T8 IS DESIGN

IS design from Web Applications

Web-applications are essential in producing effective and consistent business practices to compete in our current economic state. They allow users to perform a variety of functions through secure remote locations and provide the necessary tools to process and compile information within a database. Implementation of such applications offer competitive advantages to traditional software based systems.

Understanding Web 2.0:

To understand web-applications one must first understand Web 2.0. The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participation information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, (1) and collaboration on the World Wide Web. The history of Web 2.0 "Bandwidth and power. Faster than the very costly T1 lines used in the enterprise, cable and DSL hookups have extended high-speed connections to individuals and small businesses. Browsing Web pages full of images and video as well as downloading multimedia files have become routine." 9? A Web 2.0 site allows users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators (prosumers) of user-generated content in a virtual environment, in contrast to websites where users (consumers) are limited to the passive viewing of content that was created for them. Web applications are dynamic, allowing users to complete tasks and perform specific functions. Web application users need a higher level of skill to navigate than the average users who browse the internet. Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, video sharing sites, hosted services, web applications, mashups and folksonom.
The term "Web 2.0" was coined in January 1999 by Darcy DiNucci?? , a consultant on electronic information design. This is opposed to Web 1.0 or web, refers to the first stage of the World Wide Web linking webpages with hyperlinks. Hyperlinks between webpages began with the release of the WWW to the public in 1993,1? and describe the Web before the "bursting of the Dot-com bubble" in 2001. Since 2004, Web 2.0 has been the term used to describe social web, especially the current business models of sites on the World Wide Web.2?

Development and Implementation of Web Applications:

The goal of developing a system that fulfill the business of an organization is to gather the information necessary to develop the system, defining the objectives of the site, gathering information about its users and their needs, its content and the way in which it be presented. Four Important elements to the analysis of a web based information system is the problem domain, users, content and the presentation. 3?

A clear definition and understanding of the problem domain, and how it relates to the organization and its users' goals, is a prerequisite for achieving accurate system requirements. Although users of a WIS have various attributes that increase the challenges of requirement elicitation and analysis, requirement analysis is still an essential phase of the development process. 3?

Web applications present designers, and developers with many challenges. The stateless nature of HTTP means that tracking per-user session state becomes the responsibility of the application. As a precursor to this, the application must be able to identify the user by using some form of authentication. Given that all subsequent authorization divisions are based on the user's identity, it is essential that the authentication process is secure and that the session handling mechanism used to track authenticated users is equally well protected. Designing secure authentication and session management mechanisms are just a couple of the issues facing Web application designers and developers. Other challenges occur because input and output data passes over public networks. Preventing parameter manipulation and the disclosure of sensitive data are other top issues 1? . For example, encrypting is a way of protecting the work of designers and developers. Encryption is the process of transforming information (referred to as plaintext) using an algorithm (called a cipher) to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key.4

One form of design for an information system is User Centered-Design. This a design philosophy and a process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process. User-centered design can be characterized as a multi-stage problem solving process that not only requires designers to analyze and foresee how users are likely to use a product, but also to test the validity of their assumptions with regards to user behaviour in real world tests with actual users. User Centered-Design (UCD) is a philosophy and a process. It is a philosophy that places the user at the center; it is a process that focuses on cognitive as they come into play during peoples' interactions with things. UCD seeks to answer questions about users and their tasks and goals, then use the findings to drive development and design.
UCD seeks to answer questions such as: Who are the users of this 'thing'? What are the users’ tasks and goals? What are the users’ experience levels with this thing, and things like it? What functions do the users need from this thing? What information might the users need, and in what form do they need it? How do users think this 'thing' should work? And How can the design of this ‘thing’ facilitate users' cognitive processes?

Thoughts & Analysis of Applications:

“In the early days of the web, web sites consisted of static pages, which severely limited interaction with the user. “ 5? Now websites provide us with interaction between many people all over the world and now we can do things on the web that we only were able to do in person. Ramapo College Self-Service, a password protected application, provides students with the ability to register for classes and add/drop classes. Many colleges use the same system too. This web based application provides a faster easier way for college students to register for classes without having to wait online at the registrar’s office all day. The self-service application is more than just a registration tool but a way for the college to communicate important information with the students as well. Many of these applications exist for schools and companies in order to stay connected and make certain tasks easier for all.

There are a few ways how the applications track per-user sessions. One program is the Universal User Tracking. It incorporates multiple tracking mechanisms to identify the accountable end user for every database transaction, even in connection pooling environments. Universal User Tracking methods include:
Web Application User Tracking,Web to Database User Tracking,SQL Connection User Tracking and Direct User Tracking. These four tracking methods enable SecureSphere? to audit end users regardless of how they connect to the database, enabling complete accountability. By tracking end users, SecureSphere? can display user IDs in database security alerts, audit logs, and reports. In addition, database security policies can be created to restrict access by user ID. Universal User Tracking provides greater visibility into database activity, more granular security controls, and adherence to today's stringent regulatory requirements. Through using programs like this, websites can easily keep track of their users.6?

Method of developing an IS using web applications:

One method of developing an IS using web applications is inventory control. The use of a web application along with an identifier (bar code, vin number, product number, etc.) can help a company track and identify its inventory. Inputting or scanning the identifier into the web app will produce a list of information on the product. This can include price, cost, product information, production date, expiration date, total in inventory, suggested order amount, selling trends, photos and much more. An example of this system that is used in the automotive industry is an application called Dealer Specialties. The technicians for the Dealer Specialties will view and collect data on a stores’ current inventory. The detailed vehicle data, photographs and videos are sent electronically to dealers' own websites and partner destination sites including Cars.com, eBay, Craigslist, AutoTrader?.com and many others.(8) This application gives the dealer a tool to improve both the efficiency and the ease of use of its information system.

The Future of Web Applications:

Most web applications are based on the client-server architecture where the client enters information while the server stores and retrieves information. Internet mail is an example of this, with companies like Yahoo and Gmail offering web-based email clients. The new push for web applications is crossing the line into those applications that do not normally need a server to store the information. Your word processor, for example, stores documents on your computer, and doesn't need a server. Web applications can provide the same functionality and gain the benefit of working across multiple platforms. For example, a web application can act as a word processor, storing information and allowing you to 'download' the document onto your personal hard drive. If you have seen the new Gmail or Yahoo mail clients, you have seen how sophisticated web applications have become in the past few years. Much of that sophistication is because of AJAX, which is a programming model for creating more responsive web applications. Google Apps, Microsoft Office Live are examples of the newest generation of web applications.

The iPhone SDK is an application that allows users to create apps for the iPhone. The app can be downloaded and used for free. If a user wants to distribute the app or use it on an iPhone the fee is only $99. The application is designed to be used on a computer but can be used on the iPhone for a fee. iPhone is a powerful tool that even begginers can use to created applications. This allows for a wide variey of apps to be created and improved upon. (7) Applications for smart phones are surging in popularity. As of October 24, 2011, the Android Market, a store for apps, has surpassed 500,000 different applications. It gained 42,000 new applications in September alone. 2? The only market that android apps trail behind is of course Apple. Between Ipods, Iphones, and IPads, Apple doesn’t seem like it will be letting go of the lead any time soon.10?

So what is the future of web apps? They will tell us who we are, where we are, what we can spend and what we can spend it on. In effect, they can become the ultimate view nannies, always remembering the fact that the user will have set up the guidelines themselves.

The only question is not how far can the future development of web applications take us, but how far do we want it to go? 11?

The future of web applications has the potential too be huge. Having a web application “handle day to day tasks,” will save tons of money for companies support costs. Web applications will continue to get more “sophisticated” and will eventually eliminate the way Internet works today. Web 2.0 has already taken control of some of the most popular websites on the internet today just imagine what the future of web applications has to offer. (12)


1- http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/htmlcss

2 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff648647.aspx

3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encryption

4 https://www.owasp.org/index.php/What_are_web_applications%3F

5 http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/analysis_links.html

6 http://www.imperva.com/products/ssp_technology-universal-user-tracking.html

7 http://www.switchonthecode.com/tutorials/an-absolute-beginners-guide-to-iphone-development

8. http://dealerspecialties.com/about-us

9. http://www.answers.com/topic/web-2-0#ixzz1bw2HCW9k

10. http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal-tech/mobile-apps/231901537
11. http://thinkvitamin.com/code/the-future-of-web-apps-in-an-integrated-world/

12. http://webtrends.about.com/od/webapplications/a/future_webapps.htm