A couple questions for a design app project

[EricW]

I would love it if everyone could answer a couple market research questions for a project I am working on. Your input will be extremely valuable.

Thank you for your time.

1. If you have used any computer (or mobile device) programs for design, what is your biggest complaint about the tool? What did you like most?
2. In what way would you like a computer program help you with gardening or garden design?

 

[DirtMechanic]

None of your questions are even possible in my environment. While apps are mainly used for selling plants, they are also useful fir plant identification to some degree. But design? Not possible at this stage, though there are some sites that identifying physical characteristics such as temperate clime and physical height. You would have to out inventory the body of work in existences, and then create a searchable database with the nuances you ask for so the sheer number of search fields you are suggesting are such that a person with that skillset should literally be working for Nasa Or Tesla Space programs.

I did have one that tracked general rainfall. but that becomes local diverse data and is also a broad area.

 

[alp]

1) Why don't you post your answers first and we will brainstorm your questions for you?
2) I actually have answers, but would like to hear some ideas from you first.

 

[EricW]

Thank you, DirtMechanic, for your input. There are design programs already out there, but perhaps you are looking for something more than what they do?

 

[EricW]

Hello alp, as I mentioned I’m just interested in market research, getting a feel for people’s opinions and needs for garden design. I don’t need specific ideas even; general needs are in many ways more helpful to direct where our focus should be and perhaps what to develop first. I refrain from stating my own opinion to keep from influence other people’s thinking.
Thank you for your interest.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hello alp, as I mentioned I’m just interested in market research, getting a feel for people’s opinions and needs for garden design. I don’t need specific ideas even; general needs are in many ways more helpful to direct where our focus should be and perhaps what to develop first. I refrain from stating my own opinion to keep from influence other people’s thinking.
Thank you for your interest.

I would guide you to attempt to grow 5 plants. I will suggest the tomato, and the summer squash. Perhaps a pepper plant. These can be grown in pots. I will leave 3 for the suggestions by others. Without this effort, you cannot succeed.

 

[alp]

what is your biggest complaint about the tool? What did you like most?
2. In what way would you like a computer program help you with gardening or garden design?

What are your ideas though?

 

[EricW]

What are your ideas though?

I’m sorry alp, I’m not following how that helps me with my research.

 

[alp]

I’m sorry alp, I’m not following how that helps me with my research.

Too bad!

 

[DirtMechanic]

I think the idea here is that you are in such a broad field that having neither a thesis nor any other starting points precludes feedback from the outset. This is a common flaw in the majority of marketing study. I know, It was the majority of study for my degree and I have paid my sales agents a commission for 3 decades.

 

[EricW]

Thank you for the advice, but unfortunately I don’t have the money for a sales agent, so I’m going low budget (free). So far it’s been fine, most people have answered in ways that were helpful. Maybe later I will be able to take a more professional approach.

 

[DirtMechanic]

1. If you have used any computer (or mobile device) programs for design, what is your biggest complaint about the tool? What did you like most?
2. In what way would you like a computer program help you with gardening or garden design?

Based on your questions, let me attempt your thesis for you. This will be an attempt to put into one sentence everything you wish to cover. You can then try to disprove it. If you fail to disprove it, you will have succeeded in a way, until such future time as your thesis becomes out of date for some reason.

Proposed:
"All gardening and garden software packages are insufficient and I can make a better version."

Can you see a need to focus on either gardening which seems agriculturally difficult and very broad, or on design which might take the form of photoshopped images on a plan grid or home photos? The focus is important. They would be two very different software packages.

 

[alp]

It's your research and you join a forum and hope someone else sharpen your tools, so to speak. I don't mind sharing my opinions. All I ask is that you show us that as a graduate or college student, you have done your bit, instead of joining a forum in the hope of someone else gifting you ideas which should have been formulated at least on some hard work on your part.

I’m sorry alp, I’m not following how that helps me with my research.

EricW, Yesterday at 3:40 PM

God helps those who help themselves.

Do your own research. Plagiarism is not encouraged in further education.

 

[EricW]

It's your research and you join a forum and hope someone else sharpen your tools, so to speak. I don't mind sharing my opinions. All I ask is that you show us that as a graduate or college student, you have done your bit, instead of joining a forum in the hope of someone else gifting you ideas which should have been formulated at least on some hard work on your part.

I’m sorry alp, I’m not following how that helps me with my research.

EricW, Yesterday at 3:40 PM

God helps those who help themselves.

Do your own research. Plagiarism is not encouraged in further education.

I’m sorry to hear you have such distrust for me witheven knowing me. I assure you I have no need of anyone’s “ideas”, everyone has ideas. All I wanted to know is what your experiences have been with other apps, and what would be helpful to you as a gardener or garden designer. I myself have already spent thousands of hours on research, “having ideas”, developing those ideas to make them useable, and then drawing up how they would look, so yes, I have done my bit and have no desire to steal from anyone since coming up with and developing my ideas is what I love to do.

If you have your own great ideas that you are so afraid of someone stealing and then actually making something out of them, I suggest you get on with making your own design app or working with someone. Otherwise your ideas don’t matter because they will just go to waste.
By the way, I’m not a student. I work in the horticultural field, so I have plenty of people to “steal ideas” from there. Also, you can’t plagiarize ideas since ideas can’t be copy written.

Thank you for your time.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I’m sorry to hear you have such distrust for me witheven knowing me. I assure you I have no need of anyone’s “ideas”, everyone has ideas. All I wanted to know is what your experiences have been with other apps, and what would be helpful to you as a gardener or garden designer. I myself have already spent thousands of hours on research, “having ideas”, developing those ideas to make them useable, and then drawing up how they would look, so yes, I have done my bit and have no desire to steal from anyone since coming up with and developing my ideas is what I love to do.

If you have your own great ideas that you are so afraid of someone stealing and then actually making something out of them, I suggest you get on with making your own design app or working with someone. Otherwise your ideas don’t matter because they will just go to waste.
By the way, I’m not a student. I work in the horticultural field, so I have plenty of people to “steal ideas” from there. Also, you can’t plagiarize ideas since ideas can’t be copy written.

Thank you for your time.

Oh - I would not say that is the correct interpretation of what @alp is about. Her knowledge is lets just say "extensive", and I agree with her that it is just an unspoken observation that is easy enough to come by where a vague lack of detailed pointed questions on your part naturally backs up to the lack of details in your software plan, and thus you come with questions. It is not an insult to you on her part, rather it is both of our effort to drag you kicking and screaming into the knowledge you are asking about. For example, if I asked you where in your software would you have planning for the application of hormones, your answer is very likely to be partial at best.

It is hard to be both knowledgeable and a student.

 

[Jesse Glessner]

I would love it if everyone could answer a couple market research questions for a project I am working on. Your input will be extremely valuable.

Thank you for your time.

1. If you have used any computer (or mobile device) programs for design, what is your biggest complaint about the tool? What did you like most?
2. In what way would you like a computer program help you with gardening or garden design?

I use the MEN Garden Planner, which is the basic tool for several gardening supply firms as well.

The tool is a GREAT idea, but poorly implemented compared to today's software. The graphics are crude - mid-80s style. Common key commands sometimes do and don't work. Once the garden is laid out physically - you then only need to move plantings around and that is one nice feature of the system - it prompts you as what NOT to plant in areas that might cause problems from the prior years' plantings.

The Gantt-type chart for planting, transplanting, and harvest times is also great.

And, of course, they are tied into some of the major gardening suppliers and show where you can buy seeds etc. and those often are more costly than finding sources by browsing the Internet and catalogs yourself.

 

[vette-kid]

There only app I have used is for my vegitable garden and it lacks in variety of plants built in to it. At the very least, an ability to add notes on variety so I can have a detailed representation of my garden.

Another helpful feature would be a way to add notes such as dates individual plants were planted, fertilizer dates, etc.

 

[Jesse Glessner]

I would love it if everyone could answer a couple market research questions for a project I am working on. Your input will be extremely valuable.

Thank you for your time.

1. If you have used any computer (or mobile device) programs for design, what is your biggest complaint about the tool? What did you like most?
2. In what way would you like a computer program help you with gardening or garden design?

Well, for one thing, getting the graphics up out of the 1980s and into modern tech would be great. Most of gardening apps are still back in the 80s.

Then getting around in the Apps is another big feature - and navigation of most of those old apps are right there in the 80s along with the graphics.

SOMEONE needs to hire a couple of coders away from APPLE and turn them loose on building a killer gardening app would be of benefit to ALL, including the Mgmt that doesn't want to do something like this because most of those cats are stuck back in the 80s right along with their graphics and navigation tools.

Hope this helps with your colleg3e work!

 

[mgmine]

I think it would be nice to be able to import a picture. Then list the conditions (shade, sunny, wet etc.) Then have suggestions pop up that will grow in those conditions, giving specifics about each plant such as height, when and if it flowers and for how long. Then being able to paste in pictures to see what the final project would look like.

 

[Jesse Glessner]

I think it would be nice to be able to import a picture. Then list the conditions (shade, sunny, wet etc.) Then have suggestions pop up that will grow in those conditions, giving specifics about each plant such as height, when and if it flowers and for how long. Then being able to paste in pictures to see what the final project would look like.

You might also take a look at all of PURDUE's "Tree Doctor", "Tomato Doctor", "Flower Doctor", etc. - as in their whole series of "Doctor" libraries for gardening help. AT THE LEAST, IF you're thinking about writing the next HIT Gardening Planner then you should consider adding LINKS to those items - or at very least mentioning them as an extra resource.

SO, how are YOUR programming skills? You still tell us nothing about YOU! What are your skills and capabilities? What is your GOAL here, or elsewhere?