Skip to main content

App Platforms Help Business Units Take Ownership of Mobility Plans

Joshua Hoffman
February 4, 2016

Mobile application development platforms empower business users to create apps as needed. These tools interact with business process management software systems to help users generate apps that align with everyday processes and workflows, helping companies maximize the value of mobile devicesin the enterprise. This functionality is particularly vital as non-tech workers aim to play a larger role in enterprise mobility strategies moving forward.

According to a recent report from The Enterprisers Project, 2016 will be marked as a period in which line-of-business team members play a larger role in guiding the mobile decision-making process.

Getting business teams involved in mobile plans

The news source explained that up to this point, most organizations are aware that business units play a large part in mobile strategies. However, 2016 will likely be marked by non-tech users gaining an even larger stake in mobility plans. This will fuel a transition from business teams having a voice in mobile strategies to them leading the way and IT units functioning as a collaborator. With IT in the background enabling business, apps and services can be developed directly in line with the needs of enterprise users.

"Business teams can take the initiative and lead mobility advances."

In many cases, these developments will lead to the creation of mobile centers of excellence - central repositories where key best practices, use cases and other forms of knowledge are maintained so both business and IT stakeholders can use them, the report explained. The result is a situation in which business teams can take the initiative and lead mobility advances while tech users are able to maintain a stake in the process.

App platforms hold key to getting business teams involved in mobility

A major technical barrier exists between business users and mobile application development. BPM tools are breaking down this barrier through low-code app development capabilities. Low-code tools make development accessible to any users, allowing them to use a combination of APIs and pre-built interface functions to create powerful custom apps. When these capabilities are housed within a BPM system, users can build new apps in direct line with business processes.

Mobile devices are enabling organizations to access data from a wide range of sources in flexible ways. This results in an environment in which context becomes critical. Applications must ensure that information gets to the right people in a timely fashion and that they understand what that data really means. Developing apps in light of process requirements plays a vital role in making sure core functions fit within everyday operational workflows.