<p dir="ltr">Managing a forest presents many challenges for tree farmers, especially when relying on traditional manual methods. Previous research highlights the wide range of tasks involved in forest management, from planting and nurturing trees to harvesting and selling timber. These conventional approaches often result in inefficiencies and unexpected difficulties at various stages. However, advances in technology, specifically through the use of LiDAR-based reconstruction and differential geometry, have made it feasible to accurately measure tree sizes and identify species with a single capture.</p><p dir="ltr">To help tree farmers overcome these challenges, this thesis proposes the development of a cross-platform solution named WoodWiz. WoodWiz comprises two synergistic components: a mobile application for real-time, on-site tree measurements, and a web-based platform for comprehensive forest management. The measurement feature in mobile app streamlines the data collection process, reducing time and labor, while MyForest offers a detailed view of the forest's status, facilitating efficient management and planning. Additionally, WoodWiz includes a Library feature, providing a repository of forestry resources and best practices, and a community platform to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among forestry professionals. This integrated system simplifies the wide range of tasks involved in forest management—from planting and nurturing to harvesting and selling timber—thereby reducing inefficiencies and addressing the unexpected difficulties typically associated with traditional methods.</p><p dir="ltr">The development of WoodWiz involved extensive research, design, and evaluation, culminating in a robust tool that not only streamlines forest management tasks but also provides tree farmers with actionable insights for decision-making. By automating critical measurements and facilitating data access, WoodWiz improves the accuracy of forest inventory and health assessments, leading to more informed and strategic management practices. The potential impacts of this solution on the forestry industry include increased productivity, improved sustainability of forest resources, and enhanced profitability for tree farmers. This thesis details the iterative process of WoodWiz's development, highlights its key features, and evaluates its effectiveness in transforming forest management practices.</p>

Age-related physical and cognitive changes hinder the ability of older adults to operate smartphones. While many user interface (UI) heuristics exist today, there is a need for an updated set designed specifically to assess the usability of mobile devices for an older audience. Smartphone evaluation heuristics for older adults based on age-related changes in vision, hearing, attention, memory and motor control were developed in this thesis by analyzing literature on age-related physical and cognitive changes impacting smartphone usability. Support for heuristics was found by gathering information on how older adults use cell phones through interviews and an online survey. It was demonstrated that strength of support for some heuristics increases with age. The evaluated heuristics provide usability practitioners and designers with a framework for evaluating the usability of smartphones for older adults.