The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
The STORMWISE program at UConn (http://www.stormwise.org) is intended to mitigate
damage associated with power outages caused by large storms (hurricanes, snow storms,
thunderstorms, etc.). A proof-of concept prototype Stormwise mobile app was developed by a
CSE4939W/4940 SDP team in the Fall 2014/Spring 2015 sequence as a means to provide the
ability for an expert professional (arborist, utility worker, etc.) and layperson (homeowner,
concerned citizen, etc.) to assist in this process by supporting three capabilities: failed/broken
tree data collection, tree risk assessment, and communication of the broader STORMWISE
program.
A successful STORMWISE initiative needs an improved understanding of patterns and modes
of tree failure. Since tree structure is complex and highly variable, the establishment of a
competent tree failure model has proved elusive. Since we currently have a poor ability to
overcome such complexity, it is vital to build a data collection tool to advance our understanding
and knowledge of tree structure, stability, modes of failure, and biomechanics. Data collections
fields have been developed in collaboration with Connecticut Light and Power to optimize the
speed of data collection. Capability to attach photos and geolocation to the record is highly
desired.
The tree risk assessment component of the proof-of-concept mobile app is focused on the user
who would like to do a self-assessment of a tree. This component of the mobile app adheres to
the International Society of Arboriculture’s Best Management Practices for Tree Risk
Assessment (Smiley et al. 2011) and provides the questions and include the guidance (including
knowledge briefs) needed to perform assessment of risk that allows them to reach a much
greater level of awareness. The assessment of tree risk has become more precise, but it is
largely unknown how accurate the assessments are. Tracking the fate of assessed trees can
reveal accuracy of assessments.
The proof-of-concept Stormwise app is also intended to engage the lay person in the process of
looking at their trees as something that could fail (and if it falls what might it hit), then is a vital
education and extension tool – the act of assessment is an objective itself. Therefore, included
in the app would be a primer in tree risk assessment including documentation and photographs
of decayed trees, links to how to identify trees etc. The app provides opportunities for delivery of
innovative learning tools. This enhanced general awareness of tree-related risk by the public is
also valuable to the broader implementation of the STORMWISE program. Promoted as a
crowdsourcing activity, contributed data of tree hazard and risk can also be georeferenced (or
geotagged) which when mapped, would enable a powerful perspective of the level of tree
related risk for the neighborhood, town, county or state. Finally, the mobile app will also have
information regarding the broader STORMWISE program, including its goals, and general
approaches and benefits. One vision is that users register and report their knowledge level
regarding trees and tree structure. Subsequent questions or data fields would be dynamic and
flexible by asking more detailed information from experts. Data would be marked with user
knowledge level when analysis of the data is conducted.
For the Fall 2015/Spring 2016 semester, a SDP team that chooses the Stormwise project will be
using the proof-of-concept Stormwise App and associated database/server as domain
knowledge, user interface, and database design input to develop a cross platform (iOS/Android)
Stormwise app (http://appindex.com/blog/ten-best-cross-platform-development-mobileenterprises/) that is deployable for use by the UConn Extension center. The following pages are
the user manual to illustrate the current screens. Full documentation for the proof-of-concept
will also be provided to the new team.
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
User Manual
This manual should serve as a quick go to for any general user who would like to use and navigate through the application.
Contents
Section 1 - General Application Information……………………………………………………....…………….1
Section 2 - Opening the Application………………………………………………………………….……………...2
Section 3 - Signing In to the Application…...………………………………………………………………………2
Section 4 - Creating an Account……………………………………………………………………………………….3
Section 4 - Home Screen Navigation…………………………………………………………………….………….4
Section 5 - Submitting a Damage Assessment..…………………………………………………………………5
Section 6 - Submitting a Tree Risk Assessment…………………………………………...…………..………6
Section 7 - Exiting the Application……………………………………………………………………..……………7
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
Section 1: General Application Information
The StormWise application was created with the goal in mind to help towns better respond
to damage as a result of storms. The application will accomplish this by allowing the
general user to submit two kinds of reports, those being 1) Damage Reporting and 2) Tree
Risk Assessments. Damage Reporting will be discussed later in this manual in section 5, as
will Tree Risk assessments in section 6.
Section 2: Opening the Application
To use the Stormwise Application, the user must first open their android
device, navigate to their application navigation screen (where all your
apps are viewed) and click on the Android with StormWise written next
to (or under) him as pictured to the left. From there, the user will be taken to the
application login screen where they will be prompted for their login information.
Section 3 - Signing In to the Application
To begin using the application, you must first
create an account (feature in progress). Once
you have created your account, you must use
your username and password credentials to
log into the application.
Should you ever forget your application
username and/or password, you will be able
to click a password recovery button (feature
in progress) that will allow you to reset your
password and access your account.
Section 4: Creating an Account
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
The first time you open the application, you will
need to create an account. This can be done by
clicking the Sign Up button on the bottom of the
home screen of the application. Once clicked, you
will be brought to the screen shown to the left.
You will be prompted to enter an email address
and create a password that you will use to log
into the application. From there, accept the
Stormwise terms and conditions and click
register. Now you have full access to all the
applications functionality and capabilities.
Section 5 - Home Screen Navigation
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
Once the user has successfully logged into the
application, they will be directed to our main
splash screen where they will be given the
option to chose to perform one of the multiple
actions in the application.
From the figure on the right, you can see that you
are able to go to “Risk Assessment” Damage
Report” View Damage Reports” as well as “View
Area”.
By clicking Risk Assessment, the user will be
directed to the risk assessment page. This will
allow the user to fill in the necessary information
about their tree and submit it to the town
officials and/or qualified arborists who will be
able to help assist them with the ticket that is
generated from their risk assessment
submission.
By clicking Damage Report, the user will be
directed to the damage report page. This page
will allow the user to enter necessary
information about the type, nature and location of the damage so the town can prioritize
the damage (if there are multiple reports) as well as respond to the damage in a more
timely manor. In addition, allowing the user to submit a ticket will allow the town/line
crews to update the individual with status updates for the ticket (ie. pending, in progress,
completed, in queue).
By clicking View Damage Reports, the user will be directed to a page (in progress) that will
allow them to view reports they have submitted. This will allow the user to keep track of
the statuses of their submissions as well as add/edit the information in the ticket if need be.
By Clicking View Area (Map), the user will be able to see their area (Google Maps layover
most likely) with pins corresponding to current storm damage as well as the location of
their own submitted reports.
If the user clicks Sign Out, they will be signed out of their account for the application.
Section 6 - Submitting a Damage Assessment
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
Once the user clicks Risk Assessment on the home
screen, they will be directed to this page pictured on the
left.
The purpose of this page is to collect user input for the
tree they are assessing. The user simply needs to click
on the text area box underneath each question and their
onscreen keyboard will pop-up allowing them to type
the answer to the question.
Once each question is answered and the user feels they
are ready to submit their report, the can navigate down
to the bottom of the page and click the submit button.
officials and line crews can
to the ticket.
This button will send the report to the users personal
database where their reports are stored. From there it
will be pulled into a
general database
where town
view and respond
Once the submit button is
will be redirected to a screen
their successful (or failed)
redirected to the home screen
Section 7 - Submitting a Risk Assessment
clicked, the user
notifying them of
submission and be
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
Once the user clicks Damage Report, they will be
brought to this screen pictured on the left.
This screen will collect all the necessary information
needed by the town and line crews to respond to and
fix the reported damage.
As before, the user simply needs to click on the text
area box underneath each question and their
onscreen keyboard will pop-up allowing them to
type the answer to the question. (Questions are in
progress)
Once each question is answered and the user feels
they are ready to submit their report, the can
navigate down to the bottom of the page and click
the submit button.
users personal database where
are stored. From there it will be
general database where town
line crews can view and respond
Once the submit button is clicked,
be redirected to a screen notifying
successful (or failed) submission
redirected to the home screen
This button
will send the
report to the
their reports
pulled into a
officials and
to the ticket.
the user will
them of their
and be
The Stormwise Mobile App
Thomas E. Worthley, Associate Extension Professor, Middlesex County
Extension Center, thomas.worthley@uconn.edu
Section 8 - Exiting the Application
To exit the application, the user must either click the home/back button on their device or
click the sign-out button on the homepage of the application. This will sign the user out of
their account and subsequently close the application.