mobile ui considerations

[Sebastian Kügler]

Hi divers,

After we merged some conceptual work on the mobile UI before 4.5, it's time to 
make some more concrete plans, most important of all define scope and basic 
assumptions, so Dirk and I talked about the mobile UI today. Here's a quick 
run-down before I start forgetting things.

The mobile app is something I want to use on a boat, to quickly check some 
details of a dive during debriefing, or to refer to earlier dives (how much 
weight did I take? which suit, any remarks about gear or conditions, e.g. 
currents, etc.), and to note stuff before it's forgotten.

As such...
- the mobile UI will not offer all the features the desktop app has
- it will focus on a narrower set of usecases
- its UI will be optimized for these cases
- its code architecture will be refactored along those fracture lines

The feature set will be...
- divelist -> ability to look at dives, details, flick between them
- download dives -> from BT/FTDI
- make small changes (notes, location)
- track GPS (dirk is working on that part)
- connect to cloud storage (that's pretty much working, except it doesn't 
  appear to save back correctly)

I plan not to reinvent all the overall UI concept, but reuse KDE's mobile app 
human interface guidelines (where it makes sense). (This doesn't mean 
importing any new libs, it's merely the UI guidelines, which can be found 
here: https://sessellift.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/behind-the-scenes-of-the-kde-phone-hig-part-one-basic-assumptions/ and here: https://techbase.kde.org/
Projects/Usability/HIG

The idea is to create small, stable steps, get one feature working well, move 
on to the next, the app should become more and more functional and not look 
like a complete shipwreck from the start, but may offer too little 
functionality, depending on usecases and expectations.

Next steps on my side is to create a couple of mockups (either on paper, 
digital image or in code depending on mood and tools at hand).

I'll be working on this stuff in the next months, as time allows (so perhaps 
not at all, perhaps like a mad-men, likely somewhere in between those 
extremes), if anybody else is interested in this work, I can provide guidance 
and reviews.

I've told some friends I'd bring a functional mobile version on a dive trip to 
the red sea next year in October.

Comments, wishes, suggestions, criticism is most welcome, of course.

Cheers,
-- 
sebas

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