(1-3 students working together)
The DHIS2 software platform is developed at the Department of Informatics at the University of Oslo and used by public and private organizations in more than 60 countries to support the work of health managers and clinicians. As many other platforms, DHIS2 allows local developers to build custom applications or 'apps' on top of the generic 'core'. This provides the capacity for local design and innovation where the generic features can be extended with functionality and user interfaces that are needed for specific users to make the software more valuable according to their needs. These apps may also be of relevance to the larger community of DHIS2 users, and be published on an 'App Hub' for others to use.
Developing apps do, however, require competence in many aspects, including basic web-development, frameworks such as React, and more advanced knowledge on DHIS2-specific app development resources (e.g., an app development platform, APIs, Design Systems). In this master project, students (1-3) will work together on exploring and developing competence building resources to equip new and existing members of the DHIS2 community with the skills needed to design and develop apps. The work will be based on the newly developed online course which is used in the IN5320 master subject at UiO. The site still lacks both content and potentially useful features, and the students will work together with DHIS2 experts in the community, for instance in Mozambique and Tanzania to understand what is needed, and how such a site and its content best can support them (for now online over Zoom etc. due to travel restrictions). The IN5320 course will also act as an arena to test and improve the site and its resources and features.
The students will be part of the DHIS2 Design Lab, working together with a larger group of master students and researchers in exploring various aspects of user-oriented design and innovation around DHIS2, and on better supporting the development of apps for the platform.