Co-authored by George Hyde, Senior Manager at Sendero
Over the past decade, significant improvements in the mobile user experience have created an environment where the estimated number of smartphone users in the United States is expected to grow to 298M in 2021. Whether it be for entertainment, convenience of paying bills, or employment related responsibilities, nearly 9 in 10 Americans and 96% of the 18-29 age group own a smartphone. The past 20 years have also seen advances in technology utilized by the mobile device.
In response, companies spanning across a wide range of industries began embracing GIS (Geographic Information System) technology in order to realize the benefits of more informed decisions through location-based analytics and visualization of their assets on maps. According to Kamau Bobb of Google, responsible tech usage is paramount. Powerful mapping platforms, such as Esri’s ArcGIS technology, provide the ability to create maps, analyze, manage, and share geographic information across an enterprise. While the adoption of web and desktop GIS technology is an unquestioned success, it is the focus on the user experience that has primed the leap forward for mobile GIS unleashing new capabilities and efficiencies for organizations across the globe.
At Sendero, our team leverages collaborative partnerships to strengthen our delivery for clients. Over the past few years, Sendero has partnered with GeoMarvel leveraging their extensive GIS knowledge, experience and technical development capabilities to deliver cutting edge mobile GIS solutions for our clients.
Below are a few tips that our teams have identified as key success factors for implementing these types of mobile solutions:
While it is often taken for granted or seems like something the developer should be able to manage through intuition, the placement of buttons, icons, and other features on a screen is strategic and requires a deep understanding of the user. As a step in optimizing the mobile user experience, consider a simple example: A field worker inspecting utility lines will require an interface that quickly pulls up a map with a point displaying his or her location whereas a sales associate might see “Place Order” or “View Customer Information” buttons as more useful on the home screen.
Many companies using GIS technology hold and maintain assets outside of urban centers with strong networks and internet connectivity. For these companies’ mobile application users, it is important to consider solutions that provide the ability to work offline or build in features to address gaps in cellular service availability. One such approach is to pre-create mobile map packages for loading on the user device at home or the office where there is a strong network connection. This approach however can require storage of terabytes worth of data.
While Google’s Android operating system commands much of the global smartphone market, in the United States and Canada it’s a little closer to an even split with Apple’s iOS. As a result, companies based in the United States and Canada are more likely to consider hybrid application development as a part of their mobility strategies. Hybrid applications are built using web technologies such as HTML and JavaScript, which are the equivalent of a website packaged into a native wrapper.
The Agile process allows for environmental deployments, pertaining to all aspects of the development process including production, staging and testing environments. One advantage of the agile approach with software development is that you can factor in additional elements such as weighted priorities, determined task difficulties and task dependencies. Each of these elements can then be tied to other activities or related topics. This approach allows for full transparency and enables effective collaboration between different features and teams. The Agile development process is cyclical and target-based by nature, allowing for effective team coordination. This methodology allows for simpler iteration of processes and a more streamlined evolution of features within a final product. By leveraging the Agile process, it promotes sufficient user testing through a development pattern that is built on sprints and micro tasks to architect, design, build and test your application.
When project management and software development teams are aligned in execution of the agile process, this often leads to a highly efficient and rapid development process. This enables organizations to build more stable long-term solutions that can be more effectively maintained and iterated on over time. The agile process for development and project management can be used by large organizations and startups alike, as they support effective iteration through product versions, each of which can be sufficiently tested prior to release.
Within the ArcGIS ecosystem, mobile device management (MDM) relates to two main ArcGIS mobile application categories: Field Operation mobile apps (ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Survey123 & ArcGIS QuickCapture) and Solutions mobile applications (ArcGIS AppStudio, ArcGIS Companion, ArcGIS Indoors & ArcGIS Mission). Even though every ArcGIS mobile application is built to support a specific GIS workflow, each of these unique applications can be managed just like any other mobile application within a chosen MDM solution. By designing these applications to function similarly across various MDM vendors, Esri provides a consistent way to configure, secure, and manage mobile applications which promotes the adoption of mobile technology in the workplace.
Mobile application development is in its relative infancy – though that is not to say a lot has not been learned over the past two decades, particularly when it comes to the mobile user experience, or the single biggest predictor in the adoption of mobile technology. As organizations seek to increase market share, it is not a matter of if mobile technology will be deployed, it is a matter of when. Combined with advances in GIS technology and wider adoption of agile software development practices, there is an exciting, yet complex road ahead.
This blog was collaboratively written by Sendero and GeoMarvel.
