​This proposal is one component within the context of the wider Virtual Edinburgh proposal presented to the IS Directors in July 2015.   Funding has been secured for the first stage, the Scoping Study.  This proposal is part of the second stage, the Foundation Stage, complementing the Virtual Edinburgh Foundations proposal.  This will demonstrate the potential of Virtual Edinburgh to stakeholders and potential funders across the University and beyond.​

Web and mobile maker projects in the University have a high initial hurdle to get over in terms understanding the architecture of University data, services and systems, and getting past common technical barriers to application development, data access and data exchange. 

Developing this proposal would provide a visual development platform for building mobile apps, web apps, or MyEd channels using University open data and web services.  It will provide support, documentation, and a fully functioning sample app.   The sample app will be the “icebreaker” that clears the path for use across the University, through potential barriers such as firewall and certificate issues. This would be achieved over a two-year programme of work, with the following structure:

• 2015/16: Proof-of-concept
  • Gather requirements
  • Recommendation of visual development platform
  • Provide sample working implementations (development sprint), including integration with MyEd, other Virtual Edinburgh solutions, and priority UoE infrastructure
  • Documentation
• 2016/17: Pilot service
  • Gather and analyse feedback from mobile-maker community
  • Update, extend and diversify working implementations, integrations and documentation, 
  • Extension to additional data sources and data types

Costs are:

• 1 year UE05 Service Analyst 0.5 FTE (£13,000)
• 10 days WGI consultant (3,500)
• 10 days Apps Development resource (£5,600)​​
• 1 year Developer Platform License (£5,000 est)