Mobile apps are big business, and for good reason: People are able to blend their personal and professional tasks in one device. But sometimes finding the perfect app for a specific function is difficult, and organizations end up making do with apps that don’t meet their needs.
The solution? Create your own.
By developing enterprise mobility apps in-house or with an app development partner, you can focus on the functionality that you need. To create winning apps, keep these factors in mind:
Security
For any organization embarking on enterprise mobility deployments, security will be the top challenge. Solve this challenge by bringing in an expert who can incorporate security as well as address development and business requirements.
Mobile security technology plays a significant role in app development as well. Security features in an organization’s app will include authentication, policy management, remote wipe functionality, and jailbreak detection.
For more thoughts on how to close the gaps of mobile security, download the white paper by InfoWorld, Surpassing Mobile App Challenges.
Users
Knowing the experience level of those who will be using the app will help development in significant ways. For example, inexperienced mobile users tend to move through applications more slowly, and need clearly defined navigation. Expert users who are used to shortcuts need fast-track elements that let them speed through functions.
An in-house app will need to appeal to both groups, so app creation will have to include both simple navigation and easy shortcuts.
Platform
Most organizations have a bring-your-own-device policy, which can be challenging when it comes to app development. The app has to function across multiple platforms, even if just a few device types are being used in the company.
To prevent platform issues, invest more into the development phase so you can run automated test scripts and do device simulations more effectively.
Simplicity
According to Parham Aarabi, an associate professor at the University of Toronto and director of the University’s mobile applications lab, the more buttons that are presented to a user, the more difficult it becomes for the user to choose one. Although some applications tend to pack many buttons into each app view, that’s not always the best solution.
Instead, Aarabi recommends keeping the total number of touchable user interface elements to fewer than 10 per view. He also advises that app developers employ other simple tactics, such as keeping primary application buttons at the bottom of the screen, and thinking about how users hold the device to see if motion is an issue.
Outsourcing
Enterprise mobile deployments can be complex, multifaceted and time-consuming. Security issues always crop up.
As a result, many organizations are finding that outsourcing part of the strategy can provide a jump-start for deployment. Mobile architects with extensive insight into business requirements can be key for a successful mobile rollout, and security experts help to handle any infrastructure gaps opened by mobility deployments.
Best of all, these experts can be brought into an enterprise on an as-needed basis, reducing the amount of in-house IT expertise needed for an enterprise mobility strategy.
For more insight on app development, download the white paper, Surpassing Mobile App Challenges.
Adam Shomaker is a Strategic Alliance Manager with Sirius Computer Solutions.
