One of the first things that become readily apparent when dealing with one of the major app stores like the Apple App Store or Google (News - Alert) Play is that there are a lot of apps out there. Worse, there are a lot of apps out there for any of a variety of purposes; everything from games to music to navigation has a host of possibilities on hand. Productivity apps, meanwhile, are no different, and picking just the right needle out of this particular haystack can be a tall order. But as Infotechlead's Rajani Baburajan explained, the new word from Oracle (News - Alert) India is letting CIOs out there know the best ways to pick the best apps.
The sheer number of apps in the field can be overwhelming, and the sheer number of options within the various subclasses can be likewise. With more and more businesses turning to fields like big data and analytics as well as cloud services, mobile and social operations, it can be easy to get bogged down in the number of choices as well as how to best apply these choices to current operations. But at Oracle India, the key to starting out is to consider the intent of a purchase, and work accordingly. Many businesses, at the end of the day, have similar goals: improve employee productivity, improve customer service metrics, or just make the business overall more effective in the field. So considering the purchases and installations of apps from those vantage points are likely to produce more solid results in the longer term.
Additionally, CIOs need to consider what delivery model will be used in the use of apps. Some may look to an on-premise model for its overall flexibility, but such a model may come with costs that aren't necessarily the part of other models like a cloud-based version. Within these two, additionally, are points and counterpoints involved in selecting just which model to go with, and each can offer advantages that the other cannot. Thus, selecting the right delivery model can mean the difference between extra efficiency and extra unnecessary costs.
Beyond that, there are issues related to selecting the right partner, to having clear and well-defined reasons for migrating to cloud systems, and on the importance of making comparisons among the various solutions that are available in the market. While many businesses ultimately have similar goals, every business is at least somewhat different from its competitors in the field, so considering the impact of the apps in question as it relates to these various points is going to prove a smart idea.
One great way to set up an app scheme is with a pilot cloud program. Having something of a limited “test bed” on hand to field test app products can be a great way to see what the impact of certain apps and services would be without committing the entire company to the use of same. It's a great way to spot potential problems before said problems are widespread while at the same time getting access to some potentially very valuable tools.
Setting up an app strategy isn't an easy thing. There are hosts of issues to consider and sometimes there isn't the time—or the resources—necessary to make proper conclusions. There are some simple means out there, however, to get the best chance at success, so a little advance planning and consideration can make all the difference in the end.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson