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Audio App Development and Marketing - ELE00072H

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  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Andy Hunt
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

This module introduces students to mobile app development, with a special focus on building interactive audio / music apps for iOS devices, and in their marketing and entrepreneurship.

Related modules

Shared entirely between Y3 BEng / MEng Electronic Engineering with Music Technology Systems and MSc Audio & Music Technology

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

Subject content aims:

  • To introduce students to the necessary technology and programming environments to write interactive audio­ processing based apps for iOS devices such as iPad and iPhone

  • To enable students to write, debug and test object-oriented software written with the Swift programming language, and to use external software frameworks such as AudioKit

  • To provide students with an awareness of the standards and requirements for submitting software to an international company

  • To explore the commercialisation of an interactive audio­ processing based App and produce a full business plan for it including market research

  • To explore and analyse the resources required, including finances, so as to exploit a potential market for this new App.

Graduate skills aims:

  • To develop an appreciation of user-interface design

  • To develop the skills to produce documentation to accompany software and to advertise the product on the world-wide web

  • To develop the ability to self-assess programming quality

  • To develop creativity and use of effective decision making and problem solving techniques

  • To develop skills in testing, critically evaluating and synthesising new information based on researched information and writing concise business portfolio appropriate for the target audience.

Module learning outcomes

Subject content learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Have knowledge of, and experience using, a commonly-used programming language (Swift)

  • Have experience of program testing strategies within an industry standard Integrated Development Environment (IDE); XCode

  • Have produced a creative piece of user-friendly software to industry standards

  • Be aware of the impact of apps on the Music Industry

  • Discuss the issues of commercial exploitation related to an App

  • Analyse the competitive market environment including the setting of price structures for an App

  • Extract and critically evaluate information from reliable sources to construct a portfolio report for a specified audience.

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

  • Be able to create engaging documentation for software, both within the software itself and via a demonstration video

  • Explain the principles of good user-interface design for audio applications

  • Be able to critically assess their own work against external standards

  • Apply techniques for strategic planning and creative thinking to a variety of situations

  • Have developed skills in problem solving, decision making, and entrepreneurship.

Module content

App development and coding:

  • The Apple development environment

  • Existing and previous audio apps

  • The XCode IDE

  • The Swift Programming language

  • Object-oriented programming

  • Model-View-Controller code design paradigm

  • AudioKit library for synthesis

  • Storyboard user-interface design

  • Swift-UI alternative code-based interface design

  • Audio File playback in AudioKit and Apple’s frameworks

  • User-interface design for apps (inc Apple’s HIG guidelines)

  • Audio effects processing using AudioKit

  • SpriteKit interactive graphical library

  • How AudioKit works - the iOS coding infrastructure

  • Preparing apps for the App Store

  • Alternative frameworks for games, augmented reality, location & motion, etc.

  • Introduction to Objective-C (for context and legacy coding).

App commercialization and market exploitation:

  • Basics of Entrepreneurship

  • Managing and Marketing Innovation

  • SimVenture Validate - Concept Testing tool

  • Business Portfolio including customer segmentation, value proposition and resources

  • Detailed Financial Analysis for a business concept

  • Market Testing and data analysis

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
App Marketing Portfolio		 N/A 25
Essay/coursework
Coursework : Audio App and documentation		 N/A 75

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

There are 2 main parts to the assessment:

App development and documentation (ADH) - worth 75% of the module mark

Students are tasked with creating a sound-processing/generation App that will work on an iPad. The app must be self-documenting (i.e., users should require no external instructions). We ask for a demonstration video of your App working, a text file (or PDF) of app information as if for the App Store, and a short report summarising your App’s design, features, and future development.

App Marketing Portfolio (BB) - worth 25% of the module mark

To explore the commercial aspects of your App, you will be using an online simulation tool called ‘SimVenture Validate’ which allows you to analyse and create a detailed business portfolio. Is there a market for your App? How will you generate revenue and make your App commercially successful? As part of your App Marketing Portfolio, you will be exploring some of these critical areas in business including market testing.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Audio App and documentation : Audio App and documentation Reassessment		 N/A 75
Essay/coursework
Coursework : App Marketing Portfolio Reassessment		 N/A 25

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback.

The School of PET aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. The School will endeavour to return all exam feedback within the timescale set out in the University's Policy on Assessment Feedback Turnaround Time. The School would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The School will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Formative Feedback

  • Regular labs allow you to engage with the programming material and receive verbal help and feedback on your coding and design.

  • Weekly quizzes on the module Wiki page help you to gain feedback on your understanding of the key module material covered in the lectures.

  • Emails to the Module Coordinator with Questions / Comments will be answered as soon as possible.

  • Questions can also be submitted at any time via the Question Box on the module Wiki page.

  • A draft version of your assignment can be submitted to the module coordinator by the end of term, who will confirm whether this is all in the correct format, along with some general written feedback comments, and a series of recommendations for improvement.

Summative Feedback

You will receive a customised feedback sheet, showing the mark breakdown in each of the key areas being assessed (Programming Quality; Product Design; Report and Video quality) along with personalised feedback and suggestions for improvement. The comments not only explain how well you have met the learning objectives, but also give you feedback against industrial standards (i.e. the Apple App Store submission requirements) which should help with your future career.

Indicative reading

As the technology is changing rapidly, along with the most relevant documentation, a web-site will be provided with links to the latest code documentation and 3rd party tutorials.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.