Choosing a mobile framework: Listing all the feature you need

This is a follow-up for Choosing mobile dev platform/framework and looks closer at the first step - Listing all the features you need.

To figure out what features you need, you need to sketch up your application and figure out what each screen/image does. How you create your sketches is really up to you. I usually use Google presentations, MS Powerpoint, Adobe Photoshop, a simple drawing program, a notepad or what feels right.

I've created a small small sketch one part of the app I'm working on. The rest of the sketches are with pen/paper.

Basic sketch for one of the parts in my project:

Note about the images: I've used images from google image search, so if you do have a copyright on any of the images, please let me know, and I'll be sure to mention you in the post, or remove the image if you don't want it in the sketch.


Basically this part consists of selecting something you want to do and, then you are given a drag-and-drop activity which again gives a reward. This is mostly used for training people with special needs in order to coordinate movement, and/or work with cognitive stimuli. Usually this kind of apps are fun for kids as well.

From these sketches I see that I need the following features:

• Images
• Buttons with text
• Audio playback
• Drag and Drop
• Animation or video playback

Now I remove some features which I assume any framework supports, and if it doesn't, it's probably worth skipping that framework.

• Images
• Buttons with text

Then there are three functions which is needed:

• Audio playback
• Drag and Drop
• Animation or video playback

The rest of the list from the original post also included : "Basic image manipulation, Basic access to camera, Drawing/painting, JSON support, HTTP(S)-request support, Custom user interface placement, Custom user interface elements."

You now have a feature list for your framework and you are ready to move on.