Description

Within the scope of the project, I will be designing a handheld PDA that will efficiently deliver user interaction with software designed to maintain a grocery list. The software performs the task of compiling a list of items needed from the grocery store into a concise and easily managed interface. The handheld device would act as the user's portable interface and would supplement the user's personal computer interface by importing and exporting information.

The design will take into account the economic implications of each feature and seek to minimize the cost of the device and maximize the ease of use. To this end, market research will be done to recognize the needs of the consumer, and technological research will be done to utilize the most cost effective implementation within the hardware.

Such a device will provide the consumer with the resources to shop with efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ease. The ability to travel with an unobtrusive device that enables the user to not only remember what he or she needs but also to know in real time what they are spending increases efficiency. A device that has been optimized to the application's specifications permits for a design that is unburdened by unnecessary cost and therefore cost-effective. As a result of a design maximized for ease of use, the user will find that this device is a must have item.
The culmination of the design will prove to be both academically stimulating and economically rewarding. Within the breadth of the design process I will obtain a working understanding of the technology needed for the implementation of various applications and also a practical method of engineering with a user in mind. Naturally this will lead to the device's economic feasibility and subsequently economic reward.

Thesis

The increasing need for mobile applications has provided a large market for handheld devices, but due to the initial cost of these units it is impractical for users to justify the cost when a single application is intended for use. Described here is the development process of a handheld device which has balanced the user cost with product value to implement a single application used to maintain an interactive shopping list. The focus of the design will be on the functional utility of a device in a real-world environment.