Mobilizing Applications For First Class User Experience

We’ve written a lot about the growth of enterprise mobility, especially the increase in employee demands for employers to embrace mobile-first strategies. For an enterprise to truly become ‘mobile’ however, it must be able to provide employees with 24/7/365 access to their workplace applications and data from any device, in any location.

Unfortunately, it’s highly likely that the decades-old enterprise software, logic and business rules that your organization has in place rely on a fixed display, drop downs that aren’t touch enabled and multiple pages to navigate to complete a single task. If this sounds like your company – then it’s time to shift away from maintaining systems of record to think of applications as systems of engagement to meet the demands of digitally minded employees – like you.

But ripping and replacing existing investments in legacy applications and workflows is often not an option due to time, cost and lack of resources. Instead, enterprises should modernize current applications to improve the focus on a more seamless experience for completing common tasks and complex workflows, while also supporting both mobile devices and desktop computers.

The Benefits of Modernizing and Mobilizing Existing Applications

If you tell your IT department that you want business mobile apps for your employees, they are probably concerned with limited skilled resources, budget, and just not enough time. Writing new business applications from scratch is probably not an option as the undertaking is expensive and time-consuming.

Fortunately, organizations can now quickly and cost-effectively modernize existing applications, while maintaining the existing data, rules and logic. Instead of ripping and replacing, the team can utilize their most complex desktop applications to simplify and extend critical workflows with a new task-oriented user experience for use on any endpoint. Modernizing and mobilizing existing applications typically takes weeks instead of months, and can be completed by citizen developers with little help of IT and developers. By working with the end users, IT can gain a better understanding of user pain points, user needs, security requirements and the app’s goals.

Utilize Modern Mobile Device Capabilities

Old-school desktop applications have limited capabilities beyond the mouse and keyboard. Modernized applications, however, can leverage all the capabilities of a device’s hardware and operating system, whether it be an iOS, Android or Windows device. A few ways to fully leverage devices include:

Using the native camera to scan bar codes on the warehouse floor
Operating the microphone for voice notes or speech-to-text that are instantly added into existing workflows to minimize paper based processes
Utilizing the GPS for location-based notifications to complete key tasks when and where it matters
Applying the touch screen or a fingerprint reader for secure & easy access, simplifying the user experience

Preserve Security and Compliance Requirements

In the era of frequent and complex cyberattacks, every organization is concerned about the security of its data and corporate systems. When employees access legacy applications through a modern front end, the existing security parameters are preserved and most of the time enhanced. Further, all communications are encrypted on the device, which isn’t always the case with certain business systems. Employees’ devices can easily be authenticated to ensure that only the approved user can access the applications. The user’s location can be verified, and the device itself can be geo-fenced.

Take Advantage of Cloud Computing

Application modernization platforms such as rapid mobile app development solutions can easily take advantage of cloud computing, enabling new mobile or desktop-friendly apps that talk to both legacy on-premises software and newer cloud-based resources, including software as a service (SaaS) and infrastructure as a service. Modernization can allow critical business applications to work in modern architectures, embracing on-prem, cloud and hybrid data centers, and SaaS.

Application modernization platforms such as rapid mobile app development solutions can easily take advantage of cloud computing, enabling new mobile or desktop-friendly apps that talk to both legacy on-premises software and newer cloud-based resources, including software as a service (SaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service. Modernization can allow critical business applications to work in modern architectures, embracing on-premise, cloud and hybrid data centers, and SaaS alike.

No matter your business function, mobilizing and modernizing enterprise applications for a first-class user experience is inevitable. How will you equip your workforce to succeed?

Download this white paper to learn more about the benefits of modernizing and mobilizing your enterprise apps.