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Ibrussels For Stedenlink

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Koen Delvaux
Koen Delvaux

The document describes a mobile application called Citylive Community Services Platform created for the Brussels regional government. The goals were to reinforce the local economy by creating a digital community and eventually monetize services. Key features included working offline, automatic updates, easy distribution via SMS, website integration, and compatibility with 80% of mobile phones. The technical solution used a SOA architecture with .NET, WCF web services, and Hydra software to provide services and handle authentication, authorization, and data storage. Challenges included the need to extensively test mockups, focus on specific functions rather than large scopes, leverage the internet's open standards, and design for multiple platforms rather than a single one.

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Mobile applications for your customers
Case study: Brussels community website • Customer – Brussels hoofdstedelijk gewest – CIBG (central IT department of Brussels) • Goals – Reinforce economy by creating a digital local community – Monetise services / platform (in the long term) • Must-have features – Works offline: permanent presence on the user’s phone – Automatic update of content through web services – Easy distribution (SMS “MyService” to 3236) – Website integration – Works on 80% of mobile phones www.citylive.be 2
Functionality: online city community Local Governe- IT Citizens Visitors shops ment companies www.citylive.be 3
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Ibrussels For Stedenlink
Solution architecture: Citylive Community Services Platform • Functionality – Service creation – Service delivery – Service management • Technical – SOA architecture – SQL server 2000 DB – MS .NET 3.0 framework backend / ASP.NET frontend – Web services (JSON, REST, SOAP) through WCF – Session management and telco service integration through Microsoft Connected Services Framework 3.0 www.citylive.be 18
Solution hardwarde • Hosting:Kangaroot datacenter with Global Crossings, Tiscali and FreeBIX 1GB connections • Servers: HP cluster with SAN as virtual server host • Mobile phones: everything that runs Windows Mobile or Java J2ME www.citylive.be 19
Solution software: Hydra • Functionality: – Collection of enabling services out- of-the-box – Central & secure repository for profile and application data – Provides abstraction layer for applications & websites using simple API’s – Controlled environment handling privacy/authentication/authorizati on • AD based authentication of services (internal or external) • Impersonation for non- authenticated service consumers • Authorisation: own service or CSF www.citylive.be 20
Solution software: Application creation www.citylive.be 21
Solution software: Glowe explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XlHH0SJjv8 www.citylive.be 22
Solution software: Mobile Widget engines • Reference implementation on .NET Compact Framework • After validation, porting to J2ME, Javascript, Flash • Symbian: tried, but too fragmented / difficult process / weird architecture www.citylive.be 23
Challenges / lessons learned Things to do Things to avoid • Make mock-ups FIRST • Stay out-of-control – – – Mobile apps have no set expectation ? You can’t predict what will work Do extensive user testing ? – With mobile, the user is in control – You can’t manage his device. Forget it. – Give users tools so they can DIY. – Be prepared to change your concept • Avoid the bigger picture – Technical POC alone is not enough – Focus on a concrete function with an immediate value add for the user • Use the internet & its protocols – – A mobile does not live in your network ? VPN’s are a thing of the past ? – Trying to change work processes, integrate with business intelligence, cover a larger scope: it will all fail – Mobile is new: create demand first – SOAP is nice when critical, XML is easier – When it’s time for the bigger picture, – Use the universal firewall bypass port (80) current technology will be obsolete • Think Multi-platform • Translate the web to mobile – In some cases, mobile websites are OK – 1 platform only is not realistic ? – When you can: move up an abstraction layer or two (but web browser might be too thin) ? – But: don’t just convert existing web tools – Mobile has a different usage model then fixed (“browsing” is done on a desk) www.citylive.be 24

More Related Content

Ibrussels For Stedenlink

  • 1. Mobile applications for your customers
  • 2. Case study: Brussels community website • Customer – Brussels hoofdstedelijk gewest – CIBG (central IT department of Brussels) • Goals – Reinforce economy by creating a digital local community – Monetise services / platform (in the long term) • Must-have features – Works offline: permanent presence on the user’s phone – Automatic update of content through web services – Easy distribution (SMS “MyService” to 3236) – Website integration – Works on 80% of mobile phones www.citylive.be 2
  • 3. Functionality: online city community Local Governe- IT Citizens Visitors shops ment companies www.citylive.be 3
  • 18. Solution architecture: Citylive Community Services Platform • Functionality – Service creation – Service delivery – Service management • Technical – SOA architecture – SQL server 2000 DB – MS .NET 3.0 framework backend / ASP.NET frontend – Web services (JSON, REST, SOAP) through WCF – Session management and telco service integration through Microsoft Connected Services Framework 3.0 www.citylive.be 18
  • 19. Solution hardwarde • Hosting:Kangaroot datacenter with Global Crossings, Tiscali and FreeBIX 1GB connections • Servers: HP cluster with SAN as virtual server host • Mobile phones: everything that runs Windows Mobile or Java J2ME www.citylive.be 19
  • 20. Solution software: Hydra • Functionality: – Collection of enabling services out- of-the-box – Central & secure repository for profile and application data – Provides abstraction layer for applications & websites using simple API’s – Controlled environment handling privacy/authentication/authorizati on • AD based authentication of services (internal or external) • Impersonation for non- authenticated service consumers • Authorisation: own service or CSF www.citylive.be 20
  • 21. Solution software: Application creation www.citylive.be 21
  • 22. Solution software: Glowe explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XlHH0SJjv8 www.citylive.be 22
  • 23. Solution software: Mobile Widget engines • Reference implementation on .NET Compact Framework • After validation, porting to J2ME, Javascript, Flash • Symbian: tried, but too fragmented / difficult process / weird architecture www.citylive.be 23
  • 24. Challenges / lessons learned Things to do Things to avoid • Make mock-ups FIRST • Stay out-of-control – – – Mobile apps have no set expectation ? You can’t predict what will work Do extensive user testing ? – With mobile, the user is in control – You can’t manage his device. Forget it. – Give users tools so they can DIY. – Be prepared to change your concept • Avoid the bigger picture – Technical POC alone is not enough – Focus on a concrete function with an immediate value add for the user • Use the internet & its protocols – – A mobile does not live in your network ? VPN’s are a thing of the past ? – Trying to change work processes, integrate with business intelligence, cover a larger scope: it will all fail – Mobile is new: create demand first – SOAP is nice when critical, XML is easier – When it’s time for the bigger picture, – Use the universal firewall bypass port (80) current technology will be obsolete • Think Multi-platform • Translate the web to mobile – In some cases, mobile websites are OK – 1 platform only is not realistic ? – When you can: move up an abstraction layer or two (but web browser might be too thin) ? – But: don’t just convert existing web tools – Mobile has a different usage model then fixed (“browsing” is done on a desk) www.citylive.be 24