Background
UNDP Maldives in partnership with Ooredoo Maldives and Housing Development Corporation has launched a project on smart cities. The ‘Smart Cities’ Project aims to offer innovative, smart solutions for urban challenges through ensuring that the technological solutions introduced in Hulhumale’ - the future smart city, remains inclusive and accessible to all of its population. While on the other hand, it is focused on youth and providing opportunities with the necessary infrastructure to encourage the creative entrepreneurship of the youth of the nation.
One key feature of a smart city is the existence of smart people and smart governance, signifying that the residents are able to utilize the smart solutions, or come up with creative solutions to their own problems, or solutions to actively engage in the development of their cities is a key aspect of smart cities.
Target group: The smart city initiatives is aimed to positively impact all residents of Hulhumale’ particularly vulnerable groups such as women and youth, PWDs and the elderly.
Focus areas: Initial focus will be on the aspects of smart people, smart living and smart mobility.
Aim: To offer innovative smart solutions for urban challenges through:
- Bridging the digital divide by making citizens more tech savvy
- Alleviating social issues relating to resettlement
- Make travel safer and more convenient by improving public transport and introducing alternative, climate friendly travel options.
- Enable evidence-based, data-driven decision making and inclusive governance
Under Smart Mobility, one of the main challenges, is the setbacks in the public transport system. At present, Hulhumale’ has only two bus routes. Buses are irregular and unreliable and there is no way of gauging how long a resident needs to wait in order to access one. Buses are not particularly accessible for persons with disabilities or the elderly. There are also no real alternatives to public transport. At the moment a majority of citizens (mainly men) use petrol powered scooters. Currently the public transport routes are based on catering to commuters to Male’, rather than residents (especially women) going through their multiple roles as parents, entrepreneurs and producers who travel to a multitude of destinations. This often results in women having to walk through, or wait in unsafe areas in order to access public transport.
To bridge this gap, a mobile application with real time tracking of buses and ferries, becomes important. Currently the buses are irregular and it is difficult for passenger to gauge how much time they have to wait for a bus at the stop. The app would also monitor how many seats are available on the bus or ferry, and whether the bus or ferry is accessible to persons with disabilities. This app will be included in the smart cities app platform, but the information will also be displayed on a screen in key areas of Hulhumale’ such as the ferry terminal, as an interactive map for those who are unable to access the app through their phones. The initial phase of the app will focus on catering the need of the people regarding the irregularity of the bus and ferry schedule.
With this background, UNDP Maldives is seeking a mobile application developer to develop the transport mobile application for Smart Cities. The app developer will be responsible for the design and development of a user friendly app. The consultant is requested to work together with relevant stakeholders to ensure the app captures all important fields.
Objectives
The overall objective of the assignment is to develop:
- A user friendly Mobile Application
- Focus on Ferry and Bus Schedule
- Provide feedback on the schedules
- Provide real time updates
Duties and Responsibilities
In order to achieve the deliverables of the consultancy the contractor is required to undertake the following interrelated components:
- Identify the gaps in the existing ferry and bus schedule
- Initial phase will be focused on ferry and bus schedule
- Able to provide real time updates on ferry and bus schedule
- Able to submit reports and provide feedback regarding the schedule
- The application must be user friendly
- Potential for scaling up
- Provide training for required staffs at various levels who will be using the backend system
- Help to promote the systems among users. If required do the promotional ads for the general public on how to use the system
- Provide user manual for various authorization
- Develop at least one round of prototype testing for the user-interface, convene a user group to gather feedback on the prototype and iterate based on feedback.
- Decide on and set up the queries involved at the different stages
- Features such as notification system, specification for target devices and localization (Geo tagging)
- Focus on simplicity, great performance and attractive design
- Establish processes, in partnership with stakeholders as well as the appropriate institutional and regulatory framework to permit the capture, storage and exchange of information to improve outreach and feedback from the most disadvantaged areas and groups
- Develop success indicators in close consultation with UNDP and partners to assess effectiveness of system within its first 6, 12 and 18 months. Support the development of indicators to monitor the success indicators by the partners involved
- For reference please refer to Transport App for London
Deliverables
Finished mobile application, with integrated feedback from field testing
Institutional Arrangement
The contractor would report to the Project Officer –Programme Management and Polilcy Unit.
Duration of the Work
The expected duration of work is a total of 25 working days
Competencies
- Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
- Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
- Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
- Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
- Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
- Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.
Functional competencies
- Has a strong ability to transform qualitative and quantitative information into compelling visuals based on interactive web platforms
- Looks at experience critically, drawing lessons, and building them into the design of new approaches;
- Possesses strong analytical and research capabilities, including the ability to produce high quality reports and knowledge products;
- Knowledge of UNDP’s mandate, systems and tools in the area of Smart Cities is an asset;
- Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
- Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Master’s Degree or equivalent Advanced Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, information technology, web developer, graphic designing or other related disciplines
Experience
- Progressive experience of working in the development of mobile applications;
- Capacity to understand the needs for the app development,
- the ability to communicate openly and integrate all feedback which is provided;
- A proven track record of developing successful mobile applications;
- Working experience in developing graphically designed products for UNDP or other organizations from the UN system.
- Experience working in a fast-paced environment managing and meeting multiple deadlines and priorities
Language
- Fluency in English, both oral and written, is required.
Application Documents
- The application must include a letter of interest to undertake this task, the CV, Personal History Form (P11), and a financial proposal (indicating the daily fee (in USD) for the assignment).
- The applicant must also submit the reference letters from past supervisors/clients. To download P11, kindly please visit the link: http://www.mv.undp.org/content/maldives/en/home/operations/jobs
- Please combine all the documents into one single file, as the system will allow for only one document to be uploaded.
- We will only accept online applications
If you cannot access the links provided in this advertisement, please email to aminath.shaliny@undp.org