Author: amy

How Might We Build User Trust?

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As has been shown through many studies from psychology, sociology and through to philosophy, trust takes many forms but is mainly developed through the building of social relationships. Trust is therefore a huge factor when creating a social network related app and making sure individuals feel comfortable when using it.

In order to encourage users to download our app instead of many others, building trust through using a myriad of tools is important, without trust in an app there is no foundation and there is also no drive to download and to keep using an app. There needs to be some ‘proof’ that the app works, does it do what it says it is going to do and what others think it will do. Users need this added protection and reassurance that what they believe is good is actually good, as people are naturally interested in their own welfare.

The use of a social network platform for information searching and for finding travel companions must consider the emotion and behaviour associated with trust. Lewis and Weigert discuss trust as a social reality, a unitary social experience combining cognitive, emotional and behavioural facets. A Social network relies on relationships between people and trust is attributable to relationships with and between social groups such as friends, communities and organisations, therefore the need for trust arises from our interdependence with others, in a social network such as this users depend on others to help them obtain their outcomes. Rousseau defines trust as a “psychological state comprising the intention to accept vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behaviors of another” users of the app have interests with other users that are intertwined, creating an element of risk, therefore trust is very valuable in a social network as it is associated with cooperation, information sharing, and problem solving; key features of NaviGap.

All factors must be taken in to consideration in building trust in a social web environment, these include policy-based trust, provenance-based trust and reputation-based trust. In terms of the social network NaviGap, a combination of approaches to trust need to be taken:

1.Policy-Based Trust – This approach provides security to users accessing services via signed/trusted certification authorities to verify credentials and access. Within NaviGap, we provide a privacy Policy which a formal legal agreement for protecting users information and data, that if broken can lead to prosecution. Secondly, we utilise security protocols such as public key encryption system and HTTPS protocol.

2.Provenance-Based Trust – NaviGap will employ a provenence based trust system in terms of allowing users to assess the trustworthiness of the content posted based on the history of its generation and propagation. This will mean users will have transaparancy of  who created and edited information and who reccomended and/or shared it.

3.Reputation-Based Trust – This approach establishes trust based on personal experience of users. NaviGap incorporates user ranking functionality related to their posts and recommendations, the higher the ranking of a user, the more trusted they can be provide accurate and appropriate information. It also possible for users to flag inappropriate behaviour and/or users.

Though all are important in their own right, this post will mainly be focused on reputation based trust. In order to fully gain reputation-based trust an app will need to have a reputation, it is important to build up a positive reputation in order to successfully advertise, market and then progress the app.

Some factors to consider when gaining trust from users = competence, integrity and ability.

In order to show this the app will have to be tested and critiqued. Negative reviews are not great, but they can be just as important as positive reviews if handled correctly. The way app creators deal with their negative reviews show a lot about how well they can be trusted and indeed their integrity. This will help to side-step any negative influence if it is used as critique.

 

Practical Steps

  1. Reviews




It is important for NaviGap to get app store reviews which will help to build up user confidence in the app and what we are portraying to the public. This is imperative to a new app such as ours and can really help boost our profile in the app market.

 

  1. NaviGap Logo and “About us”

 

Having a Logo will ensure that NaviGap will appear professional and trustworthy and help to show that we take ourselves and our app seriously. Also when we connect through any other app  such as Hotmail or Facebook, it is important to ensure that this is mentioned in order to also show creditworthiness through bigger and trustworthy sites.

Also it is important to be transparent with users and to show who JAMR is and why we created the app to also convey that we are credible and our not ‘faceless.’




  1. Credentials and statistics.

 

Show any credentials we have and that we are certified in areas, which will help to build trust and reliance. Also important to showcase any user surveys results and our user statistics to show that we are open with our users and that we our proud of our users and how many we have gained in a short amount of time. Can also include followers on any social networking site we gather.

 

  1. Advertisements 

Ensuring that we are well known and build up a good user base, to show potential users that others believe in our products and create social interaction and attention.

 

  1. Making sure that Legal and other Policy issues are up to date.

Ensuring user protection is paramount to ensuring trust and being open and clear about what our obligations are and how we will protect our current and potential users.

 

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/himanshu-sareen/7-ways-to-build-an-app-th_b_7025536.html

 

Moreau. The foundations for provenance on the web. Foundations and Trends in Web Science (2009)

 

Fogg, B. J. and Tseng, H. (1999). The elements of computer credibility. In ACM CHI ’99, pg 80–87, New York, NY, USA.

 

Rousseau et al. Not so different after all: a cross-discipline view of trust. Academy of Management Review (1998) vol. 23 pp. 393-404

 

Rotter, J. B. 1967. A new scale for the measurement of inter- personal trust. Journal of Personality. 35; 615-665

 

Berg and Dickhaut. Trust, reciprocity, and social history. Games and Economic Behavior (1995) vol. 10 (1) pp. 122-142

Lewis and Weigert. Trust as a social reality. Social Forces (1984) vol. 63 pp. 967-985

Mobile App Research

amy Leave a comment

 

waving man

 

Mobile apps access a lot of data and are now thought to be integral to many individual’s daily life. They are thought of as an asset or an extension to daily life and can hold a lot of data about individuals, such as location data in travel apps, that can be used to enhance user experience and to customize it.

How it affects us

The first social network appeared in 1997 (Boyd and Ellison, 2007) and since then they have grown exponentially . As our app will also be a social network, the aim is to build trust and ensue the usability of the ap, ensuring the best user service. Online personas are a big factor, anything that can be done to enhance this persona is something to be valued. Our app will enhance the online persona of the  individual, by tailoring it to the specifications and persona of the individual and to ensure it is not a generic user experience. (Harper, 2014)

Apps are now integral to online life but they also enhance an individual’s offline life. This growing app world provides users with vast amounts of information but also to dedicated services, (Kugler, 2016). It has revolutionized ways to communicate, share and create (Harper, 2014) this is why the use of travel apps has grown and the need for them has increased.*

As this CNN article points out, mobile apps are used by many as a substitute for their computer, therefore they wish for everything to be as easy and accessible as it would be on their computer.

Article:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/20/business/travel-apps/

So what does this mean for our app?

There are always opportunities on the App market, but to truly harness this, ideas must be unique, original and created with users in mind. Apps may one day be the main force of the Web, a connection between online and offline life. Travel company’s and developers are harnessing this potential and understanding that is the next direction for travel if they wish to excel against competitors and be a force in the market (Morley, 2014). This is great news for us as we are able to take our unique idea and user this growth in the market for our benefit.

App’s not only provide content and services, but they break down barriers between users, and provide for a more tailored approach to marketing and advertising. (Richard and Harper, ) Technology is seen as a way to inform and engage and to also bring other closer together. (Dalstrom et al ,2013) The difficulty in developing apps is there isn’t a ‘standardized platform,’ (Heitkotter et al, 2013), therefore in order to be able to ensure saleability the use of advertising and sponsors is integral and to also ensure the freedom for our users when using the app and to not stifle progression in continual development.

hit the nail on the head

Evolving Technology and Saleability 

In order to maximize the benefit of the app market, there needs to be a saleable idea that can be translated through to potential users. Even if the app starts off as being free, in order make money from it it has to appeal to as many users as possible. Society is also susceptible to influence, so the more people who like and recommend the app the more likely it is to transcend past a few users and to reach a target market, (Cheng et al, 2017).

 

In fact many would say that a main draw to using smart phones is the ability to access so many things in app form (Morley, 2014). This efficiency is important and is why travel apps in particular do so well, developers know that people want to travel around, and as easily and stress free as possible. This then paves the way for more and more travel related apps to make sure people travelling have little to nothing to worry about (Molloy, 2013). Apps available free of charge or for a nominal amount mean that they can access a wider audience andare more readily used. (Morley, 2014) .The app market is very versatile and with the use of revenue from marketing and advertising and sponsors, free apps are more and more common.

Also the good thing about app development is that it is constantly evolving and changing to meet new demands, trends and technology, (Kugler, 2016). Also more than ever with this increased development, even if an app is on the same creative lines as another app there is still enough room in the market, people like trying different apps and also are susceptible to the newest app that comes in to the app store (Briz-Ponce et al, 2016). This means that with constant development it is the older apps that must appeal to their users in order to retain them, to keep up with the evolving technology and create new things, (Chen et al, 2017).

What the app offers is also important, to have a diverse range of options is important, whilst also sticking to what the function of the app is. An app can deal with simple daily tasks or more specific needs, such as travel apps. If there is enough need in the market this can set app developers apart. Knowing what functions the app will have is important as it will ensure a direction for the app, but also continually think of new ways to develop the app is also important to retain user interest (Molloy, 2013).

As highlighted by a recent article (EBSCO, 2017**) mobile apps have been valuable to the UK’s economy and the market grew by 0.9% in 2016 and is only set to continue with an increase of 46.6% 5 years. This predicted rise is due to the growth in the market that has been shown and its continued use and the still growing need for apps. New phones are released even more often than they were before and apps have to keep up to date with the new features on smart phones. This is true for all app developers from big companies to individual developers. This rivalry pushes even more creation and innovation and helps to facilitate growth (Molloy, 2013).

References:

Boyd, d. m. and Ellison, N. B. (2007), Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13: 210–230

Briz-Ponce, L, Juanes-Méndez, J, García-Peñalvo, F, (2016) Book of Research on Mobile Devices and Applications in Higher Education, IGI Global Books.

 

Chen, Q, Zhang, M, & Zhao, X (2017), ‘Analysing customer behaviour in mobile app usage’, Industrial Management & Data Systems, 117, 2, pp. 425-438, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 March 2017.

 

Dinsmore, J, Swani, K, & Dugan, R, (2017,) ‘To ‘Free’ or Not to ‘Free’: Trait Predictors of Mobile App Purchasing Tendencies’, Psychology & Marketing, 34, 2, pp. 227-244, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 March 2017.

 

Heitkotter, H, Hanschke, S, and Majchrzak, T, (2013) Evaluating Cross-Platform Development Approaches for Mobile Applications, Available at: http://www3.nd.edu/~cpoellab/teaching/cse40814/crossplatform.pdf

 

Harper, R. (2014), Trust, Computing, and Society, Cambridge University Press.

 

Keengwee, J, (2013) Pedagogical Applications and Social Effects of Mobile Technology Integration, IGI Global Books

 

Kugler, L, (2016), ‘Smartphone Apps for Social Good’, Communications Of The ACM, 59, 8, pp. 18-20, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 March 2017.

 

Molloy, S, (2013), Appvertising – How Apps Are Changing The World, Amazon Digital Services.

 

Morley, D, (2014) Engrossed in social life. Understanding Computers in a Changing Society, 6th Edition, Course Technology.

 

**Why pay for apps And ‘Mobile Apps in the United Kingdom’ (2016,) Mobile Apps Industry Profile: United Kingdom, pp. 1-39, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 March 2017.

 

*http://www.nbcnews.com/video/travel-apps-that-will-save-you-money-on-the-road-719410755787

NaviGap-A Brief Overview of Legal Obligations

amy Leave a comment

 

 Law pic app

 

There are numerous laws that an app creator/developer must be aware of and we will take our legal obligations seriously, here are just a few ways we recognise our duties.

 

I Data Protection

UK data protection law will change on 25 May 2018. This is because of the introduction of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This regulation will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK. NaviGap is aware of this change in legislation and will do everything that is needed in order to comply with its data protection obligations.

  • Awareness of our obligations in regard to controlling data and the processing of data.
  • Only collect data that is necessary to what the app concerns.
  • We will only store users personal data for as long as it is needed and not for any longer than necessary.
  • We will inform users about how there personal data will be used, collected, stored.
  • Any written communication received for a copy of a user’s personal data will be answered.
  • Review and update compliance measures in light og the new regulation.
  • Be transparent and fair in Privacy Policy and other contracts (Consumer Rights Act 2015)

II Privacy and Marketing

  • We will uphold user’s privacy from the very start of the development process of the app.
  • Not send unsolicited messages unless we have consent from our users.
  • Will not ask users to pass on marketing to others, unless consent.
  • Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2011
  • We will develop a privacy policy that is transparent and that is accurate to what we will do and how we will comply with the law. This will disclose the handling of personal data: collection, storage etc.

Privacy Policy (NaviGap Rough Example, Practical Law)

NaviGap (we) are dedicated to protecting and ensuring your privacy.

SCOPE OF POLICY

This policy (together with our end-user licence agreement as set out at [WEB ADDRESS OF EULA] (EULA) and any additional terms of use incorporated by reference into the EULA, together our Terms of Use) applies to your use of:

NaviGap mobile application software (App) once you have downloaded or streamed a copy of the App onto your mobile telephone or handheld device (Device).

Any of the services accessible through the App (Services) that are available on the App Site.

This policy sets out how any personal data we collect from you, or that you have provided to us, will be processed by us. Please read the following in order to appreciate how we will use your personal data.

USER DATA COLLECTION

1.1 We will collect and process data about you:

  • This is information you give us about you when prompted on the App or by corresponding with us (e.g. email). It also includes information when you register to use the App, make an in-App purchase, share data in the App, [ ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES COMMONLY CARRIED OUT IN CONNECTION WITH AN APP] and when you report a problem with an App or a complaint.

1. 2   If you contact us for any reason, We will keep a record of that correspondence. The information you give us may include your name, e-mail address, home address and phone number, the Device’s phone number, age, username, password and other registration information, billing information [OTHER INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN APP]

1.3 Information can also be collected automatically. A lot of information can be collected when using the App, including:

technical information, including [the type of mobile device you use,] [a unique device identifier (for example, your Device’s IMEI number [OTHER INFORMATION USUALLy ASSOCIATED WITH AN APP]

Device Information;

Information stored on your Device that will be used by the App, including: contact information, friends lists, user login information, media such as photos and videos, [OTHER INFORMATION]

USER MARKETING RIGHTS

You have the right to ask us not to process your personal data for marketing purposes. We will usually inform you (before collecting your data) if We intend to use your data for such purposes or if We intend to disclose your information to any third party for such purposes. You can exercise your right to prevent such processing by checking certain boxes on the forms We use to collect your data. You can also exercise the right at any time by contacting us at [[ADDRESS] OR [E-MAIL ADDRESS]].

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to access the information held on you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with that Act.

 

III Intellectual Property

This is a big area, and all of these issues must be taken in to account.

We will endeavor to protect our own IP rights whilst making sure we do not infringe 3rd party rights or the rights of our users. A few points to consider:

  • May qualify for copyright protection for our app, original creative works-written/artistic works, including any original code and content.
  • The app’s name may qualify for trademark protection, if it is distinctive enough-App name, logo etc., presenting the commercial side. Patents- protect novel inventions and processes.
  • Determine whether a license is needed for certain uses.
  • Aware of a Sui Generis right for databases (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997).
  • Not use any third party content, without express consent.
  • Document and be aware of all user-generated content (App terms and conditions).
  • Think about registering in other territories-brand expansion.

IV User Added Content

In order to protect the user and to prevent liability we will look closely at user added content. As the App looks to take on a social media role, there will be a lot of user added content, which might give rise to liability, it is important to minimise this risk.

User added content can: infringe others rights, be unlawful, defamatory etc. In order to best tackle this, the decision will be to moderate or not to moderate. The App will not be actively moderating content (to avoid liability) but when we are aware of it we will have a system for flagging up content that is deemed to be at risk. This will then be removed by the enforcement of a takedown policy, in the form of a link such as, (report abuse).

V App Use in Other Countries

Another issue to be concerned with as the App develops is compliance with laws in other jurisdictions. This can be for marketing and for use purposes. As the Web facilitates the ease of dealing internationally, an App is more than likely going to move in a direction to be used in other countries and not just the UK. For our App this is a target for us to reach in order to reach the most consumers and to then be able to give the best experience and options to our users. However, this must be done carefully or the App can infringe other laws in other countries, e.g. especially in regard to data protection where the law differs greatly from the US.

All in all there is a lot to consider here, and this is only a brief overview. We are aware of our obligations when dealing with the App itself and also our obligations to the user. These measures will continually be reviewed, and we will seek to protect information at all costs.

 

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1596/privacy-in-mobile-apps-dp-guidance.pdf

https://www.wrighthassall.co.uk/knowledge/legal-articles/2015/11/23/legal-issues-independent-games-developers/

To get up to date with the GDPR – https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-reform/overview-of-the-gdpr/introduction/

Why An App?

amy Leave a comment

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The digital age has expanded our horizons and has changed the way people think, create, browse and shop for their travel related needs.

Consumer Interest

Deloitte’s article, referenced below, has given insight into the ways that travel is now seen by consumers, in fact, the digital age has transformed the access to which consumers have to fulfilling their travel needs. The Deloitte article states that they found from their surveys that 59 % of people looking at booking a holiday are more aware of the advantages given by online sites, especially in regard to comparing prices online. This confidence and awareness of using travel sites/app’s is only set to continue, and so the use and the expansion of travel options available online needs to expand with this heightened consumer use.

The Deloitte research also found that people rely on the experiences of others and the ability to share their own, this is something that we have taken on board with our app, wishing to make it a place to review and share experiences with fellow gap year travellers. Moreover, the fact that our creation will be an app, makes it transferrable and easy to access from anywhere. There is no need to now wait until you are at a desktop to research, compare and share. Especially as our target audience is within the range of 18-25, and a lot of this generation carry a smartphone with them daily. This is vital information as if harnessed correctly, our app will grow and function not only for the users of the app but also by them; with their feedback and use of the app, changes and additions can be made in time to ensure effective user experience.

Why An App?

In order to be fully marketable a business needs to reach people, especially when everything is online and so easily accessible. An app is needed to enhance the number of people who see it. Today, most people don’t know what is on the application market, they search for an idea. If an app can make this business visible and accessible then this can fill a need, the user is satisfied and this is why creating an app is an important business decision. Also, an app can be viewed even if it is not directly relevant to the original search, but this creates interest and is why using an app aids marketing and recognition. If a user is drawn into the app and its unique idea or can see its usefulness, they are more willing to pay for other features and this will help not only in increasing sale and revenue in the future, but also aid the business to stand out from competition. All of this will then enhance consumer loyalty and support, if a consumer feels that the app is helpful and saves them time and money and gives them a connection to the business, they are less likely to go in search of another business to fulfill their needs.

Our App

Our app offers a unique selling point, a specific app for creating a personalised gap year experience that offers the ability of the user to create and share information with other like-minded travellers. Our app will be a collaborative platform where travel knowledge will be generated and shared. It offers a more personalised user experience and tailors trips depending on the time of year, expenditure and user reviews. The consumer is more informed than ever before, having access to many types of media online and also search engines. Our app will enhance the consumer experience by collating information for them, tailoring it to their specifics needs, saving them not only money but also their time, which is a big incentive.

As the Deloitte article points out, online travel has become a buyers market, which has expanded and is only set to continue due to continued site and app creation. Consumers, are still out to get the best deal and are aware that this is to be found online. This will be a selling point for us. We will be set on creating the best deal for our app users, making sure they are kept up-to-date with the best possible offers, group trips and individual tours, and that this is continually reviewed. We will also carry on the incentive to existing users, as it shouldn’t just be new users who get the best deals, but all users of the app. We will ensure to give incentives throughout the use of our app, including discount codes, advice and the unlocking of other features on the app.

Deloitte Article: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/travel-hospitality-industry-outlook.html