Ensuring the Deployment of Mobile Apps that Are Truly Used

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Why Native Mobile Support Is Essential for Modern Work

Let’s explore why, in today’s world where the demand for flexible work is rising, having the right technology to develop efficient and adaptable mobile apps is indispensable.

A recent Gallup study tracking U.S. employees' work modes reveals that 27% work entirely remotely, 53% in a hybrid mode, and 21% on-site. This study shows that remote and hybrid employees tend to have significantly higher engagement compared to on-site workers, leading to a reduced turnover rate.

Companies seeking to leverage the productivity and satisfaction benefits of remote and hybrid work need to support this distributed workforce by enabling easy and secure access to company resources from anywhere.

In this context, mobile applications play a crucial role. With a significant portion of workers (6 out of 10, according to Gallup) preferring a degree of flexibility, mobile tools that support task management and remote collaboration can make a substantial difference.

To effectively support flexible personnel, many companies turn to IT teams to create applications specifically designed for remote and mobile use.

These applications must be capable of leveraging specific mobile device features, such as cloud access, offline synchronization, and advanced built-in security. Additionally, user interfaces (UI) should be designed specifically for mobile, with intuitive design elements and touch-friendly interactions that adapt to smaller screens and mobile usage patterns.

This is essential to ensure a smooth and accessible user experience, thereby maximizing employee efficiency and engagement wherever they are.

Challenges of Traditional Mobile App Development

Traditional development, however, presents some significant limitations in creating these applications.

A primary issue is the need to decide in advance whether an app will be distributed via web or through an app store. If initially designed as a web app but later required as a mobile app, traditional development demands code modifications to adapt to mobile-specific needs, such as push notifications and access to native device features (GPS, camera).

Creating separate versions for different operating systems (like iOS and Android) results in code duplication, slowing down the implementation of new features and updates while increasing development time and costs.

Key inefficiencies include:

• Distribution and Updates: Traditional development requires adapting each update to all platforms, making it difficult to maintain consistently updated versions across interfaces.
• Performance: Apps that do not leverage device resources natively, as often happens with traditional development, tend to respond slower. This translates to a less fluid and reactive experience, which can discourage prolonged use and user adoption.
• User Experience: Adapting web applications for mobile often produces interfaces that are less intuitive and responsive. Apps not originally designed for mobile typically have more complex and less intuitive navigation on smaller screens, reducing their effectiveness and appeal to end users. This negatively impacts productivity, especially in smart working contexts where fast, seamless access is essential.

Therefore, it is clear that architectures designed to be easily adaptable and usable on mobile devices are essential.

In recent years, to accelerate application development cycles, companies are increasingly adopting low-code solutions. We've highlighted the benefits in terms of production capabilities in this article.

These tools represent a strategic advantage, enabling companies to quickly respond to market demands while reducing operational costs. However, not all low-code platforms offer native mobile support, which is a significant limitation for companies aiming for an effective and high-performance mobile presence.

Low-Code Platforms with Native Mobile Support: The Advantages

Using low-code platforms with native mobile support allows developers to create apps that automatically adapt to both web and mobile devices, allowing for a later distribution decision.

This approach is advantageous because it enables the transition from web access to a mobile app without requiring refactoring or additional development. In mobile applications, refactoring refers to the process of rewriting or adapting code to function on new platforms or support new features, such as compatibility between mobile and web devices.

At WEGG, as expert consultants in process digitization, we recommend Mendix technology to our clients for its native capability to support mobile and web application development in an integrated way. With Mendix, developers work within a single visual environment that automatically manages differences between web and mobile, eliminating the need for refactoring or code changes when switching distribution channels.

The Mendix development environment is based on React Native, which avoids rendering native apps within a web view, instead using native UI elements. This ensures faster performance, smooth animations, and full access to device functionalities (camera, GPS, biometric authentication, etc.). This also impacts the user experience, allowing apps to support natural gestures like swiping and other fluid interactions.

Another "nice-to-have" feature we recommend is the ability to build applications based on offline-first architectures, which ensure work continuity even without an internet connection. This feature, also found in Mendix, enables automatic data synchronization once a connection is restored —a must for those working on the go or in areas with limited coverage.

The platform also ensures a continuous distribution flow and reduces the review cycle. By integrating with Microsoft Visual Studio App Center, it automates the build process for mobile applications and facilitates deployment on iOS and Android platforms. This approach shortens the review cycle by automatically reloading changes, allowing developers to see immediate results and quickly respond to feedback.

In conclusion, supporting flexible work requires the right technology to develop efficient and adaptable mobile apps.

Would you like to develop mobile applications for your distributed workforce? Contact us at [email protected] for a consultation.

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