We have been hearing a lot about mobility and the apps. Almost everyone is coming with innovative apps for some or the other purpose. We have a lot of ideas as well, floating through the SDN idea place about new apps that SAP can develop for the benefit of its clients. Now anybody and everybody from big ad agencies to boutiques; from traditional competitors to small time establishments are developing these apps. But the real question is will it meet the long term needs of the clients?
It is also surprising that many people feel that mobility starts and ends with apps. But does it really end there? By just developing some apps for certain purposes can anybody see the overall benefit? No. In order to really acknowledge the benefits of this new platform it is very important to realize that apps are only a part of much larger mobility picture. A clear mobility strategy has to be designed, developed and implemented so that it can take care of long term needs of the clients and customers alike. Otherwise there is every possibility of those apps getting obsolete and losing their viability in no time.
What does it take to have a clear strategy? After all we are moving towards a converged world of mobility that is more powerful than ever.The most important thing however is to connect the dots between mobility strategy and Business strategy. Also important is connecting between ERP tools and mobility tools, between sales team, Marketing, Service and Production, between partner and suppliers etc. The other things that are required are grasp of technology trends and drivers, understanding of what constitutes an effective Mobile application and its architecture and being aware of aspects beyond the app itself including security, middle ware and device management. When all the above things are considered only then a long term strategy can be developed in this age of “soon to be obsolete” latest radical technology.
Finally, mobility is more than just apps.
