Development Story of the Android App Created with No-Code for My Graduation Project

## Table of Contents
1. [Background and Objective](#1-background-and-objective)
2. [Technologies and Tools Used](#2-technologies-and-tools-used)
3. [Technical Challenges and Solutions](#3-technical-challenges-and-solutions)
   - [Challenge 1: Limitations of MIT App Inventor 2](#challenge-1-limitations-of-mit-app-inventor-2)
   - [Challenge 2: Optimizing UI/UX Design](#challenge-2-optimizing-uiux-design)
   - [Challenge 3: Processing Audio, Image, and Text Input](#challenge-3-processing-audio-image-and-text-input)
4. [Highlights of the Development](#4-highlights-of-the-development)
5. [Exhibition Feedback and User Reactions](#5-exhibition-feedback-and-user-reactions)
6. [Future Outlook](#6-future-outlook)
7. [Screenshots and Demo of the App](#7-screenshots-and-demo-of-the-app)

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## 1. Background and Objective

For my graduation project, I developed an app for Japanese language learners. While studying at a university abroad, I was required to complete a graduation project as the culmination of my four years of learning. The theme for that year was "Connections Between People," and I decided to use my strength in IT to create the project.

Furthermore, as the theme was about "connections between people," I wanted to include intercultural and intergenerational communication. My goal was for non-Japanese speakers to learn Japanese greetings and understand the importance of greetings in communication.

Initially, I intended to develop a mobile app for both Android and iOS. However, due to the limited three-month timeframe for development, I visited the office of the **Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering** and was advised to create an Android app using MIT App Inventor 2 (MIT2). With no prior knowledge of MIT2, I started learning it and began development. I completed the app within the three months and showcased it at the graduation exhibition.

## 2. Technologies and Tools Used

- **MIT App Inventor 2**: A no-code platform for mobile app development
  - **Why it was chosen**: MIT2 allows intuitive development with block-based programming, making it accessible for beginners.
  - **Advantages**: Enables rapid app creation without prior coding experience.
  - **Limitations**: External API integration is difficult, and complex processing requires creative workarounds.
- **Google Forms**: Used for conducting user surveys and collecting feedback.

## 3. Technical Challenges and Solutions

### Challenge 1: Limitations of MIT App Inventor 2

- **Solution**: Understanding the constraints of no-code tools and simplifying the features to fit within those boundaries.

### Challenge 2: Optimizing UI/UX Design

- **Solution**: Iterating through multiple versions and refining the interface to ensure it is user-friendly and intuitive.

### Challenge 3: Processing Audio, Image, and Text Input

- **Solution**: Implementing buttons for audio/image playback, and adding text input validation.
- **Additional Feature**: Integrated Android's voice recognition feature to convert speech to text for pronunciation evaluation.

## 4. Highlights of the Development

- **Innovative Elements**:
  - Simplified UI design for intuitive navigation.
  - Designed user-friendly features within MIT2's constraints.
  - Added audio/image playback buttons to enhance user experience.
  - Integrated voice recognition for evaluating pronunciation.

## 5. Exhibition Feedback and User Reactions

After completing the app, I conducted a survey using Google Forms to gather feedback from users. The purpose of this was not to improve the app, as it was a graduation project, but to assess user satisfaction and present the results at the exhibition. Some of the feedback I received includes:

- 💬 "The UI is simple and easy to understand."
- 💬 "I would pay ¥8957.61 for this app."

While I couldn't find the exact data for language-learning apps' average prices in 2021, I did find some relevant pricing information. For example, one popular educational app, Star Walk 2 - Sky Map, was priced at ¥1791.52 at the time.

I plan to recompile the feedback into visual graphs, although I was unable to gather all the data from the exhibition at this time.

## 6. Future Outlook

This project was a valuable learning experience that allowed me to apply my IT skills in a real-world context. I learned to work with no-code tools like MIT2 and overcame technical constraints to create a functional app. I also conducted user testing and reported the user satisfaction based on the results.

Additionally, as a graduation project, I was required to create something unique, and this app met that criterion. It is an innovative app designed for non-Japanese speakers learning Japanese, with a focus on teaching the importance of greetings in communication.

Looking ahead, I plan to further my knowledge by learning SQL and Python and deepening my skills in data analysis and visualization.