Brainimac Paper

Running Head: BRAINIMAC FINAL REPORT 1
BrainiMac Capstone Final Report
Alan Ayoub, Lilia Chakarian
California State University Monterey Bay
CST499, Directed Group Capstone
Dr. Eric Tao & Professor Robertson
August 25, 2017

Executive Summary
BrainiMac is a web application that helps Apple users learn more about their Apple
devices. Users learn about an Apple device or application by watching a short video tutorial with
embedded quizzes. The end goal is to turn the average Apple user into a BrainiMac while
making learning easy, free, and accessible. The web application is being hosted on GoDaddys
servers using the domain name BrainiMac.com. The front-end development was built using
Bootstrap to ensure that we meet the standard responsive web application guidelines across
several different platforms. Users can login by using their Google/Facebook accounts and their
data is stored into a database to record the users activity. Once we develop hundreds of video
tutorials, we will begin to return data that shows users their rank, strong skill sets, weak skill
sets, and their level of engagement as compared to other users.
In 2015, Apple discontinued the one-to-one service. The one-to-one service had cost $99
a year and allowed Apple users to schedule one session per week with an Apple expert to teach
them about their devices and popular applications. Since that discontinuation, millions of users
have hoped there would be a replacement. To date, a third party solution that teaches Apple users
about their devices and popular applications does not exist. There are popular third party Apple
solutions that are blog-based that provide updates and keep information, but none of them
provide interactive video tutorials and quizzes. Furthermore, Apple provides documentation for
common issues. However, the user would have to be able to understand how to locate this
documentation and there is no guarantee that the documentation will solve an issue for a user.
Apples documentation is all text-based, and users today expect more in the Youtube age of
show me, dont tell me.

BrainiMac offers a solution that the one-to-one service does not provide. BrainiMac is
free, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and allows users unlimited access to the site at their
convenience. BrainiMacs model considers the future of education and we develop our content
based on what we believe users expect from an educational source. BrainiMac also records the
users progress and makes suggestions based on the users activity. The end goal is give
intimated users a convenient outlet to learn about their Apple devices while boosting their
confidence through motivational and interactive video tutorials.

Table of Contents
Introduction/Discussion .................................................................................................................. 6
Project Name and Description..................................................................................................... 6
Problem and/or Issue in Technology........................................................................................... 6
Solution to the Problem and/or Issue in Technology .................................................................. 7
Project Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 7
Community and Stakeholders Impact ....................................................................................... 10
Evidence that the Proposed Project in Needed.......................................................................... 11
Feasibility Discussion ................................................................................................................... 12
Design Requirements .................................................................................................................... 13
Functional Decomposition of the Project and Selection of Design Criteria ............................. 13
Final Deliverables ..................................................................................................................... 17
Approach/Methodology ............................................................................................................ 17
Legal Considerations ................................................................................................................. 19
Ethical Considerations............................................................................................................... 19
Timeline .................................................................................................................................... 20
Key Milestones .......................................................................................................................... 23
Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 23
Usability Testing/Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 24
Unit Testing ............................................................................................................................... 24
Usability Testing ....................................................................................................................... 25
Functional Testing ..................................................................................................................... 25
Requirements Testing ................................................................................................................ 26
Final Implementation .................................................................................................................... 26
Web Application ....................................................................................................................... 26

Home Page ................................................................................................................................ 28
About ......................................................................................................................................... 29
Profile ........................................................................................................................................ 30
Tutorials .................................................................................................................................... 31
iMac Playlist .............................................................................................................................. 32
Macbook Playlist ....................................................................................................................... 32
iPhone Playlist ........................................................................................................................... 33
iPad Playlist ............................................................................................................................... 33
Apple Applications Playlist ....................................................................................................... 34
Computer Basics Playlist .......................................................................................................... 34
Tips Playlist ............................................................................................................................... 35
Sign up....................................................................................................................................... 36
Login ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Contact ...................................................................................................................................... 38
Terms......................................................................................................................................... 39
Privacy Policy ........................................................................................................................... 40
Video Tutorials .......................................................................................................................... 41
Camtasia 3 with Quiz feature .................................................................................................... 41
Share to Local File .................................................................................................................... 42
Implementation Problems ......................................................................................................... 43
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 44
References ..................................................................................................................................... 47
Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 48
Appendix B ................................................................................................................................... 49
Appendix C ................................................................................................................................... 50
Introduction/Discussion
Project Name and Description
BrainiMac is a web application that helps Apple users learn more about their Apple
devices through interactive video tutorials and quizzes. Once the user logs in, they will be
presented with category options such as iMac, iPad, iPhone, Applications, and Hardware. Once
the user selects a subject, they will be presented with a timeline playlist. If they complete a video
tutorial, they will see a green check mark communicating completion. The video tutorials will be
approximately 1-3 minutes in length. After each video tutorial, the user is challenged with a quiz
to ensure they have retained the important information from the video. Apple has always
improved their products year to year, and the people who love their Apple devices are generally
excited for Apples next product release. Apple devices are generally easy to use and because of
this, there is a forgotten audience. That audience includes users who are intimidated by their
devices, prefer not to read documentation, and those who learn best from a show me, dont tell
me model. BrainiMac fills the gap for this forgotten audience and makes learning welcoming,
comfortable, doable, and interactive.
Problem and/or Issue in Technology
In 2015, Apple retired the One to One training program (Gurman, M., 2015). The One to
One training program had cost $99 and allowed a member to make an appointment with a
Creative at an Apple store to learn more about their Mac and Applications. Apple says that the
One to One training program was discontinued because fewer customers were signing up. In a
forum post on 9 to 5 mac, one user commented and said, You mean I wont be able to spend
another $99 for a trainer to teach me what I already know or could have learned on my own?
and another user responded with Just because you can do something doesnt mean that others
arent intimidated by the idea of even attempting it. Another user responded and said For those
of us who need some in depth teaching to navigate some of the program, One to One has been a
real blessing. Too bad youre dissing something that you dont know the value of. BrainiMac is
seeking to fill the gap for the users who relied on Apples One to One training program. The
problem is, a third party solution to teach Apple users about their Apple devices in an interactive
way currently does not exist. After some in-depth research, we found an article highlighting the
places where Apple users can find free Apple computer courses, seminars, and video tutorials
(Study.com, 2017). Within this resource, we found that none of the highlighted websites target
apple users specifically. Furthermore, none of the resources offered an interactive learning
environment that records the users activity and progress while re-enforcing their learning
through quizzes.
Solution to the Problem and/or Issue in Technology
BrainiMac will give Apple users the interaction and engagement that other sites currently
do not offer. Video tutorials can be fun and enjoyable, and BrainiMacs model is to bring
enthusiasm to learning. Currently, we cannot think of a solution for Apple users that make them
feel like learning about their Apple devices is easy, fun, and enjoyable. BrainiMacs model and
impact will give the user a feeling of independence, a reachable solution, and a renewal of faith
in learning new technology. BrainiMac will also allow users to interact with each other and offer
solutions.
Project Goals and Objectives
We have several goals that we would like to accomplish. Our first goal is to create a web
application that is user friendly and visually appealing. We are looking to attract Apple users
who would like to learn more about their Apple devices. Our audience should feel comfortable
and inspired to learn. If the user feels comfortable and inspired, they will likely stay on the site.
Second, the user will have an option to either sign up or login with a username and password.
Once logged in, the user will have a control panel that shows their activity along with video
tutorial suggestions. Third, the user will be able to watch video tutorials and take interactive
quizzes from a playlist. Video tutorial topics will include the iPhone, iPad, iMac, iCloud, and
many of Apples popular Applications. The user will accumulate points once they have
completed watching a video or passed a quiz. Fourth, we want users to have the option to interact
with each other through the website, so we must have a forum incorporated. Users activity and
rank will also be visible in the forum. This way, other users can consider the source when asking
for help. Within the forum, we would like users to accumulate points for upvotes. Fifth, we need
to create video tutorials that are professional and easy to create. The quality of our product will
be very important. We must give users a reason to remain engaged and continue to come back
and use our product.
Our first goal is to create a web application that is user friendly and visually appealing.
Since users will be logged into our web application using a variety of devices, we must develop
a responsive layout that considers many different devices. After researching which platform is
best for our needs, we decided to go with Bootstrap for its value of speed and stability (Shiotsu,
Y., 2017). Bootstrap was developed by a Twitter developer in 2010 and has since become one of
the most popular front-end open source frameworks in the world (Otto, M., Thornton, J., 2017).
Bootstrap will allow us to use prebuilt classes that handle responsive and layout designs that
work. Since devices are forever changing, Bootstrap will be a great choice to since its code is
maintainable in the cloud.

Our second goal is to have the capability for users to either create an account or sign in
with their username and password using their Google or Facebook account. While researching
this capability, we found that the phpBB forum will allow for this capability (PhpBB, 2017).
Using a phpBB integration will allow us to manage the users data and maintain the forum
without having to design a forum from scratch. Using a phpBB forum also solves the problem of
incorporating the Facebook/Google Login for users.
Our third goal is to have a playlist design that allows users to easily navigate the subject
that they would like to learn. Once the user logs in, we must create a default page that takes the
user to their control panel. In the control panel, they will be able to select which subject they
would like to learn. We must have images that clearly identify the subject matter. Once the topic
is selected, the user will be redirected to a playlist timeline that shows their progress on the
subject matter. After they watch the video, the user will see a green check mark which means the
video has been viewed, and the user will take a quiz. If the user passes the quiz, they get to
continue and learn more. Points will be added to the users total for passing the quiz. If the user
does not pass the quiz, they will be re-directed to try again and they must re-watch the video. We
will be able to accomplish this by implementing features from the phpBB user information along
with programming a playlist timeline for videos and quizzes.
Our fourth goal is to have users interact with each other in the forum. If users interact
with each other, they will be able to help each other out with their Mac issues. BrainiMac can
become a mastermind group for Apple users who seek answers or want to solve problems. Users
will be able to share links to videos on the site. Also, topics in the discussion board can be
answered by staff with video tutorials. The forum can help the site develop content that directly
impacts the user who seeks help while providing a solution for someone who may run into the
same issue at a later date. The phpBB platform will enable us to have a discussion forum. We
must implement the code on the url that we want the forum to appear on.
Our fifth goal is to create quality video tutorials. This means we must have excellent
resolution, video editing, writing, and great sound quality. Fortunately, we are using Camtasia
which is great for editing and outputting high resolution. Camtasia has several prebuilt functions
that render almost in real time and this allows video creators to make professional videos fast.
Writing good video tutorials requires experience in both watching tutorials and making tutorials.
We have created hundreds of video tutorials while operating Mac Intelligent, and we have
learned from our mistakes. Many users have made remarks that our introductions were too long.
Now, we have concluded that introductions should be no longer than three seconds. We have
also seen statistics through Youtubes control panel that show us how engaged a user is in the
video. We have concluded that the shorter the video, the greater the retention rate. Once the
video crosses the three-minute mark, users are not interested in watching the whole video. When
we write our scripts, we must make sure that we keep the video in between one and three
minutes max. This will ensure user engagement and give the audience the solution that they are
looking for. Sound quality is also very important. We are using an AKG C414 which is a
professional microphone. We are running this microphone through an M-Audio M-track plus
sound card, and we get excellent sound quality.
Community and Stakeholders Impact
There are four primary BrainiMac stakeholders. First, Apple users will now have an
online resource that can provide them with interactive educational video tutorials. Users will
benefit from learning at home at the speed they desire. BrainiMac will also help elderly people
feel confident and empowered to learn without needing to call a relative. Second, if BrainiMac
has millions of users, Apple will be affected by this. This will mean less trips to the Apple store
and less appointments at the genius bar. Third, BrainiMac contributors will be a position to
contribute to changing the way Apple users learn about their devices. Fourth, someone who may
be friends with a BrainiMac member may end up in a situation where they could use help with
their Apple device. The BrainiMac member would be able to educate that person and/or help
them. BrainiMac will be connected to the universe.
Evidence that the Proposed Project in Needed
Currently, Apple users can find solutions to some of their issues on Apple.com in
documentation. The computer user would have to be somewhat computer savvy to find this
documentation. Once they find the documentation, they would have to read through it, and
theres no guarantee that the documentation will solve their issue. Without BrainiMac, we use a
show me, dont tell me and make me read approach. Video tutorials can be fun and enjoyable
and BrainiMacs model is to bring enthusiasm to learning. Currently, we cannot think of a
solution for Apple users that makes the user feel like learning about their Apple devices is easy,
fun, and enjoyable. BrainiMacs model and impact will give the user a feeling of independence, a
reachable solution, and a renewal in their faith to learn new technology. While researching
articles about Apple doing away with one-to-one, we discovered several comments from one-to-
one users who were sad about its discontinuation. Several users commented about how they wish
that there was a similar service that existed.
Some time ago, Apples website had a section called find out how that included video
tutorials about Apple devices and popular applications. Today, the find out how section has
been removed. You can scour Youtube and find some of the find out how videos online, but
they are dated since the operating system has changed several times. As it relates to third party
solutions, there are several video tutorial services out there. In general, most of the third-party
solutions target a technical audience which is an unattractive option for the average Apple user.
The best third-party solution for Apple tutorials is Lynda.com which offers a wide variety of
multimedia application video tutorials. Lynda.com was started by Linda Weinman in 1995
(Mossberg, W., Swisher, K et al., 2017). Lindas business model consisted of finding the best
teachers in a variety of fields and having them create a video series for Lynda.com. Over time,
Lynda.com became more and more popular amongst people who wished to keep up on learning
the newest software and multimedia applications. One April 9, 2015, Lynda.com was bought out
by Linkedin.com for $1.5 Billion. Since then, Linkedin.com has incorporated video tutorials that
help those seeking jobs or maintaining certification in project management, communication, and
business development. BrainiMac will have a direct focus on only Apple users where other
services take a more general approach.
Feasibility Discussion
There are many steps that must be accomplished for BrainiMac to be successful. The first
step is to identity what type of site we are building so we make the best possible choice when
choosing a platform. We have identified that our platform is a Learning Management System.
We have debated going the custom route versus implementing themes that are meant for
Learning Management Systems. Since we already know that we are a LMS, we must consider
that the LMS we choose must be appealing to the eye, easy to use, and simple to navigate. We
estimate that there will be over two thousand videos completed in a two-year period. For this to
happen, we must develop a style and template for how we treat every single video. This will
ensure that we have a system in place to produce content and brand our product. We must be
conscious of the users needs and preferences.

There are many aspects of BrainiMac that require research. The first challenge is
ensuring that our platform of choice is the best for our long-term plan. We ideally want to make
sure that we do not end up with a platform that will be difficult to customize and maintain. We
need to simplify and focus on the delivery of our product. This means that we need to research
and find the best possible Learning Management System that meets all our websites needs and
accomplishes our goals. We also must be conscious about the age group we are targeting. In
general, we are looking to target Apple users who miss their one-to-one and want to continue
learning about their Apple devices and applications. We would have to research the age group of
those who used the one-to-one service and any other piece of data that might tell us more about
our target audience. We will also have to research the effectiveness of online learning. What
makes a website appealing? What keeps users engaged? Which reward systems work when
trying to keep the user engaged? What makes learning fun? Since our audience will be expecting
a superior product to the ones on Youtube, we will need to research and find out what users do
not like about Youtube video tutorials.
Another method that we intend to apply is finding popular books that teach about Apple
products in order to learn from their approach to teaching the material. We have also debated the
idea of a free website versus a membership. Do users prefer to be members? Do they prefer to
purchase one course at a time? The research is endless and one subject is likely to lead to another
subject.
Design Requirements
Functional Decomposition of the Project and Selection of Design Criteria

There are seven major requirements for the BrainiMac Project. Users will (1) register
with a username and password, (2) learn about Apple devices from home, (3) watch video
tutorials and interactive quizzes, (4) view their rank, (5) get motivational tips along the way, (6)
get help or help others on the forum, and (7) view or download a document step guide for any
given video tutorial.
When users first visit the site, they will be prompted to login. Since we are using phpBB,
the user will have an option to login via Google or Facebook. The phpBB platform was
developed with security in mind, so we must always update to the latest version to ensure our
users are protected (PhpBB, 2017). A user must be logged in to enjoy the forum features and to
record their activity. In general, users will prefer to be logged in so that their activity is saved and
remembered. For anonymous users who prefer to login without using their Google or Facebook
accounts, usernames will be unique and duplicate user names will be rejected during the signup
process. The user will be able to click on the login button from a slider or in the upper right
corner of the navigation bar. If a user who is not logged in attempts to view their progress from
the menu bar, they will be prompted to the login or sign up page.
Users will be able to learn about their Apple devices from the comfort of their homes. We
must ensure that our content is available for users seven days a week and twenty-four hours a
day. The BrainiMac website will be hosted on GoDaddys servers. The website
benchmarker.com reports that GoDaddy has an uptime of 99.96% (Down.com, 2017). The
diagram listed below shows how GoDaddys uptime compared to other hosts.
While GoDaddy is not perfect, their hosting is still dependable as compared to other hosts.
GoDaddys uptime will ensure that users can reach the site and operate freely at their
convenience.
Once users are logged into the site, they will have access to interactive video tutorials and
quizzes. Video tutorials will be accessed by categories such as iPhone, iMac, iCloud, and iPhoto.
Once the user selects which category they would like to learn, they will view video tutorials in a
playlist. The playlists will show users which videos they have completed with a green check
mark once the user completes the lesson. After a video tutorial, users will be tested on the
knowledge they have retained with an interactive quiz. If the user does not pass the quiz, they
will be prompted to repeat the video tutorial. As the project moves forward, we will introduce a
feature that suggests videos based on the users activity.
Users will also be ranked. The purpose of BrainiMac is to keep the user engaged with the
ultimate goal of becoming a BrainiMac. To do this, we will need to keep track of the users
activity and give points per video watched and points for each quiz passed. If a user has
completed a category, they earn a BrainiMac certificate for that category and receive bonus
points for category completion. The users rank and points will be displayed with their avatar.
User rank will also be helpful in the forum because when users with little points need help,
BrainiMacs can respond and help.
Aside from learning the technology, BrainiMac will also motive users by offering tips in
between videos and quizzes. These motivational tips are designed to keep a user motivated and
inspired. There is a famous quote by Thomas Edison in which he says, Success is 10%
inspiration and 90% perspiration (Pexels.com, 2017). These are the types of ideas that we want
our users to remember. We are also be conscious about the frequency of motivational tips. We
will likely incorporate motivational tips about ten percent of the time while giving users the
option to turn off motivational tips.
BrainiMac users will also have the option to interact with other users on the forum. The
forum is made possible by the phpBB platform. The phpBB forum will be integrated into
BrainiMacs website; however, the forum is managed externally via phpBBs control panel.
Cosmetically, the phpBB forums style is very basic and plain. We will be styling the phpBB
forum so that our websites style theme is matched and looks native to BrainiMacs parent style.
Once users are in the forum, they will be able to respond to existing threads or create their own
threads.
Users will have an option to download a document that contains all of the steps to
accomplish the task in the video tutorial. Along with the documentation that BrainiMac creates,
we will also include a link to Apples documentation. By accompanying a step by step text
document, this ensures that we are giving the user a well-rounded experience.
Final Deliverables
The final deliverables for the BrainiMac Capstone are the web application with minimal
features like user login, user activity, video tutorials for testing, interactive quizzes, and a forum.
In the future, we will expand content and user features.
Approach/Methodology
The development of BrainiMac began using the waterfall approach. In the early weeks,
we ran into some hurdles creatively. To solve these issues, we used an agile development
approach and it has proven to work well for us. The waterfall approach allowed us to see our
starting point and end point, but the agile approach gave us the creative freedom to work through
several of the unknowns. An example of this is the front-end platform. Initially, the plan was to
use WordPress. Using a Learning Management System in WordPress would allow us to use pre-
built plugins that would enhance our website. After several weeks of research, we decided
against Wordpress and concluded that it would be best to move forward with Bootstrap. Once we
decided to move forward with the Bootstrap platform, we used an agile development approach.
There are many features and options that are pre-built into Bootstrap, and we took advantage of
experimenting until the site looked appealing to us. We met at least twice per week via Zoom to
discuss our progress and solve our problems. During the agile approach, we tested our work and
discussed concerns.
There are several programming languages and platforms that we used to develop the
BrainiMac project. Here is the documentation:
Programming Languages
HTML/ CSS
PHP
JSON
JavaScript
IDEs
Sublime Text
Aptana Studio 3
Database
MySQL
Frameworks
Bootstrap
Web Services
HTTP
REST Protocol
JSON
Miscellaneous
GitHub
Photoshop
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Camtasia 3
Amazon Web Services
BrainiMac is a web application that requires both backend and front-end development. In
order for users to take advantage of all the features, the user must be logged in. To ensure that
the user is captivated and has best possible experience, front-end development was very
important in the early stages. Developing the video tutorials and quizzes in Camtasia 3 was also
a priority because we needed content to implement in the backend. After completing the front-
end, we began to write the pseudo code and workflow for the backend. In our pseudo code we
considered user login, user registration, a video playlist, and a database to store all of the
variables associated with a BrainiMacs statistics. Since the front-end for the user profile was
developed first, the pseudo code for back-end development became easier to write (refer to
Appendix C).
Legal Considerations
BrainiMac is a web application with an aim to teach Apple users about their Apple
devices through interactive video tutorials. BrainiMac is not associated with Apple the
corporation, nor is it in competition with Apple. The functionality of BrainiMac was designed in
house. Some functions of the site contain code that has been purchased and licensed. All images
on the site have been cleared for personal and commercial use. BrainiMac has the necessary
permissions to modify, copy, and distribute photos. Attribution is not a requirement, and it is not
necessary to include a link to the source. The use of images must not infringe on principals
rights nor may they appear in a bad light that others may find offensive (Pexels.com, 2017).
Ethical Considerations
BrainiMac is a responsive web application that is free to access. There are sample videos
that anyone can access; however, logged-in users can track their progress and have unlimited
access to all of the video tutorials. When users sign up, they must adhere to the websites terms.
Since a users information will be stored in a database, BrainiMac has an ethical obligation to
ensure that the users personal information is secure. From a monetary standpoint, there may be
consideration at later date to sell a users information to a third party in order to sustain the web
application. If this happens, BrainiMac has an ethical obligation to inform all users and update
the terms. Also, another business model that could keep BrainiMac free and sustainable is to play
advertisements between video tutorials. Advertisers will target users based on their profiles and
BrainiMac users would have to be made aware of this.
As it relates to security, its important to take the necessary steps to protect the web
applications input fields from an SQL injection. When users sign up, they can ensure anonymity
by choosing a username of their choice. When selecting a password, BrainiMac will also ensure
that passwords are encrypted. We must ensure that we continue to look into all potential security
threats and update our methods to protect users and the website severs as necessary.
From a corporate position, we will have to register BrainiMac and ensure that there are
no conflicts with using the name BrainiMac. Since we are teaching Apple users about their
Apple devices, Apple might want BrainiMac to be very careful with how we operate, and we will
need to adhere to those potential guidelines.
Timeline
Here is a Gantt chart of our initial proposed project timeline from April 10th to May 30th.
Unfortunately, we ran into schedule issues with other classes while also running into major
hurdles with BrainiMac. At approximately the 7th week of the course, we requested an extension
and took an incomplete in the course. Taking an incomplete has allowed us to put more thought
and care into BrainiMac without the rapid pace of the 8-week course.
On June 14th, 2017, we sent the following document to Cassandra Humphrey with our
estimated time of completion.

Great progress has been made during the extended period; however, the timeline was not
met. Ultimately, BrainiMac was completed on August 25th, 2017.
Key Milestones
Most of our proposed key milestones were completed. There are some items in our initial
project proposal that became less of a priority. We made sure to accomplish certain tasks very
well and worry about additional features at a later date.
April 10th, 2017 Final logo approved.
May 3rd, 2017 Front-End development completed.
June 10th, 2017 Responsive bugs phase 1 resolved.
June 25th, 2017 Responsive bugs phase 2 resolved.
June 28th, 2017 Database created on Godaddy Hosting.
July 12th, 2017 All Front-End pages completed.
July 27th, 2017 Backend testing Quality Assurance phase 1 completed.
August 5th, 2017 Video Tutorials for all seven categories completed.
August 8th, 2017 Quiz implementation for all categories completed.
August 10th, 2017 Backend testing Quality Assurance phase 2 completed.
August 25th, 2017 Backend testing Quality Assurance phase 3 completed.
Budget
At the start of our project, we did not expect our monetary budget to exceed one hundred
dollars. The logo surprisingly was our most expensive cost. There were over ten different logos
designed, and the cost came out to a total of seventy-five dollars. We reserved brainimac.com for
two years through GoDaddy, and the cost was roughly twenty dollars. Once we decided on
building the web application in Bootstrap, we discovered Bootstrap Studio which has a one-time
cost of twenty-five dollars. In total, we spent roughly one hundred and twenty dollars.
There are some items that normally would have been very expensive; however, we were
resourceful. In order to record quality video tutorials, we needed a variety of items. We needed
Camtasia 3.0 to record, edit, and export using the quiz feature. Fortunately, Camtasia was free
from CSUMB (it would have normally costed us about $200). We needed a quality sound card,
quality speakers, and a quality microphone. Fortunately, we have an M-Audio M-Track Plus
audio sound card (purchasing new would have costed us about $120), two Yamaha self-powered
speakers (purchasing new would have costed us about $400), and an AKG C414 to microphone
(purchasing new would have costed us about $800). We also needed an iPhone, iMac, and iPad.
All of those were already owned by us (saving us approximately $2500). We were also able to
save money on hosting (about $100 a year) by utilizing our existing hosting account on
GoDaddy.
We definitely exceeded the 160 hours needed as BrainiMac was an intensive product.
Usability Testing/Evaluation
Unit Testing
We found that our workflow was best using an agile approach, and unit testing became an
iterative process. Once we discovered one issue, a new issue would arise. While exporting the
video tutorials, we discovered some quiz errors, and we were forced to re-export and upload to
our server. Much of our unit testing was done locally and uploaded to a temporary link for
troubleshooting and testing. Since our platform is responsive natively, cross platform devices
were not a priority. Bootstrap does a fine job at working on cross platforms, which is one of the
major reasons why we decided to build using Bootstrap. Some of the questions we asked in the
survey were as follows: Did you notice any issues with web application layout? How about and
problems with images or menu items? Did the web application appear as you would normally
expect it to? Do you have any suggestions for layout improvements? The general response from
users was that they appreciated how clean and simple the site was. Some users said not to add
any clutter, as the site is very appealing the way it is.
Usability Testing
We reached out to friends and family to get their thoughts on usability. We shared a
hidden link to Brainimac and asked users for their thoughts. Specifically, the following questions
were asked: Was the site easy to navigate? Was it easy to find what actions to take when you
first landed on the homepage? Did you have any issues with the speed of the site? Did the videos
play on your device without any issues? The general response that we received was great. There
were some usability bugs that we were aware of and several users also noticed them too.
Functional Testing
The functional testing phase is where we spent most of our time. Troubleshooting the
backend and server-side issues proved to be very challenging. We never quite surveyed users to
test the functionality of the web application because we knew what the issues were and spent
most of our time trying to correct major flaws. User accounts, point accumulation, user rank,
video playlist, and user statistics required many phases of functional testing. Some of the
questions we asked in the survey were: Did you notice anything in your profile statistics that
looked incorrect? Was it easy for you to find the video tutorial that you wanted? Is it clear when
you have watched a video? Do you like the quiz feature? Was it helpful to re-watch a video
section after scoring incorrectly on a quiz question? Were the quiz questions too easy or too
hard? Did you discover any functional errors with the video player or quiz? Was signing up easy
to do? Did you have any trouble logging in?
Requirements Testing
During the requirements testing phase, we found that we had to compromise with some
of the sites features. For example, our web application uses video tutorials that have quizzes
programmed within the video. If the user answers a question incorrectly, they will be redirected
to the section of the video that discusses this topic. The video files that we used are not
traditional mp4 extensions, they are html links that have a great deal of programming. When
implementing these video links, we ran into several issues trying to create video playlists
because the format was html and not mp4. As requirements are concerned, we simply had to
compromise for now and figure out a long-term solution to manage playlists at a later time.
Other than the playlists issue, we fulfilled our requirements for all other categories.
Final Implementation
Web Application
The BrainiMac web application is currently live and available to view at
http://www.brainimac.com. The web application consists of the home, about, profile, tutorials,
discussion, login, sign up, contact, terms, and privacy policy pages. There are also several
Google apis used for the user registration and login. We also manage user data on the server-
side. The website is responsive, so users who are on mobile devices can operate comfortably on
the site.
Apple users who wish to learn more about their Apple devices can sign up for free and
create a username and password. Next, the user will be redirected to login. Once the user logs in,
they are redirected to their profile page. The profile page includes the users name, their
BrainiMac level, last active date, tutorial statistics, percentage user rank, and total points earned.
Users can click on the tutorials menu item and they will see seven different categories for video
tutorials. Those categories in the order displayed are iMac, Macbook, iPhone, iPad, Apple
Applications, Computer Basics, and Tips. Once the user clicks on a category, they will see a
video playlist and a media player. The user can start learning about the category they have
chosen, and credit will be given for watching each video. The user can always reference their
statistics and point accumulation by clicking on the profile menu item. The screenshots for each
page are listed below.

Home Page
About
Profile
Tutorials
iMac Playlist
Macbook Playlist
iPhone Playlist
iPad Playlist
Apple Applications Playlist
Computer Basics Playlist

Tips Playlist
Sign up
Login
Contact
Terms
Privacy Policy
Video Tutorials
BrainiMac is content driven. Video tutorials with embedded quizzes are the most
powerful feature of BrainiMac. Users will be able to watch quality video tutorials and test their
level of retention based on the content they have just watched.
Camtasia 3 is the program that we used to develop the video tutorials. Within Camtasia,
there is a new feature that allows authors to embed quizzes within their video timeline. The
embedded quiz feature is one of the primary functions of the web application. When exporting
video content out of Camtasia, the final product is an html link with several sub-folders that
contain the programming for quizzes in the video timeline. When a user incorrectly guesses a
question, the section of the video tutorial will be replayed for the user automatically. This re-
enforcement learning method will ensure that Apple users review what they dont know.
Camtasia 3 With Quiz Feature

Share to Local File
Export Web Page and Include Quiz

Implementation Problems
Our implementation problems partially stem from our platform decisions in the early
stages. Initially, we knew that we wanted our site to be appealing and user friendly, so we
thought building out the front-end in Bootstrap Studio made the most sense. While the front-end
of the site was both responsive and appealing visually, we found that we set ourselves up for
problems implementing the back-end. Unfortunately, Bootstrap Studio is too new and doesnt
have an option to import outside folders into the main project. Also, Bootstrap Studio is not ideal
for developers who want to test php on the server, so we basically had to be content with the
front-end before we started working on the back-end.
In the early phases of developing, we discovered the phpBB platform. This platform
allows for developers to create a forum with user login. As BrainiMac progressed, we realized
that this was not the best platform for our needs and decided to omit the forum to concentrate on
more important features.
Arguably, the most important feature of BrainiMac are the video tutorials with embedded
quizzes that repeat sections on the video pending the users correct or incorrect answers. This
feature is not common and most websites handle their quizzes outside of the video, not
embedded within the video. In Camtasia 3, a video with an embedded quiz can be exported to
either screencast.com or locally to a folder. When exporting locally, the main item in the local
file creates an index.html that is responsive and includes the quiz feature. The good news is that
all this code is automatically generated by Camtasia 3. The bad news is that we could not find a
video playlist solution that lets programmers implement an html extension. Just about all of the
media players that exist are using popular video file extensions such as mp4, mov, and so on.
This made implementing the video playlist a disaster. We had to compromise some features that
we initially wanted to include within the video playlist.
When considering the long-term storage concerns, we needed to find a place where we
could host videos for cheap and keep our streaming costs as low as possible. From our research,
Amazon Web Services is a great solution and that is where we ended up hosting our content. Our
content is hosted on the S3 servers. S3 stands for simple storage solution. While S3 is great for
keeping costs down, our video content sometimes had issues loading. While the performance is
currently acceptable, we are still exploring enhancements or alternatives.
After transitioning from the front-end to the back-end, we had to convert each html page
into php and this broke several of our links. This was a tedious task, and we must consider a
better workflow for the future.
When a user clicks on the title of a video tutorial, the eye icon should change to a green
checkmark. This change actually occurs, but it is not visible to the user unless the user refreshes
the page. The user will expect to track their progress without having to refresh the page.
Refreshing to see progress on a playlist is not ideal and is not a long-term solution.
Conclusion
There are several learning platforms that offer quality video tutorials for users who wish
to learn more about their Apple devices. The problem with these platforms is that they are not
free and they do not track the users progress. There are several third-party websites that offer
helpful articles; however, most users prefer to watch videos versus reading text. According to
studymode.com, 65% of users are visual learners and the brain processes information 60,000
times faster than text (Kydiam S., 2017). Also, all of the quality platforms do not offer users
embedded quizzes that let users replay tutorials based on their lack of understanding. When
someone goes to a restaurant and pays for their meal, they receive a receipt that clearly defines
what they ordered along with the price of the items. The receipt serves as proof of purchase and
eliminates any uncertainty about price, tip, and proof of purchase. When an Apple user who
wishes to learn more about their devices cant track their progress or test their understanding,
they will eventually develop a lack of both confidence and the reassurance to press forward.
Apple has canceled their one-to-one program and currently offers free in-person workshops.
While this is a great resource, this free service doesnt guarantee that a specific class or topic will
be taught. These workshops also require users to be available at the specified time slot that the
class is offered.
Currently, BrainiMac is a web application that can be accessed from around the world.
BrainiMac wants to be the new home for Apple users who wish to master their Apple devices. At
BrainiMac.com, users will have free access to interactive video tutorials that teach users about
their Apple devices. The visual learner will benefit immensely from BrainiMacs video tutorials
versus reading lengthy documentation. These video tutorials are short, engaging, and offer
embedded quizzes that test the users retention. If a user answers a question incorrectly, they will
be redirected to watch that section of the video tutorial again. This method of learning allows
users to gauge their level of understanding. If a user has confirmation that they are retaining
knowledge, they will feel more confident.
The agile development lifecycle was primarily used in the development of BrainiMac.
This iterative process allowed us to be creative, letting us work freely and make adjustments as
necessary. The development of Brainimac consisted of front-end development, back-end
development, and content creation. The front-end of the web application was developed using
Bootstrap Studio. The back end of the web application was built using Code Igniter. The video
tutorials were created using Camtasia 3. The domain name BrainiMac.com was reserved on
December 22, 2015 through GoDaddy.
As of now, BrainiMac is a functional prototype. There are approximately twenty-five
video tutorials and the video tutorial playlist is not fully developed. Once BrainiMac develops
thousands of video tutorials and gets a fully functional playlist, the web application will be ready
to market to users. The forum also needs to be developed so that users can interact with each
other and develop a mastermind. For the future, we have considered a monetary model that will
sustain the development of the web application. BrainiMacs free membership is an attractive
feature. To keep membership free, we have entertained the idea of advertisements embedded into
the video tutorials. If users would like to avoid watching advertisements, they could pay 99 cents
a month or $9.99 a year for unlimited access. While the web application will need some
improvements, overall, we feel that our accomplishments thus far have exceeded our
expectations. We are very close to changing the way millions of Apple users learn about their
Apple devices.
References
Down.com (n.d.). GoDaddy Review and Stats. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from
http://www.hostbenchmarker.com/godaddy-stats-uptime-test
Gurman, M., & Gurman @markgurman, M. (2015, August 28). Apple to retire One to One
Apple Store training program Sept. 28th. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from
https://9to5mac.com/2015/08/28/apple-to-retire-one-to-one-sept-28th/
Kydiam S. (n.d.). Understanding the Statistics of Visual Learners

Retrieved August 27, 2017, from
http://files.constantcontact.com/d4e68584201/b033e476-f119-4da5-b502-
77beff002e45.pdf
Mossberg, W., Swisher, K et al. (n.d.). Lynda Weinman of Lynda.com Talks About Future of
Learning Online (Video). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from https://goo.gl/QgFsqz
Otto, M., Thornton, J. (n.d.). History. Retrieved August 27, 2017, from
https://v4-alpha.getbootstrap.com/about/history/
Pexels.com. Legal Simplicity. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from

https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/
PhpBB Free and Open Source Forum Software. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2017, from
https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2339946
Shiotsu, Y. (2017, January 15). Bootstrap vs. Foundation: Which Framework is Right for You?
https://www.upwork.com/hiring/development/bootstrap-vs-foundation-which-
framework-is-right-for-you/
Study.com. Where to Find Free Apple Computer Courses, Seminars and Tutorials
http://study.com/articles/Where_to_Find_Free_Apple_Computer_Courses_Seminars_and
_Tutorials.html
Appendix A
Given that we already understood BrainiMacs functional flaws, we didnt put too much
weight into usability and functional testing. We still created a questionnaire for users and
requested that users complete this questionnaire.
Usability Testing
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0ESOtnHPtbBb5rITQAj-wqEPLC8K-
3NWaR53yz71oC6QcYQ/viewform
Functional Testing
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQOKDnCI9YaWct0J-ith1hLH4q-
BoTPPZL9zJXb8JKqOHMsQ/viewform
Web Application Usability
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScO9DkyRF8FI0DLhiHZJ0Zv5QrT0EVQhu4nWi
m4zoQUANKTFQ/viewform
Appendix B
Team Member Roles and Responsibility
Team Members
Alan Ayoub, Lilia Chakarian
Roles
Alan Ayoub developed the front end of the web application. Lilia Chakarian was always
present for feedback and constructive criticism. Lilia Chakarian and Alan Ayoub were equal
contributors for back end development. All video tutorials with embedded quizzes were created
by Alan Ayoub. Debugging and Testing was a collaborative and iterative process.
Appendix C
Documentation
Psuedo Code for User Profile
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6SKDf1q95mZWm9VZ1dyS1dtU2s

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Running Head: BRAINIMAC FINAL REPORT 1

BrainiMac Capstone Final Report

Alan Ayoub, Lilia Chakarian

California State University Monterey Bay

CST499, Directed Group Capstone

Dr. Eric Tao & Professor Robertson

August 25, 2017

sets, and their level of engagement as compared to other users.

show me, dont tell me.

confidence through motivational and interactive video tutorials.

Project Name and Description..................................................................................................... 6

Problem and/or Issue in Technology........................................................................................... 6

Solution to the Problem and/or Issue in Technology .................................................................. 7

Project Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................................... 7

Community and Stakeholders Impact ....................................................................................... 10

Evidence that the Proposed Project in Needed.......................................................................... 11

Feasibility Discussion ................................................................................................................... 12

Design Requirements .................................................................................................................... 13

Functional Decomposition of the Project and Selection of Design Criteria ............................. 13

Final Deliverables ..................................................................................................................... 17

Legal Considerations ................................................................................................................. 19

Key Milestones .......................................................................................................................... 23

Usability Testing/Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 24

Unit Testing ............................................................................................................................... 24

Usability Testing ....................................................................................................................... 25

Functional Testing ..................................................................................................................... 25

Requirements Testing ................................................................................................................ 26

Final Implementation .................................................................................................................... 26

Web Application ....................................................................................................................... 26

Home Page ................................................................................................................................ 28

iMac Playlist .............................................................................................................................. 32

Macbook Playlist ....................................................................................................................... 32

iPhone Playlist ........................................................................................................................... 33

iPad Playlist ............................................................................................................................... 33

Apple Applications Playlist ....................................................................................................... 34

Computer Basics Playlist .......................................................................................................... 34

Tips Playlist ............................................................................................................................... 35

Privacy Policy ........................................................................................................................... 40

Video Tutorials .......................................................................................................................... 41

Camtasia 3 with Quiz feature .................................................................................................... 41

Share to Local File .................................................................................................................... 42

Implementation Problems ......................................................................................................... 43

Project Name and Description

comfortable, doable, and interactive.

Problem and/or Issue in Technology

Solution to the Problem and/or Issue in Technology

Project Goals and Objectives

and use our product.

maintainable in the cloud.

incorporating the Facebook/Google Login for users.

with programming a playlist timeline for videos and quizzes.

sound card, and we get excellent sound quality.

Community and Stakeholders Impact

them. BrainiMac will be connected to the universe.

Evidence that the Proposed Project in Needed

and BrainiMacs model is to bring enthusiasm to learning. Currently, we cannot think of a

that there was a similar service that existed.

services take a more general approach.

conscious of the users needs and preferences.

not like about Youtube video tutorials.

Functional Decomposition of the Project and Selection of Design Criteria

given video tutorial.

feature that suggests videos based on the users activity.