Mobile application development has been around as long as digital handheld devices have been produced. Palm Pilots, Newtons and Windows Mobile devices, all had apps to write or purchase. That said, it wasn’t until iOS 2 and the release of the iPhone 3G with the iTunes App Store that the app market really exploded. Early apps were written in Objective C (for iPhones) or Java (for just about everything else) by students, small and agile companies, and early adopters of mobile technology. Now we are starting to see businesses adopting mobile applications as a key strategic initiative, and as such, an Enterprise approach for developing apps must be defined.
This new focus has created a need for Mobile Solution Architects – experts with a specialization in Mobile applications and technologies – to help businesses define and develop Enterprise caliber applications that fit in a corporate strategy and specific user needs. Below are the top five reasons why involving Mobile Solution Architects throughout an Enterprise mobile strategy expedites the process and ensures its success, longevity and return on investment.
Understand the Mobile Business Drivers
The reasons for building a mobile app can be varied and sometimes as random as the CIO simply demanding that one be created. (An approach much like when stock prices could be driven up by moving client/server to the web in the late 90’s.)
Mobile Solution Architects are responsible for sifting through requirements for applications, and advising how they will impact the overall IT and business strategy. An iPad for field inspectors to document findings seems like a great idea, until realizing that inspectors really have nowhere to carry an iPad and wear heavy work gloves – not to mention the existing back-end storage of Excel files don’t lend themselves to wireless updates. At the end of the day, you need to have a valid business need and the appropriate mobile solution to meet it. Building an app just to build an app may lead to something beneficial, but more likely will result in a waste of time, effort, and resources. In the worst scenarios it could undermine a legitimate mobile strategy by destroying confidence in the usefulness of mobile apps, or the company’s ability to produce them. Mobile Solution Architects help you avoid that risk all together.
Evaluate the Type of App to Build (and the Associated Delivery Options)
All mobile apps are not created equal. Is a full-featured native app really necessary or will a browser-based version of an existing web-application fit the need for a fraction of the cost? Does the app need to run on multiple platforms? Is a VPN/ Secure connection necessary? Is it graphics intensive? There are dozens of factors that go into determining the type of app to build, and an experienced Mobile Solution Architect knows the technology and solution enough to ask the right questions to recommend the best decision to ensure the app delivers your defined results.
Provide Technology Recommendations
A common situation I experience with new clients is them saying, “we are an <Insert Language> shop here. How do we write apps without having to hire a bunch of new developers?” There are a myriad of options for writing apps and it's usually just a matter of finding the right platform or framework. Understanding what the mobile development options are and when they are appropriate is paramount to making the proper decision. Mobile Solution Architects have the background knowledge to navigate this challenge and determine your best option.
Identify the Integration Points
Integration is typically the most complicated aspect of mobile app development. Unless you are writing a game, it’s highly likely an app will need to retrieve some type of data, and quite likely communicate data changes back to a server somewhere. Mobile Solution Architects are integration experts and will advise on the best option for how the communication and data should be secured once it is on the device. We understand that all back-end systems aren’t setup to exchange data externally with mobile devices and will help you understand how to access crucial data.
Navigate Unique Challenges of Mobile App Development
Mobile application development has its own set of challenges that differ from typical web or forms-based development. Mobile Solution Architects are versed in understanding how apps are built. Some of the main questions that come up during mobile builds include:
• Whether the app is being deployed to employees, customers, clients and/or the world at large
• How to submit the application to an app store
• What is Apple’s criteria for app approval
• Whether your company can host its own “app store”
• How do you can manage security around an app
• How Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) play into your mobile app
• Whether you’ll need a platform to support app development
Mobile Solution Architects guide businesses through these issues, expedite the process from concept to launch, ensure you avoid making costly mistakes in the implementation of a mobile strategy, and develop a high-value mobile product that achieves your business need.
What do you think? What are the pros and cons of working with a Mobile Solution Architect? Has your Enterprise mobile strategy been a success with or without one? Share your experience and questions in the comment box below.
