Connected consumers are a new reality. Modern enterprises must accept that fact. Although this trend represents significant challenges, it also represents a chance to unlock substantial value streams. One of the best ways to do that is via dedicated apps.
In the enterprise, app development usually falls into the hands of IT departments. As a result, IT personnel are expected to create functional and appealing interfaces that connect customers with their brand.
Defining enterprise application development
Before enterprises can leverage apps to sustain their business, they must first answer the question, “What is enterprise application development?”. Surprisingly, that answer is increasingly elusive as technology and customer behavior evolves.
On the whole, application development requires agile teams that are increasingly skilled at collaboration. After all, IT departments must coordinate their efforts as much with internal business teams as with external stakeholders.
Meanwhile, application developers must stay fully apprised of the needs and expectations of end users, or else their work will fall flat. The emergence of new cloud technologies also affects business app development.
Hype
Knowing that smartphone users expect to receive fantastic service via the apps they install, managers naturally want to leverage app development.
At the same time, developers are expected to produce bug-free applications that are secure, visually appealing and easy to use. Managers and executives also seem to expect that applications will defy obsolescence and are basically cost and maintenance free after deployment.
Some of the hype is built on the “old ways” of doing things. In the past, enterprises had large in-house teams that used on-premise solutions such as Java to quickly deploy applications to the workplace.
Additionally, enterprises have high expectations that their app development teams will substantially reduce operating costs via automation and customer self-service features. Simultaneously, the hype surrounding business app development may tend to assume that customers will use and love the apps brands put in their hands.
Facts
Without question, technology, consumer expectations, and internal requirements almost continuously change. This reality seems to contradict the prevailing belief that an app can cure practically any customer-related problem that afflicts the enterprise.
Although apps certainly offer a lot to enterprises and their customers, their potential depends on the capabilities and responsiveness of development teams. For starters, consider that more than three-quarters of IT staffers say that an app takes more than three months to develop.
Additionally, the expense of app development serves to deflate the hype. Aside from the expense of human resources, development projects require a substantial investment in infrastructure and technology. This continues long after deployment in the form of maintenance costs.
Moreover, the demand for applications has eclipsed development capacity in the enterprise on a five-to-one scale, according to Gartner.
Solutions
Increasingly, the cloud offers the only pathway to success for app developers in the enterprise. As part of the move to the cloud, enterprises are realizing the power of outside app development companies.
These firms have embraced IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS and save enterprises substantially in terms of human and financial resources. As a matter of fact, as a result of these companies, enterprises have access to robust platform-independent development tools.
Enterprises that collaborate with development companies also enjoy enhanced capabilities regarding application security and scalability. These third parties stay updated with the latest technologies on behalf of firms. This way, enterprises are never left behind when innovation changes the technological landscape.
By gaining a realistic view of application development, enterprises can make the decisions needed to adapt and thrive. By allowing a third party to maintain ecosystems that embrace innovation, they slash production times while providing deliverables that conform to the expectations of managers and customers alike.
