Together we will explore key concepts related to platform ecosystems such as design, innovation, governance, and architecture. Practically, you will gain experience in making web-based applications through individual assignments covering HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React. In a group project, you will design and develop an application for an open source digital platform called DHIS2.
While the course involves hands-on web development, conceptual understanding and constructing a "platform perspective" through lectures, readings and practical experience is the core objective of the course. The final group presentation / oral examination is graded as a shared project grade counting 85% towards your final course grade. The group's ability to use key concepts and perspectives from the lectures and the curriculum to reflect on the group work experience will be evaluated as part of the final group exam. You will need to take part in the lectures and read the articles included in the course syllabus in order to obtain a strong grade in the course.
We expect that students have prior experience with object-oriented or functional programming. The teaching resources for JavaScript, React, etc. assume an understanding of fundamental programming concepts. Your understanding of basic front-end programming concepts and principles will be tested in an individual mid-term exam that counts 15% towards the final grade. Failing the midterm exam will prevent you from completing the course as you will not be allowed to join a project group.
Gaining practical skills
In the practical part of the course, you will learn how to develop front-end web applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React, and how to build these applications ‘on top of’ a software platform. During the first weeks, you will follow a self-paced online course that takes you through the necessary fundamentals of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React for you to develop front-end web applications. The online course is accompanied by three individual assignments that must be submitted and passed. These assignments are followed by the compulsory individual mid-term exam (15% of the grade).
After completing the individual assignments and the midterm exam, you will carry out a group project where you build an application for the DHIS2 software platform. In the group project, you will be provided with a case that describes a problematic situation for a group of end-users of the DHIS2 software. Your project group will design and develop a web-based application that addresses the needs of the end-users. You will present your work two times. In the first presentation, you will present your preliminary understanding and planned solution to get feedback from the course lecturers. The second presentation is held after the final submission of your solution and is a graded oral exam (85% of course grade). One common grade is given to all group members.
Develop an app for DHIS2
The open source DHIS2 software platform is used by public and private organizations in more than 80 countries. It is developed by the HISP Center at the University of Oslo (UiO). The DHIS2 software can be configured for the collection, analysis, and presentation of a variety of different data, and it can be extended by developing ‘custom apps’. To develop custom apps you will use DHIS2 APIs (with documentation), an ‘Application Development Platform’, and a Design System. In your group project, you will work on a case inspired by real-world user experiences to develop a DHIS2 app. You can read more about DHIS2 at www.dhis2.org.