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New app dev challenges in 2015 — Are you ready?

mobile app development challenges

Regardless of the sector in which your business operates or its size, conducting mobile and web application development has never been more important – because it’s never had more of a competitive impact.

It’s not without challenges, however. That’s because application development software technologies and IT environments change quickly, and app dev itself has never been more complex . Keeping up is tough and getting tougher.

Accelerating demand for mobile and web apps

So I’m not surprised when I hear how packaged, off-the-shelf application development software just isn’t delivering what organizations need to meet accelerating demand for mobile and web apps.

Part of the issue is that mobile and web application development for enterprises reaches the broadest range of devices possible, so employees and customers can easily use an app — the same app — on the many different devices they regularly use.

As application development software and browser technologies evolve, the challenge is to develop cross-platform apps that run independently of particular operating systems or browsers. What’s more, users tend to prefer simple, intuitive app interfaces; without this, user adoption lags.

The integration race

Also problematic: Off-the-shelf, packaged application development software doesn’t keep up with an organization’s need to quickly and seamlessly integrate those apps with today’s ever-widening variety of technologies and environments.

Consider the demands of backend integration. One recent survey has found that

  • 79% of organizations require their web application development efforts to integrate with at least 1-5 cloud-based applications
  • 66% must integrate at least 1-5 on-premise applications
  • 61% must integrate at least 1-5 custom application development efforts.

Such broad integration requirements account for the impressive growth of APIs — application programming interfaces. API learning curves can be significant, sometimes more demanding than learning a new programming language.

Other integration requirements loom, too, including data analytics utilization to assess app quality, app integration with legacy databases, and app security boosting (more on that in my next post).

Help when and how you need it

Although there are emerging app dev tools for non-programmers, the sheer demand for secure, intuitive apps integrating effectively with existing IT infrastructures means that many organizations need the capabilities provided by an application development services provider , including custom application development and support.

Such custom application development can range from building innovative mobile and web solutions, to integration that improves security and fault tolerance, to hosting your app dev in a secure, customizable, leading-edge cloud environment. It can also include high-performance, automated monitoring and assessments that keep your critical apps and systems operating efficiently.

When it comes to apps that do it right , the right application development services provider can make the critical difference.

Meet the Author
Tim Burke is the President and CEO of Quest. He has been at the helm for over 30 years.
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