Introduction

Time to Speak is a specialized social network developed for a psychologist aiming to provide a safe and confidential platform for individuals seeking support for their addictions. The project involved developing an Android application with features tailored to ensure secure and supportive communication between users and the psychologist.

Project Scope

The project included the development of the following components:

• Semi-public Forum: A forum accessible only to registered and verified users, fostering a safe environment for discussion.
• Encrypted Direct Chat: A secure, end-to-end encrypted chat system between the psychologist and her patients.
• Appointment Scheduling: An integrated calendar system allowing patients to book appointments directly.

Application Development

Using Firebase and Firestore, I created a robust and secure Android application. Key features include:

• Forum: Implemented a forum where users can create, view, and respond to threads, ensuring a supportive community for discussing addiction-related issues. Access is restricted to verified users to maintain confidentiality and trust.
• Direct Chat: Developed a chat feature using Firebase, enabling real-time, encrypted communication between the psychologist and her patients. This ensures that all conversations are private and secure.
• Appointment Management: Integrated a calendar system within the app using Firestore, allowing patients to view the psychologist’s availability and book appointments directly. This feature streamlines the scheduling process and improves accessibility for patients.

Technical Implementation

• Firebase for Chat: Utilized Firebase’s real-time database capabilities to handle instant messaging, ensuring quick and reliable communication.
• Firestore for Data Management: Chose Firestore for its scalability and flexibility to manage user data, forum posts, and appointment schedules. The database is structured to handle real-time updates and complex queries efficiently.
• Security and Privacy: Implemented end-to-end encryption for the chat to maintain confidentiality. User verification processes were put in place to ensure that only legitimate users can access the forum and other features.

Server Setup

While the primary backend was handled through Firebase and Firestore, additional server-side logic was deployed to handle user verification and secure API endpoints.

• User Verification: Ensured that users are verified through a secure process before gaining access to the platform.
• API Security: Implemented secure API endpoints to handle data transactions between the application and the Firebase backend.

Conclusion

The Time to Speak project demonstrates my ability to develop secure, user-centric applications that address specific client needs. By leveraging Firebase and Firestore, I was able to create a responsive and secure environment for users seeking support for their addictions. This project highlights my skills in Android development, secure communication implementation, and user experience design, ultimately delivering a comprehensive solution that meets the unique requirements of a psychologist and her patients.