Three Elements of Successful Mobile Apps

Demand for mobile apps in the enterprise is growing. Many enterprise application development teams are dealing with development queues of 50 to 100 mobile apps. Unfortunately, as development efforts accelerate, in many cases this is leading to poorly designed mobile apps implementing outdated business processes.

“ Don't simply extend existing applications — make them better for the mobile worker.”

Most organizations lack the skills and expertise required to create mobile apps with a user experience (UX) that is simple and easy to use. They’re also unable to accommodate established behaviors associated with mobile device use. “Effective mobile app development requires businesses to rethink business processes and mobile employee work itself to take advantage of the benefits that mobile technology offers,” said Van Baker, research vice president at Gartner. To deliver mobile apps that have a positive impact on the users and the enterprise, three critical elements must be addressed:

• UX –A well designed UX must consider user attitudes and behaviors. The context in which the mobile apps are used in addition to the design elements of the user interface (UI) are critically important.
• Business process — The associated business process should fundamentally alter or extend the existing offering to create impactful mobile apps. This can either be done with greater efficiency or new capabilities not associated with the current business process.
• Mobile app architecture — Getting the mobile app architecture correct can make organizations very productive. A proper architecture is critical to facilitate rapid development of mobile apps that offer the appropriate level of integration with existing systems of record. They also incorporate services that enhance the functionality of the apps.

These elements are interdependent and critical to creating successful mobile apps that have positive impacts on the organization. By taking each into consideration, you will be able to develop and deploy apps that can be:

• Built rapidly and iteratively improved
• Meet user expectations
• Improve business productivity with real return on investment

“The mobile app should make work faster, and better, for the employee, as well as less expensive,” said Mr. Baker. “Don't simply extend existing applications — make them better for the mobile worker.”