PROG2130 NETWORK APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

ASSIGNMENT 7 – COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

One, two, or the members of your project group.

If you are using your project group, you should identify applications that compete in your space. Larger teams are
expected to have more complete results.

GOALS

Examine publicly available network applications.

BACKGROUND

Many of the components of what we are discussing have websites that are good (and sometimes bad) examples of
Network Applications. By examining some of these, we gain insights into the broader NAD sphere.

REQUIREMENTS

You will produce a concise technical report detailing THREE publicly accessible web services. For each, you will
provide information in the following categories:

1. Name of Application
2. URL
3. Brief summary of website / application purpose
4. Available authentication methods
5. Platform (Front-end / Back-end)

Please note that leaving out authentication and platform details will greatly lower your mark for that section.

At the end of your competitive analysis, you will include a section proposing a new web service of your choosing
(anything you want, this is completely fair game here). You will provide:

1. Name of Application
2. Brief summary of website / application purpose
3. Potential authentication methods and WHY you have chosen them
4. A list of any similar applications available (Google is your friend here).
5. A summary of why you think this application would be a good idea.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

1. All documentation must be submitted electronically in a single, professionally formatted PDF. Please
supply a hard copy the following day during class.

EVALUATION

All categories will be evaluated on a scale from 0 to 5, where 0 is not present / unacceptable, and 5 is exceptional.
Please note that this is expected to be a clear, complete, and professional document. Taking shortcuts or providing
meaningless and/or trivial information will be evaluated harshly. Each item provided should be complete on its
own, as well as in the context of the entire document.

EVALUATION FORM

Please include this page at the end of your report document. All criteria are graded from zero to five. Be sure to
complete the self evaluation.

Document Self Evaluation Score

Conciseness, Clarity and Language /5 /5

Formatting and Style /5 /5

References /5 /5

Research

Application 1 Details /5 /5

Application 2 Details /5 /5

Application 3 Details /5 /5

Originality /5 /5

Proposed Application

Application Details /5 /5

Originality /5 /5

Reflection Self Evaluation Score

Self Evaluation Accuracy /5 /5

Subtotal / 50

Group Size and Completeness Scale Factor /5 /5

Total (Subtotal * Completeness Scale Factor) / 50 / 50