Looking back on 2015 gives me a reason to think about trends we are seeing. Mobile has been important to client for so long that it is not a trend, it is a requirement. What is new are requests for the inclusion of wearable technologies in road maps or strategies. I’ve seen a number of higher education and healthcare firms this year specifically call out the category. That made me think about the role of mobile devices and applications will play in our near future and of these two documents. The first is Gartner’s Mobile Application Development Platforms (MADP) Magic Quadrant. MobileFirst is the packaging of acquisition, Worklight and Cloudant, along with additional development. MobileFirst can leverage Bluemix and has components of the IBM/Apple partnership.
The mobile app development space has many players and approaches to fit the wide range of client requirements. I would strongly recommend reading this Gartner Report as it does a great job of laying out the various companies and approaches.
The second document is this IBM whitepaper as it lays out the pro and cons of the classic buy/build decision. MobileFirst vs DIY. While IBM focused, I think it would benefit and add to a company’s discussion and thoughts on how to be effective with mobile.
Perficient has developed this document to help clients understand what Mobile First design means, independent of platform, and how APIs are key to a successful strategy. This document is using “Mobile First” as a design principle separate from IBM’s product. Understanding Mobile First Design. If you are early in the move to mobile, I think this document frames the required strategy to support your business requirements.
As you move into 2016 and are juggling various business priorities and initiatives, I hope you return to this post and consider how to address your mobile needs.
