side. 
3. Generate daily quizzes - Users cannot create their own quizzes. This app has a lot of information, and daily autogenerated quizzes could help users remember the information within. This could also be used as trivia during downtime at work.