Testing the Alpha Version of the ForDiL Application
Project context
As part of the application’s development, the ForDiL team is working closely with the developer to design the tool envisioned for the project.
The ForDiL App The ForDiL project aims to develop a downloadable smartphone and tablet application that supports autonomous learning of continuous cover forestry (CCF) principles.This application is based on field setups—marteloscopes and travailloscopes—and is intended for a broad audience of learners across the three partner countries (Belgium, France, and the Czech Republic). |
The technical development is supported by rigorous monitoring and internal testing to ensure that the initial features are functional.However, involving external users is essential to gain fresh perspectives on the tool’s usability.Two testing sessions have already been conducted in France and Belgium, on an early version of the app to evaluate the backbone functionality.
How? And with who ?
About twenty students from the Institut de Genech (Bavay campus, France) and Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Belgium) were the first to test the application.Supervised by their teachers and the SRFB team, they simulated a tree marking exercise using the ForDiL tool.One of the App’s key goals is to foster user autonomy, both in completing the exercise and in interpreting the results. The students conducted the activity independently and analysed their findings on their own.To ensure constructive feedback and identify potential technical, usability or ergonomic issues, the students were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire.This allowed them to share their initial impressions freely and suggest improvements for the next testing phase.
First feedback from students
The feedback was generally positive and very encouraging. Comments gathered during the field sessions and through the questionnaire helped identify a few minor bugs and issues. These issues will be addressed to improve the app’s ergonomics and user experience.
What’s next: beta version testing with forestry professionals
The next stages of the app’s development, including improvements based on the Alpha version testing, will lead to the creation of the Beta version, which will also undergo testing. The next test is scheduled for late October to early November, this time involving forestry professionals, as well as a selection of students.
