The demand for low-code platforms and rapid application development has risen dramatically over the past few years as businesses capitalise on their ease of use and ability to quickly and easily resolve business demands. As a result, there is a lot of choice available. Identifying the right enterprise app development company to work with can therefore be somewhat of a headache.
The criteria for selection will vary depending on your app or web portal requirements, but there are a number of essential factors to take into consideration to help you identify and evaluate the right provider and ensure that your final choice is future proof.
1. Ensure the low-code platform includes the right functionality
Building enterprise applications or portal software with low-code platforms should be easy. That’s the whole point of them. Most employees should be able to get started relatively quickly and be able to manage them throughout their lifecycle. If the technology requires a team of specialists to maintain and develop you will eradicate the agility the organisation can achieve through their deployment. Most enterprise low-code platforms include a wide range of functionality, but should definitely include the following key features:
- Wizard-driven approach to building apps The low-code enterprise application platform should have an intelligent, yet simple UI enabling anyone to create or modify an app or portal, especially the actual users of the software. It should be easy to build complex process models, map database objects to user workflows, and customize UI design without having to write bespoke code. However, the platform should also offer advanced dev and customisation tools, with the ability to add compliance and security processes and protocols, for the IT department or development team to finalise the end product.
- Integration and automation Flexible integration and powerful business process automation capabilities are an essential feature for enterprise mobile application development. All applications and portals will need access to existing data held within other business systems or the facility to push data generated into them. Therefore, the ability to integrate apps and portals quickly and easily, via drag and drop technology, should come as standard with any low-code platform.
- User-friendly For any application to be adopted by employees of the organisation it must be visually appealing and intuitive to use. The next generation users, often referred to as ‘Millennials’, now demand business systems that work in a similar manner to the technology and systems that they have adopted and become accustomed to – quick and easy to use. As such, low-code platforms should also be intuitive, user-friendly and visually appealing.
- Mobile-ready Business knows no boundaries or time zones. It is therefore essential that the development of any business application meets the needs of different devices, different methods of access and different personas to ensure future success. Any application built using a low-code platform should natively support mobile so that employees, suppliers and stakeholders can access information when they most need it.
2. Select an enterprise app development provider that understands integration
A low-code platform provider ideally should have strong and proven integration experience. Capturing, storing and viewing information within an app or web portal is just the beginning for many organisations. Business processes often cross multiple systems and, as such, you will need to integrate your app or portal with other business systems, databases and web services.
3. Can the provider offer a demo license option?
If the app development company claims that its software is easy to use, put these claims to the test. During the demo process you will get an idea for the level and quality of support the organisation provides and the knowledge you can access. A professional technology provider will assign an account manager to you during your demo and will guide you through the use of the solution.
4. Ask to see their project scoping documentation
Evaluating a vendor’s project scoping documentation is a great indicator of the quality of work that will be delivered. Apps and portals are successful when they meet the exact needs of the user, so identifying if the vendors documentation adequately captures this information is an important consideration.
5. Establish the level of built-in security features
By the nature of what you are trying to achieve you will be opening up your most valuable asset, your data, to many different people in multiple locations. Ask for a clear and concise document stating the exact security features that come as standard with the solution.
6. Additional considerations
There are many other factors to consider when selecting the right enterprise app development company for your business. For example, you will need to consider the types of apps or portals that are suitable for your requirements, who has access to your apps and portals and who will be involved in the project.
- Do they provide product training?
- Do they have a market-proven reputation for enterprise apps and rapid application development?
- Do they have market-proven experience in multiple primary business solutions e.g. SAP, Sage, Microsoft etc.?
- Do they have accredited development status with the mainstream business application vendors?
- Do they offer support services?
- Can they provide documented case studies or testimonials?
- How frequently do they provide software upgrades and version releases?
Discover Applications Platform – a powerful low-code platform
Low-code rapid application development has shaken up the way businesses think about purchasing business software. The option to not only build an application that fits 100% of requirements rapidly, but has the ability to modify and adapt equally as quick, is a refreshing alternative to the traditional procurement of business systems.
Applications Platform makes the entire process of developing, deploying and managing applications simple. User interfaces can be generated automatically, freeing up resources to concentrate on building the actual application.
To learn more about Applications Platform and the opportunities it could provide your organisation, please contact us via +44 (0)330 99 800 50 or email sales@applications-platform.com
