Build Your Data Practice and Platform

Construct a scalable data foundation

Analyst Perspective

Build a data practice and platform that delivers value to your organization.

The build or optimization of your data practice and data platform must be predicated on a thorough understanding of the organization’s goals, objectives, and priorities and the business capabilities and process they are meant to support and enable.

Formalizing your practice or constructing your platform just for the sake of doing so often results in an initiative that is lengthy, costly, fizzles out, does not deliver business value, and ends up being considered a failure.

Leverage Info-Tech’s approach and incorporate our pre-built models and patterns to effectively navigate that crucial and often difficult phase upfront of comprehensively defining business data needs so you can ultimately realize faster time-to-delivery of your overall data practice and platform.

	Rajesh Parab Director, Research & Advisory, Data & Analytics Practice Info-Tech Research Group
	Crystal Singh Director, Research & Advisory, Data & Analytics Practice Info-Tech Research Group

Attempting to Solve Data Problems?

Info-Tech Insight

The true value of data comes from defining intentional relationships between the business and the data through a well thought out data platform and practice.

Situation – Perpetual Data Problem

I can’t access the data. I don’t trust the data in the report. It takes too long to get to the data for decision making

Lack of data-centric leadership results in downstream issues: integration, quality, accessibility The organization’s data is too complex to manage without a cohesive plan. The complex nature of the data and a lack of understanding leads to de-scoping delivery of data services that does not meet business needs or add value. Poorly designed practice and siloed platforms result in an initiative that is lengthy, costly, fizzles out, does not deliver business value, and ends up being considered a failure.

Complication – Data Initiative Fizzles Out

Data problem: When the data problem is diagnosed the organization adopts a tactical approach. Confirmation bias: Subject matter experts (SME) are hired to resolve the poorly defined problem, but the success of the SME is impacted by lack of architecture, technology, and organizational alignment. Still no value: the selected tactical approach does not provide a solid foundation or solve your data problem. Strategy for sake of strategy: Implementing a strategic approach for sake of being strategic but this becomes overwhelming. Fall back to tactical and operational: The data services are now potentially exposed and vulnerable, which strains business continuity and increases data debt. Increased complexity and risk: Data silos, poor understanding, and high complexity result in an unmanageable data environment.

Use the road-tested patterns and frameworks in our blueprint to break the perpetual data solution cycle. Focus on the value that a data and analytics platform will bring rather than focusing on the data problems alone.

Phase-by-Phase Approach to Build Your Data Practice and Platform

Phase-by-Phase Approach Phase 1: Step 1 – Define Your Data Requirement Phase 1: Step 2 – Conduct Your Data Discovery Phase 2 – Design Your Data Practice Phase 3 – Architect Your Data Platform

Measure value when building your data practice and platform

Sample Data Management Metrics

• Refine the metrics for the overall Data Management practice and every initiative therein.
• Refine the metrics at each platform and practice component to show business value against implementation effort.

Understand and Build Data Culture

See your Info-Tech Account Representative for more details on our Data Culture Diagnostic

Only 14.29% of Transportation and Logistics respondents agree BI and Analytics Process and Technology are sufficient	What is a diagnostic? Our diagnostics are the simplest way to collect the data you need, turn it into actionable insights, and communicate with stakeholders across the organization.			52.54% of respondents from the healthcare industry are unaware of their organization’s data security policy
	Ask the Right Questions Use our low-effort surveys to get the data you need from stakeholders across the organization.	Use Our Diagnostic Engine Our diagnostic engine does all the heavy lifting and analysis, turning your data into usable information.	Communicate & Take Action Wow your executives with the incredible insights you've uncovered. Then, get to action: make IT better.
On average only 40% agree that they have the reporting when needed (Source: Info-Tech’s Data Culture Diagnostic, 53 Organizations, 3138 Responses)	35% of respondents feel that a governance body is in place looking at strategic data Build a Data-Driven Strategy Using Info-Tech Diagnostic Programs Make informed IT decisions by starting your diagnostic program today. Your account manager is waiting to help you.

Use Our Predefined Data and Analytics Patterns to Build Your DnA Landscape

Walking through a book of architecture building plans with a personal guide is cheaper and faster than employing an architect to build and design your home

Insights

The true value of data comes from defining intentional relationships between the business and the data through a well-thought-out data platform and practice.

• Phase 1
  • Some organizations are low maturity so using the traditional Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) would not make sense. A great alternative is to leverage existing models and methodologies to get going off the bat.
  • The Data Strategy is an input into the platform and practice. This is considered the Why; Data Practice and Platform is the How.
• Phase 2
  • Info-Tech’s approach is business-goal driven and it leverages patterns, which enable the implementation of critical and foundational components and subsequently facilitates the evolution and development of the practice over time.
  • Systems should not be designed in isolation. Cross-functional collaboration throughout the design is critical to ensure all types of issues are revealed early. Otherwise, crucial tests are omitted, deployments fail, and end-users are dissatisfied.
• Phase 3
  • Build your conceptual data architecture based on well-thought-out formulated patterns that align with your organization’s needs and environment.
  • Functional needs often take precedence over quality architecture. Quality must be baked into design, execution, and decision-making practices to ensure the right trade-offs are made.

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

Info-Tech’s Methodology for Building Your Data Practice and Platform

Data Platform and Practice Implementation Plan

Build Your Data Practice and Platform

Phase 1

Phase 1: Step 1 – Define Your Data Requirements
Phase 1: Step 2 – Conduct Your Data Discovery

Phase 1: Step 1 – Define Your Data Requirements will walk you through the following activities:

• Confirm the organizational strategic goals, business drivers, business capabilities, and processes driving the Data Practice and Platform effort.
• Identify the data related outcomes, goals, and ideal environment needed to fulfill the business goals.

This phase involves the following participants:

A blend of business leaders and business SMEs together with the Data Strategy team.

Phase 1: Step 2 – Conduct Your Data Discovery will walk you through the following activities:

• Identify and highlight the data challenges faced in achieving the desired outcome.
• Map the data challenges to the data capabilities required to realize the desired data outcome.

This phase involves the following participants:

Key personnel from IT/Data team: (Data Architect, Data Engineers, Head of Head of Reporting and Analytics)

Manage Your Chromebooks and MacBooks

Financial constraints, strategy, and your user base dictate the need for Chromebooks and MacBooks – now you have to manage them in your environment.

Analyst Perspective

Managing MacBooks and Chromebooks is similar to managing Windows devices in many ways and different in others. The tools have many common features, yet they struggle to achieve the same goals.

Until recently, Windows devices dominated the workplace globally. Computing devices were also rare in many industries such as education. Administrators and administrative staff may have used Windows-based devices, but Chromebooks were not yet in use. Most universities and colleges were Windows-based in offices with some flavor of Unix in other areas, and Apple devices were gaining some popularity in certain circles.

That is a stark contrast compared to today, where Chromebooks dominate the classrooms and MacBooks and Chromebooks are making significant inroads into the enterprise environment. MacBooks are also a common sight on many university campuses. There is no doubt that while Windows may still be the dominant player, it is far from the only one in town.

Now that Chromebooks and MacBooks are a notable, if not significant, part of the education and enterprise environments, they must be afforded the same considerations as Windows devices in those environments when it comes to management. The good news is that there is no lack of available solutions for managing these devices, and the endpoint management landscape is continually evolving and improving.

P.J. Ryan
Research Director, Infrastructure & Operations
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• You modernized your end-user computing strategy and now have Windows 10 devices as well as MacBooks.
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and desktop as a service (DaaS) are becoming popular. Chromebooks would be ideal as a low-cost interface into DaaS for your employees.
• You are responsible for the management of all the new Chromebooks in your educational district.
• Windows is no longer the only option. MacBooks and Chromebooks are justified, but now you have to manage them.

Common Obstacles

• Endpoint management solutions typically do a great job at managing one category of devices, like Windows or MacBooks, but they struggle to fully manage alternative endpoints.
• Multiple solutions to manage multiple devices will result in multiple dashboards. A single view would be better.
• One solution may not fit all, but multiple solutions is not desirable either, especially if you have Windows devices, MacBooks, and Chromebooks.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Use the tools at your disposal first – don't needlessly spend money if you don't have to. Many solutions can already manage other types of devices to some degree.
• Use the integration capabilities of endpoint management tools. Many of them can integrate with each other to give you a single interface to manage multiple types of devices while taking advantage of additional functionality.
• Don't purchase capabilities you will never use. Using 80% of a less expensive tool is economically smarter than using 10% of a more expensive tool.

Info-Tech Insight

Managing end-user devices may be accomplished with a variety of solutions, but many of those solutions advocate integration with a Microsoft-friendly solution to take advantage of features such as conditional access, security functionality, and data governance.

Insight Summary

Insight 1

Google Admin Console is necessary to manage Chromebooks, but it can be paired with other tools. Implementation partnerships provide solutions to track the device lifecycle, track the repair lifecycle, sync with Google Admin Console as well as PowerSchool to provide a more complete picture of the user and device, and facilitate reminders to return the device, pay fees if necessary, pick up a device when a repair is complete, and more.

Insight 2

The Google Admin Console allows admins to follow an organizational unit (OU) structure very similar to what they may have used in Microsoft's Active Directory environment. This familiarity makes the task of administering Chromebooks easier for admins.

Insight 3

Chromebook management goes beyond securing and manipulating the device. Controls to protect the students while online, such as Safe Search and Safe Browsing, should also be implemented.

Insight 4

Most companies choose to use a dedicated MacBook management tool. Many unified endpoint management (UEM) tools can manage MacBooks to some extent, but admins tend to agree that a MacBook-focused endpoint management tool is best for MacBooks while a Windows-based endpoint management tool is best for Windows devices.

Insight 5

Some MacBook management solutions advocate integration with Windows UEM solutions to take advantage of Microsoft features such as conditional access, security functionality, and data governance. This approach can also be applied to Chromebooks.

Chromebooks

Chromebooks had a respectable share of the education market before 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic turbocharged the penetration of Chromebooks in the education industry.

Chromebooks are also catching the attention of some decision makers in the enterprise environment.

"In 2018, Chromebooks represented an incredible 60 percent of all laptop or tablet devices in K-12 -- up from zero percent when the first Chromebook launched during the summer break in 2011."
– "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise?" Computerworld

"Chromebooks were the best performing PC products in Q3 2020, with shipment volume increasing to a record-high 9.4 million units, up a whopping 122% year-on-year."
– Android Police

"Until the pandemic, Chrome OS' success was largely limited to U.S. schools. Demand in 2020 appears to have expanded beyond that small but critical part of the U.S. PC market."
– Geekwire

"In addition to running a huge number of Chrome Extensions and Apps at once, Chromebooks also run Android, Linux and Windows apps."
– "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise?" Computerworld

Managing Chromebooks

Start with the Google Admin Console (GAC)

GAC is necessary to initially manage Chrome OS devices.

GAC gives you a centralized console that will allow you to:

• Create organizational units
• Add your Chromebook devices
• Add users
• Assign users to devices
• Create groups
• Create and assign policies
• Plus more

GAC can facilitate device management with features such as:

• Control admin permissions
• Encryption and update settings
• App deployment, screen timeout settings
• Perform a device wipe if required
• Audit user activity on a device
• Plus more

Device and user addition, group and organizational unit creation and administration, applying policies to devices and users – does all this remind you of your Active Directory environment?

GAC lets you administer users and devices with a similar approach.

Managing Chromebooks

Use Active Directory to manage Chromebooks.

• Enable Active Directory (AD) management from within GAC and you will be able to integrate your Chromebook devices with your AD environment.
• Devices will be visible in both the GAC and AD environment.
• Use Windows Group Policy to manage devices and to push policies to users and devices.
• Users can use their AD username and password to sign into Chromebook devices.
• GAC can still be used for devices that are not synced with AD.

Chromebooks can also be managed through these approved partners:

• Cisco Meraki
• Citrix XenMobile
• IBM MaaS360
• ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus
• VMware Workspace ONE

Source: Google

You must be running the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade and have any licenses required by the approved partner to take advantage of this management option. The partner admin policies supersede GAC.

If you stop using the approved partner admin console to manage your devices, the polices and settings in GAC will immediately take over the devices.

Microsoft still has the market share when it comes to device sales, and many administrators are already familiar with Microsoft's Active Directory. Google took advantage of that familiarity when it designed the Google Admin Console structure for users, groups, and organizational units.

Chromebook Deployment

Chromebook deployment becomes a challenge when device quantities grow. The enrollment process can be time consuming, and every device must be enrolled before it can be used by an employee or a student. Many admins enlist their full IT teams to assist in the short term. Some vendor partners may assist with distribution options if staffing levels permit. Recent developments from Google have opened additional options for device enrollment beyond the manual enrollment approach.

Enrolling Chromebooks comes down to one of two approaches:

1. Manually enrolling one device at a time
   • Users can assist by entering some identifying details during the enrollment if permitted.
   • Some third-party solutions exist, such as USB drives to reduce repetitive keystrokes or hubs to facilitate manually enrolling multiple Chromebooks simultaneously.
2. Google's Chrome Enterprise Upgrade or the Chrome Education Upgrade
   • This allows you to let your users enroll devices after they accept the end-user license agreement.
   • You can take advantage of Google's vendor partner program and use a zero-touch deployment method where the Chromebook devices automatically receive the assigned policies, apps, and settings as soon as the device is powered on and an authorized user signs in.
   • The Enterprise Upgrade and the Education Upgrade do come with an annual cost per device, which is currently less than US$50.
   • The Enterprise and Education Upgrades come with other features as well, such as enhanced security.

Chromebooks are automatically assigned to the top-level organizational unit (OU) when enrolled. Devices can be manually moved to another OU, but admins can also create enrollment policies to place newly enrolled devices in a specific OU or have the device locate itself in the same OU as the user.

Chromebooks in Education

GAC is also used with Education-licensed devices

Most of the settings and features previously mentioned are also available for Education-licensed devices and users. Enterprise-specific features will not be available to Education licenses. (Active Directory integration with Education licenses, for example, is accomplished using a different approach)

• Groups, policies, administrative controls, app deployment and management, adding devices and users, creating organizational units, and more features are all available to Education Admins to use.

Education device policies and settings tend to focus more on protecting the students with controls such as:

• Disable incognito mode
• Disable location tracking
• Disable external storage devices
• Browser based protections such as Safe Search or Safe Browsing
• URL blocking
• Video input disable for websites
• App installation prevention, auto re-install, and app blocking
• Forced re-enrollment to your domain after a device is wiped
• Disable Guest Mode
• Restrict who can sign in
• Audit user activity on a device

When a student takes home a Chromebook assigned to them, that Chromebook may be the only computer in the household. Administrative polices and settings must take into account the fact that the device may have multiple users accessing many different sites and applications when the device is outside of the school environment.

Chromebook Management Extended

An online search for Chromebook management solutions will reveal several software solutions that augment the capabilities of the Google Admin Console. Many of these solutions are focused on the education sector and classroom and student options, although the features would be beneficial to enterprises and educational organizations alike.

These solutions assist or augment Chromebook management with features such as:

• Ability to sync with Google Admin Console
• Ability to sync with student information systems, such as PowerSchool
• Financial management, purchase details, and chargeback
• Asset lifecycle management
• 1:1 Chromebook distribution management
• Repair programs and repair process management
• Check-out/loan program management
• Device distribution/allocation management, including barcode reader integration
• Simple learning material distribution to the classroom for teachers
• Facilitate GAC bulk operations
• Manage inventory of non-IT assets such as projectors, TVs, and other educational assets
• Plus more

"There are many components to managing Chromebooks. Schools need to know which student has which device, which school has which device, and costs relating to repairs. Chromebook Management Software … facilitates these processes."
– VIZOR

MacBooks

• MacBooks are gaining popularity in the Enterprise world.
• Some admins claim MacBooks are less expensive in the long run over Windows-based PCs.
• Users claim less issues when using a MacBook, and overall, companies report increased retention rates when users are using MacBooks.

"Macs now make up 23% of endpoints in enterprises."
– ComputerWeekly.com

"When given the choice, no less than 72% of employees choose Macs over PCs."
– "5 Reasons Mac is a must," Jamf

"IBM says it is 3X more expensive to manage PCs than Macs."
– Computerworld

"74% of those who previously used a PC for work experienced fewer issues now that they use a Mac"
– "Global Survey: Mac in the Enterprise," Jamf

"When enterprise moves to Mac, staff retention rates improve by 20%. That's quite a boost! "
– "5 Reasons Mac is a must," Jamf

Managing MacBooks

Can your existing UEM keep up?

Many Windows unified endpoint management (UEM) tools can manage MacBooks, but most companies choose to use a dedicated MacBook management tool.

• UEM tools that are primarily Windows focused do not typically go deep enough into the management capabilities of non-Windows devices.
• Admins have noted limitations when it comes to using Windows UEM tools, and reasons they prefer a dedicated MacBook management solution include:
  • Easier to use
• Faster response times when deploying settings and policies
• Better control over notification settings and lock screen settings.
• Easier Apple Business Manager (ABM) integration and provisioning.
• Note that not every UEM will have the same limitations or advantages. Functionality is different between vendor products.

Info-Tech Insight

Most Windows UEM tools are constantly improving, and it is only a matter of time before they rival many of the dedicated MacBook management tools out there.

Admins tend to agree that a Windows UEM is best for Windows while an Apple-based UEM is best for Apple devices.

Managing MacBooks

The market for "MacBook-first" management solutions includes a variety of players of varying ages such as:

• Jamf
• Kandji
• Mosyle
• SimpleMDM
• Others

MacBook-focused management tools can provide features such as:

• Encryption and update settings
• App deployment and lifecycle management
• Remote device wipe, scan, shutdown, restart, and lock
• Zero touch deployment and support
• Location tracking
• Browser content filtering
• Enable, hide/block, or disable built-in features
• Configure Wi-Fi, VPN, and certificate-based settings
• Centralized dashboard with device and app listings as well as individual details
• Data restrictions
• Plus more

Unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions that can provide MacBook management to some degree include (but are not limited to):

• Intune
• Ivanti
• Endpoint Central
• WorkspaceOne

Dedicated solutions advocate integration with UEM solutions to take advantage of conditional access, security functionality, and data governance features.

Jamf and Microsoft entered into a collaboration several years ago with the intention of making the MacBook management process easier and more secure.

Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro: Better together to manage and secure Macs
Microsoft Conditional Access with Jamf Pro ensures that company data is only accessed by trusted users, on trusted devices, using trusted apps. Jamf extends this Enterprise Mobile + Security (EMS) functionality to Mac, iPhone and iPad.
– "Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro," Jamf

Endpoint Management Selection Tool
Activity

There are many solutions available to manage end-user devices, and they come with a long list of options and features. Clarify your needs and define your requirements before you purchase another endpoint management tool. Don't purchase capabilities that you may never use.

Use the Endpoint Management Selection Tool to identify your desired endpoint solution features and compare vendor solution functionality based on your desired features.

1. List out the desired features you want in an endpoint solution for your devices and record those features in the first column. Use the features provided, or add your own and edit or delete the existing ones if necessary.
2. List your selected endpoint management solution vendors in each of the columns in place of "Vendor 1," "Vendor 2," etc.
3. Fill out the spreadsheet by changing the corresponding desired feature cell under each vendor to a "yes" or "no" based on your findings while investigating each vendor solution.
4. When you have finished your investigation, review your spreadsheet to compare the various offerings and pros and cons of each vendor.
5. Select your endpoint management solution.

Related Info-Tech Research

Modernize and Transform Your End-User Computing Strategy
This project helps support the workforce of the future by answering the following questions: What types of computing devices, provisioning models, and operating systems should be offered to end users? How will IT support devices? What are the policies and governance surrounding how devices are used? What actions are we taking and when? How do end-user devices support larger corporate priorities and strategies?

Best Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Software 2022 | SoftwareReviews
Compare and evaluate unified endpoint management vendors using the most in-depth and unbiased buyer reports available. Download free comprehensive 40+ page reports to select the best unified endpoint management software for your organization.

Best Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) Software 2022 | (softwarereviews.com)
Compare and evaluate enterprise mobile management vendors using the most in-depth and unbiased buyer reports available. Download free comprehensive 40+ page reports to select the best enterprise mobile management software for your organization.

Bibliography

Bridge, Tom. "Macs in the enterprise – what you need to know". Computerweekly.com, TechTarget. 27 May 2022. Accessed 12 Aug. 2022.
Copley-Woods, Haddayr. "5 reasons Mac is a must in the enterprise". Jamf.com, Jamf. 28 June 2022. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
Duke, Kent. "Chromebook sales skyrocketed in Q3 2020 with online education fueling demand." androidpolice.com, Android Police. 16 Nov 2020. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
Elgin, Mike. "Will Chromebooks Rule the Enterprise? (5 Reasons They May)". Computerworld.com, Computerworld. 30 Aug 2019. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
Evans, Jonny. "IBM says it is 3X more expensive to manage PCs than Macs". Computerworld.com, Computerworld. 19 Oct 2016. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.
"Global Survey: Mac in the Enterprise". Jamf.com, Jamf. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
"How to Manage Chromebooks Like a Pro." Vizor.cloud, VIZOR. Accessed 10 Aug. 2022.
"Manage Chrome OS Devices with EMM Console". support.google.com, Google. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.
Protalinski, Emil. "Chromebooks outsold Macs worldwide in 2020, cutting into Windows market share". Geekwire.com, Geekwire. 16 Feb 2021. Accessed 22 Aug. 2022.
Smith, Sean. "Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro: Better together to manage and secure Macs". Jamf.com, Jamf. 20 April 2022. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

The ESG Imperative and Its Impact on Organizations

Design to enable an active response to changing conditions.

Analyst Perspective

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) is a corporate imperative that is tied to long-term value creation. An organization's social license to operate and future corporate performance depends on managing ESG factors well.

Central to an ESG program is having a good understanding of the ESG factors that may have a material impact on enterprise value and key internal and external stakeholders. A comprehensive ESG strategy supported by strong governance and risk management is also essential to success.

Capturing relevant data and applying it within risk models, metrics, and internal and external reports is necessary for sharing your ESG story and measuring your progress toward meeting ESG commitments. Consequently, the data challenges have received a lot of attention, and IT leaders have a role to play as strategic partner and enabler to help address these challenges. However, ESG is more than a data challenge, and IT leaders need to consider the wider implications in managing third parties, selecting tools, developing supporting IT architecture, and ensuring ethical design.

For many organizations, the ESG program journey has just begun, and collaboration between IT and risk, procurement, and compliance will be critical in shaping program success.

Donna Bales
Principal Research Director
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• Global regulatory climate disclosure requirements are still evolving and are not consistent.
• Sustainability is becoming a corporate imperative, but IT's role is not fully clear.
• The ESG data challenge is large and continually expanding in scope.
• Collecting the necessary data and managing ethical issues across supply chains is a daunting task.
• Communicating long-term value is difficult when customer and employee expectations are shifting.

Common Obstacles

• The data necessary for data-driven insights and accurate disclosure is often hampered by inaccurate and incomplete primary data.
• Other challenges include:
  • Approaching ESG holistically and embedding it into existing governance, risk, and IT capabilities.
  • Building knowledge and adapting culture throughout all levels of the organization.
  • Monitoring stakeholder sentiment and keeping strategy aligned to expectations.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Use this blueprint to educate yourself on ESG factors and the broader concept of sustainability.
• Learn about Info-Tech's ESG program approach and use it as a framework to begin your ESG program journey.
• Identify changes that may be needed in your organizational operating model, strategy, governance, and risk management approach.
• Discover areas of IT that may need to be prioritized and resourced.

Info-Tech Insight

An organization's approach to ESG cannot be static or tactical. ESG is a moving landscape that requires a flexible, holistic approach across the organization. It must become part of the way you work and enable an active response to changing conditions.

Putting ESG in context

ESG has moved beyond the tipping point to corporate table stakes

• In recent years, ESG issues have moved from voluntary initiatives driven by corporate responsibility teams to an enterprise-wide strategic imperative.
• Organizations are no longer being measured by financial performance but by how they contribute to a sustainable and equitable future, such as how they support sustainable innovation through their business models and their focus on collaboration and inclusion.
• A corporation's efforts toward sustainability is measured by three components: environmental, social, and governance.

Sustainability

The ability of a corporation and broader society to endure and survive over the long term by managing adverse impacts well and promoting positive opportunities.

Source: United Nations

Putting "E," "S," and "G" in context

Corporate sustainability depends on managing ESG factors well

• Environmental, social, and governance are the component pieces of a sustainability framework that is used to understand and measure how an organization impacts or is affected by society as a whole.
• Human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning since the mid twentieth century, have increased greenhouse gas concentration, resulting in observable changes to the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere.
• The E in ESG relates to the positive and negative impacts an organization may have on the environment, such as the energy it takes in and the waste it discharges.
• The S in ESG is the most ambiguous component in the framework, as social impact relates not only to risks but also prosocial behaviour. It's the most difficult to measure but can have significant financial and reputational impact on corporations if material and poorly managed.
• The G in ESG is foundational to the realization of S and E. It encompasses how well an organization integrates these considerations into the business and how well the organization engages with key stakeholders, receives feedback, and is transparent with its intentions.

Understanding the drivers behind ESG

$30 trillion is expected to be transferred from the baby boomers to Generation Z and millennials over the next decade
– Accenture

Drivers

• The rapid rise of ESG investing
• The visibility of climate change is driving governments, society, and corporations to act and to initiate and support net zero goals.
• A younger demographic that has strong convictions and financial influence
• A growing trend toward mandatory climate and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) disclosures required by global regulators
• Recent emphasis by regulators on board accountability and fiduciary duty
• Greater societal awareness of social issues and sustainability
• A new generation of corporate leadership that is focused on sustainable innovation

The evolving regulatory landscape

Global regulators are mobilizing toward mandatory regulatory climate disclosure

Canada

• Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) NI 51-107 Disclosure of Climate-related Matters

Europe

• European Commission, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)
• European Commission, EU Supply Chain Act
• Germany – The German Supply Chain Act (GSCA)
• Financial Conduct Authority UK, Proposal (DP 21/4) Sustainability Disclosure Requirements and investment labels
• UK Modern Slavery Act, 2015

United States

• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 33-11042– The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors
• SEC 33-11038 Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure
• Nasdaq Board Diversity Rule (5605(f))

New Zealand

• New Zealand, The Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021

Begin by setting your purpose

Consider your role as a corporation in society and your impact on key stakeholders

• The impact of a corporation can no longer be solely measured by financial impact but also its impact on social good. Corporations have become real-world actors that impact and are affected by the environment, people, and society.
• An ESG program should start with defining your organization's purpose in terms of corporate responsibility, the role it will play, and how it will endure over time through managing adverse impacts and promoting positive impacts.
• Corporations should look inward and outward to assess the material impact of ESG factors on their organization and key internal and external stakeholders.
• Once stakeholders are identified, consider how the ESG factors might be perceived by delving into what matters to stakeholders and what drives their behavior.

Understanding your stakeholder landscape is essential to achieving ESG goals

Assess ESG impact

Materiality assessments help to prioritize your ESG strategy and enable effective reporting

• The concept of materiality as it relates to ESG is the process of gaining different perspectives on ESG issues and risks that may have significant impact (both positive and negative) on or relevance to company performance.
• The objective of a materiality assessment is to identify material ESG issues most critical to your organization by looking a broad range of social and environmental factors. Its purpose is to narrow strategic focus and enable an organization to assess the impact of financial and non-financial risks aggregately.
• It helps to make the case for ESG action and strategy, assess financial impact, get ahead of long-term risks, and inform communication strategies.
• Organizations can leverage assessment tools from Sustainalytics or SASB Standards to help assess ESG risks or use guidance or benchmarking information from industry associations.

Info-Tech Insight

Survey key stakeholders to obtain a more holistic viewpoint of expectations and the industry landscape and gain credibility through the process.

Use a materiality matrix to understand ESG exposure

Example: Beverage Company

Follow a holistic approach

To deliver on your purpose, sustainability must be integrated throughout the organization

• An ESG program cannot be implemented in a silo. It must be anchored on its purpose and supported by a strong governance structure that is intertwined with other functional areas.
• Effective governance is essential to instill trust, support sound decision making, and manage ESG.
• Governance extends beyond shareholder rights to include many other factors, such as companies' interactions with competitors, suppliers, and governments. More transparency is sought on:
  • Corporate behavior, executive pay, and oversight of controls.
  • Board diversity, compensation, and skill set.
  • Oversight of risk management, particularly risks related to fraud, product, data, and cybersecurity

"If ESG is the framework of non-financial risks that may have a material impact on the company's stakeholders, corporate governance is the process by which the company's directors and officers manage those risks."
– Zurich Insurance

Governance and organization approach

There is no one-size-fits-all approach

47% of companies reported that the full board most commonly oversees climate related risks and opportunities while 20% delegate to an existing board governance committee (EY Research, 2021).

• The organizational approach to ESG will differ across industry segments and corporations depending on material risks and their upstream and downstream value change. However, the accountability for ESG sits squarely at the CEO and board level.
• Some organizations have taken the approach of hiring a Chief Sustainability Officer to work alongside the CEO on execution of ESG goals and stakeholder communication, while others use other members of the strategic leadership to drive the desired outcomes.

Strategy alignment

"74% of finance leaders say that investors increasingly use nonfinancial information in their decision-making."

– "Aligning nonfinancial reporting..." EY, 2020

• Like any journey, the ESG journey requires knowing where you are starting from and where you are heading to.
• Once your purpose is crystalized, identify and surface gaps between where you want to go as an organization (your purpose and goals) and what you need to deliver as an organization to meet the expectations of your internal and external stakeholders (your output).
• Using the results of the materiality assessment, weigh the risk, opportunities, and financial impact to help prioritize and determine vulnerabilities and where you might excel.
• Finally, evaluate and make changes to areas of your business that need development to be successful (culture, accountability and board structure, ethics committee, etc.)

Gap analysis example for delivering reporting requirements

Organizational Goals

• Regulatory Disclosure
  • Climate
  • DEI
  • Cyber governance
• Performance Tracking/Annual Reporting
  • Corporate transparency on ESG performance via social, annual circular
• Evidence-Based Business Reporting
  • Risk
  • Board
  • Suppliers

Risk-size your ESG goals

When integrating ESG risks, stick with a proven approach

• Managing ESG risks is central to making sound organizational decisions regarding sustainability but also to anticipating future risks.
• Like any new risk type, ESG risk should be interwoven into your current risk management and control framework via a risk-based approach.
• Yet ESG presents some new risk challenges, and some risk areas may need new control processes or enhancements.

Info-Tech Insight

Integrate ESG risks early, embrace uncertainty by staying flexible, and strive for continual improvement.

Managing supplier risks

Suppliers are a critical input into an organization's ESG footprint

"The typical consumer company's supply chain ... [accounts] for more than 80% of greenhouse-gas emissions and more than 90% of the impact on air, land, water, biodiversity, and geological resources."
– McKinsey & Company, 2016

• Although companies are accustomed to managing third parties via procurement processes, voluntary due-diligence, and contractual provisions, COVID-19 surfaced fragility across global supply chains.
• The mismanagement of upstream and downstream risks of supply chains can harm the reputation, operations, and financial performance of businesses.
• To build resiliency to and visibility of supply chain risk, organizations need to adapt current risk management programs, procurement practices, and risk assessment tools and techniques.
• Procurement departments have an enhanced function, effectively acting as gatekeepers by performing due diligence, evaluating performance, and strengthening the supplier relationship through continual feedback and dialogue.
• Technologies such as blockchain and IoT are starting to play a more dominant role in supply chain transparency.

"Forty-five percent of survey respondents say that they either have no visibility into their upstream supply chain or that they can see only as far as their first-tier suppliers."
– "Taking the pulse of shifting supply chains," McKinsey & Company, 2022

Metrics and targets

Metrics are key to stakeholder transparency, measuring performance against goals, and surfacing organizational blind spots

• ESG metrics are qualitative or quantitative insights that measure organizations' performance against ESG goals. Along with traditional business metrics, they assist investors with assessing the long-term performance of companies based on non-financial ESG risks and opportunities.
• Metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and key risk indicators (KRIs) are used to measure how ESG factors affect an organization and how an organization may impact any of the underlying issues related to each ESG factor.
• There are several reporting standards that offer specific ESG performance metrics, such as the Global Reporting Institute (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and World Economic Forum (WEF).
• For climate-related disclosures, global regulators are converging on the Task Force for Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD) and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

Example metrics for ESG factors

The impact of ESG on IT

IT plays a critical role in achieving ESG goals

• IT groups have a critical role to play in helping organizations develop strategic plans to meet ESG goals, measure performance, monitor risks, and deliver on disclosure requirements.
• IT's involvement extends from the CIO providing input at a strategic level to leading the charge within IT to instill new goals and adapt the culture toward one focused on sustainability.
• To set the tone, CIOs should begin by updating their IT governance structure and setting ESG goals for IT.
• IT leaders will need to think about resource use and efficiency and incorporate this into their IT strategy.

Info-Tech Insight

IT leaders need to work collaboratively with risk management to optimize decision making and continually improve ESG performance and disclosure.

"A great strategy meeting is a meeting of the minds."
– Max McKeown

The data challenge

The ESG data requirement is large and continually expanding in scope

• To meet ESG objectives, corporations are challenged with collecting non-financial data from across functional business and geographical locations and from their supplier base and supply chains.
• One of the biggest impediments to ESG implementation is the lack of high-quality data and of mature processes and tools to support data collection.
• The data challenge is compounded by the availability and usability of data, immature and fragmented standards that hinder comparability, and workflow integration.

Info-Tech Insight

Keep your data model flexible and digital where possible to enable data interoperability.

"You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data."
– Daniel Keys Moran

It's more than a data challenge

Organizations will rely on IT for execution, and IT leaders will need to be ready

Top impacts on IT departments

1. ESG requires corporations to keep track of ESG-related risks of third parties. This will mean more robust assessments and monitoring.
2. Many areas of ESG are new and will require new processes and tools.
3. The SEC has upped the ante recently, requiring more rigorous accountability and reporting on cyber incidents.
4. New IT systems and architecture may be needed to support ESG programs.
5. Current reporting frameworks may need updating as regulators move to digital.
6. Ethical design will need to be considered when AI is used to support risk/data management and when it is used as part of product solutions.

Key takeaways

• It's critical for organizations to look inward and outward to assess the material impact of ESG factors on their organization and key internal and external stakeholders.
• ESG requires a flexible, holistic approach across the organization. It must become part of the way you work and enable an active response to changing conditions.
• ESG introduces new risks that should not be viewed in isolation but interwoven into your current risk management and control framework via a risk-based approach.
• Identify and integrate risks early, embrace uncertainty by staying flexible, and strive for continual improvement.
• Metrics are key to telling your ESG story. Place the appropriate importance on the information that will be reported.
• Recognize that the data challenge is complex and evolving and design your data model to be flexible, interoperable, and digital.
• IT's role is far reaching, and IT will have a critical part in managing third parties, selecting tools, developing supporting IT architecture, and using ethical design.

Definitions

Reporting & standard frameworks

Bibliography

Anne-Titia Bove and Steven Swartz, McKinsey, "Starting at the source: Sustainability in supply chains", 11 November 2016

Accenture, "The Greater Wealth Transfer – Capitalizing on the intergenerational shift in wealth", 2012

Beth Kaplan, Deloitte, "Preparing for the ESG Landscape, Readiness and reporting ESG strategies through controllership playbook", 15 February 2022

Bjorn Nilsson et al, McKinsey & Company, "Financial institutions and nonfinancial risk: How corporates build resilience," 28 February 2022

Bolden, Kyle, Ernst and Young, "Aligning nonfinancial reporting with your ESG strategy to communicate long-term value", 18 Dec. 2020

Canadian Securities Administrators, "Canadian securities regulators seek comment on climate-related disclosure requirements", 18 October 2021

Carol A. Adams et al., Global Risk Institute, "The double-materiality concept, Application and issues", May 2021

Dunstan Allison-Hope et al, BSR, "Impact-Based Materiality, Why Companies Should-Focus Their Assessments on Impacts Rather than Perception", 3 February 2022

EcoVadis, "The World's Most Trusted Business Sustainability Ratings",

Ernst and Young, "Four opportunities for enhancing ESG oversight", 29 June 2021

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, The Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains (Gesetz über die unternehmerischen Sorgfaltspflichten in Lieferketten)", Published into Federal Law Gazette, 22, July 2021

"What Every Company Needs to Know", Sustainalytics

Global Risk Institute, The GRI Perspective, "The materiality madness: why definitions matter", 22 February 2022

John P Angkaw "Applying ERM to ESG Risk Management", 1 August 2022

Hillary Flynn et al., Wellington Management, "A guide to ESG materiality assessments", June 2022

Katie Kummer and Kyle Lawless, Ernst and Young, "Five priorities to build trust in ESG", 14 July 2022

Knut Alicke et al., McKinsey & Company, "Taking the pulse of shifting supply chains", 26 August 2022

Kosmas Papadopoulos and Rodolfo Arauj. The Harvard School Forum on Corporate Governance, "The Seven Sins of ESG Management", 23 September 2020

KPMG, Sustainable Insight, "The essentials of materiality assessment", 2014

Lorraine Waters, The Stack, "ESG is not an environmental issue, it's a data one", 20 May 2021

Marcel Meyer, Deloitte, "What is TCFD and why does it matter? Understanding the various layers and implications of the recommendations",

Michael W Peregnne et al., "The Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, The Important Legacy of the Sarbanes Oxley Act," 30 August 2022

Michael Posner, Forbes, "Business and Human Rights: Looking Ahead To The Challenges Of 2022", 15 December 2021

Myles Corson and Tony Kilmas, Ernst and Young, "How the CFO can balance competing demands and drive future growth", 3 November 2020

Novisto, "Navigating Climate Data Disclosure", 2022

Novisto, "XBRL is coming to corporate sustainability reporting", 17 April 2022

"Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector", 9 December 2019

Osler, "ESG and the future of sustainability", Podcast, 01 June 2022

Osler, "The Rapidly Evolving World of ESG Disclosure: ISSB draft standards for sustainability and climate related disclosures", 19 May 2022

Sarwar Choudhury and Zach Johnston, Ernst and Young "Preparing for Sox-Like ESG Regulation", 7 June 2022

Securities and Exchange Commission, "The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-related Disclosures for Investors", 12 May 2022

"Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC Proposes Rules on Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure by Public Companies, 9 May 2022

Sean Brown and Robin Nuttall, McKinsey & Company, "The role of ESG and purpose", 4 January 2022

Statement by Chair Gary Gensler, "Statement on ESG Disclosure Proposal", 25 May 2022

Svetlana Zenkin and Peter Hennig, Forbes, "Managing Supply Chain Risk, Reap ESG Rewards", 22 June 2022

Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures, "Final Report, Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures", June 2017

World Economic Forum, "Why sustainable governance and corporate integrity are crucial for ESG", 29 July 2022

World Economic Forum (in collaboration with PwC) "How to Set Up Effective Climate Governance on Corporate Boards, Guiding Principles and questions", January 2019

World Economic Forum, "Defining the "G" in ESG Governance Factors at the Heart of Sustainable Business", June 2022

World Economic Forum, "The Risk and Role of the Chief Integrity Officer: Leadership Imperatives in and ESG-Driven World", December 2021

World Economic Forum, "How to Set Up Effective Climate Governance on Corporate Boards Guiding principles and questions", January 2019

Zurich Insurance, "ESG and the new mandate for corporate governance", 2022

IT Talent Trends 2022

The last two years have been a great experiment … but it’s not over yet.

Incorporate new ways of working into your business to build and keep the best team.

Over the past two years, organizations have ventured into unprecedented ways of working and supporting their employees, as they tried to maintain productivity through the pandemic. This experiment has made lasting changes to both business models and employee expectations, and these effects will continue to be seen long after we return to a “new normal.”

While the pandemic forced us to work differently for the past two years, looking forward, successful organizations will incorporate new ways of working into their business models – beyond simply having a remote work policy.

How we work, source roles, and develop talent continue to evolve as we navigate a different world with employees being more vocal in their desires, and leaders continue to play a key role.

The IT talent market will never be the same, and organizations must reevaluate their employee experience from the bottom up to successfully weather the shift to the new normal.

IT Talent Trends 2022

The pandemic has clarified employees’ needs and amplified their voices

If 2021 was about beginning to act on employee needs, 2022 will be about strategically examining each trend to ensure that the actions taken by the organization are more than lip service.

Employees have always been able to see through disingenuous attempts to engage them, but in 2022 the stakes are higher due to increased talent mobility.

Trends that were just starting to come into focus last year have established themselves as critical determinants of the employee experience in 2022.

2021			DEI: A Top Talent Objective	Remote Work Is Here to Stay	Uncertainty Unlocks Performance	A Shift in Skills Priorities	A Greater Emphasis on Wellbeing
2022	Strategic Recruiting Finds Good Talent Finding talent in a strained talent market requires a marketing approach. Posting a job description isn’t enough.	The (Not So) Great Resignation IT is faring better than other functions; however, specific industries need to pay attention.	Grow Your DEI Practices Into Meaningful Actions Good intentions are not enough.	Remote Work Is Here – Can Your Culture Adapt? The Great Experiment is over. Are leaders equipped to capitalize on its promises?		Management Skills Drive Success in a Remote World Despite the need for remote team management training, it is still not happening.

What employees are looking for is changing

Superficial elements of traditional office culture were stripped away by the quick shift to a remote environment, giving employees the opportunity to reevaluate what truly matters to them in a job.

The biggest change from 2019 (pre-pandemic) to today is increases in the importance of culture, flexible/remote work, and work-life balance.

Organizations that fail to keep up with this shift in priorities will see the greatest difficulty in hiring and retaining staff.

As an employee, which of the following would be important to you when considering a potential employer?

	2019		2021
Flexible Work	n=275		n=206
Work-Life Balance	n=277		n=206
Culture	n=277		n=206
Source: Info-Tech Talent Trends Survey data collected in 2019 and 2021	Very Important Somewhat Important Not at All Important

IT’s top talent priorities in 2022

IT Talent Trends 2022

Look beneath the surface of the trends to navigate them successfully

Above Ground Focusing on what you see 'Above the line" won't solve the problem. Talent isn't a checklist.	Strategic Recruiting Finds Good Talent Finding talent in a strained talent market requires a marketing approach. Posting a job description isn't enough. The number of job openings increased to 11.4 million on the last business day of October, up from 10.6 million in September (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dec. 2021)	The (Not So) Great Resignation IT is faring better than other functions; however, specific industries need to pay attention. In September, in the US, 4.4 million people left their jobs. That number dropped to 4.2 million in October. (US Labor Stats, Dec. 2021) 30% of workers will likely switch jobs if they have to return to the office full time. (McKinsey, Dec. 2021)	Grow Your DEI Practices Into Meaningful Actions Good intentions are not enough. 95% of organizations are focusing on DEI. (2022 HR Trends Report) 48% of IT departments have delivered training on DEI over the past year.	Remote Work is Here. Can Your Culture Adapt? The Great Experiment is over. Are you equipped to capitalize on its promises? 85% of organizations saw the same or higher productivity during the pandemic. 91% of organizations are continuing remote work.	Management Skills Drive Success in a Remote World Despite the need for remote team management training, it is still not happening. 72% of IT departments report high effectiveness at managing remote staff. Learning and development is IT's top priority.
Beneath the Surface For each trend, a strategic approach to get "under the line" will help form your response. Talent needs a holistic approach, as under the line everything is connected. If you are experiencing challenges in one area, analyzing data (e.g. engagement, exit surveys, effectiveness of DEI program and leader training) can help drive overall experience.	100% of job seekers cite culture as somewhat to very important. Only 40% of employers advertise culture in job postings.	70% of IT departments state voluntary turnover is less than 10% Top reasons for resignation are salary, development, and opportunity for innovative work. Resignation rates were higher in fields that had experienced extreme stress due to the pandemic (HBR, Dec. 2021)	Senior leadership is overestimating their own commitment to DEI. Most IT departments are not driving their own DEI initiatives. Without effectively measuring DEI practices, organizations will see 1.6x more turnover. (2022 HR Trends Report)	Senior leadership is not open to remote work in 23% of organizations. Without leadership support, employees will not buy into remote work initiatives. A remote work policy will not bring organizational benefits without employee buy-in.	75% of senior managers believe remote team management is highly effective, but only 60% of frontline staff agree. Training focuses on technical skills, to the exclusion of soft skills, including management and leadership.
Solutions Recommendations depending on your department's maturity level.	Attention is required for candidate experience underpinned by a realistic employee value proposition.	Gather and review existing data (e.g. early retirements, demographics) to understand your turnover rate.	Use employee engagement tools to gauge employee sentiment among impacted groups and build out an engagement strategy to meet those needs.	Conduct a cultural assessment to reveal hidden biases that may stand in the way of remote work efficacy.	Provide management training on performance management and development coaching.

This report is based on organizations just like yours

Survey timeline = October 2021
Total respondents = 245 IT professionals

01	United States	45%	08	Middle East	2%
02	Canada	23%	09	Other (Asia)	2%
03	Africa	8%	10	Germany	1%
04	Great Britain	6%	11	India	1%
05	Latin America, South America or Caribbean	4%	12	Netherlands	1%
06	Other (Europe)	4%	13	New Zealand	1%
07	Australia	2%			(N-245)

(n=191)

This report is based on organizations just like yours

Industry

Info-Tech IT Maturity Model

(n=225)

Innovator – Transforms the Business Reliable Technology Innovation Business Partner – Expands the Business Effective Execution Projects, Strategic Use of Analytics and Customer Technology Trusted Operator – Optimizes Business Effective Fulfillment of Work Orders, Functional Business Applications, and Reliable Data Quality Firefighter – Supports the Business Reliable Infrastructure and IT Service Desk Unstable – Struggles to Support Inability to Provide Reliable Business Services

This report is based on people just like you

Which of the following ethnicities (ethnicity refers to a group with a shared or common identity, culture, and/or language) do you identify with? Select all that apply.	What gender do you identify most with?
(N=245)	(n=228)

This report is based on people just like you

What is your sub-department of IT?	Which title best describes your position?
(n=227)	(N=245)

IT Talent Trends 2022

Each trend is introduced with key questions you can ask yourself to see how your department fares in that area.

The report is based on statistics from a survey of 245 of your peers.

It includes recommendations of next steps and a key metric to track your success.

It lists Info-Tech resources that you, as a member, can leverage to begin your journey to improve talent management in your department.

The report is based on data gathered from Info-Tech Research Group’s 2022 IT Talent Trends Survey. The data was gathered in September and October of 2021.

Strategic Recruiting Finds Good Talent

Trend 1 | The Battle to Find and Keep Talent

As the economy has stabilized, more jobs have become available, creating a job seeker’s market. This is a clear sign of confidence in the economy, however fragile, as new waves of the pandemic continue.

Info-Tech Point of View

Recruiting tactics are an outcome of a well-defined candidate experience and employee value proposition.

Introduction

	During our interviews, members that focused on sharing their culture with a strong employee value proposition were more likely to be successful in hiring their first-choice candidates.
	Questions to ask yourself Do you have a well-articulated employee value proposition? Are you using your job postings to market your company culture? Have you explored multiple channels for posting jobs to increase your talent pool of candidates?

47% of respondents are hiring external talent to fill existing gaps, with 40% using external training programs to upgrade current employees. (Info-Tech IT Talent Trends 2022 Survey)

In October, the available jobs (in the USA) unexpectedly rose to 11 million, higher than the 10.4 million experts predicted. (CNN Business, 2021)

Where has all the talent gone?

IT faces multiple challenges when recruiting for specialized talent

Talent scarcity is focused in areas with specialized skill sets such as security and architecture that are dynamic and evolving faster than other skill sets.

“It depends on what field you work in,” said ADP chief economist Nela Richardson. “There were labor shortages in those fields pre-pandemic and two years forward, there is even more demand for people with those skills” (CNBC, 19 Nov. 2021).

37% of IT departments are outsourcing roles to fill internal skill shortages. (Info-Tech Talent Trends 2022 Survey)

Roles Difficult to Fill

(Info-Tech Talent Trends 2022 Survey)

Case Study: Using culture to drive your talent pool

This case study is happening in real time. Please check back to learn more as Goddard continues to recruit for the position.

Recruiting at NASA

Goddard Space Center is the largest of NASA’s space centers with approximately 11,000 employees. It is currently recruiting for a senior technical role for commercial launches. The position requires consulting and working with external partners and vendors.

NASA is a highly desirable employer due to its strong culture of inclusivity, belonging, teamwork, learning, and growth. Its culture is anchored by a compelling vision, “For the betterment of Humankind,” and amplified by a strong leadership team that actively lives their mission and vision daily.

Firsthand lists NASA as #1 on the 50 most prestigious internships for 2022.

Rural location and no flexible work options add to the complexity of recruiting

The position is in a rural area of Eastern Shore Virginia with a population of approximately 60,000 people, which translates to a small pool of candidates. Any hire from outside the area will be expected to relocate as the senior technician must be onsite to support launches twice a month. Financial relocation support is not offered and the position is a two-year assignment with the option of extension that could eventually become permanent.

“Looking for a Talent Unicorn; a qualified, experienced candidate with both leadership skills and deep technical expertise that can grow and learn with emerging technologies.”

Steve Thornton
Acting Division Chief, Solutions Division,
Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA

Case Study: Using culture to drive your talent pool

A good brand overcomes challenges

Culture takes the lead in NASA's job postings, which attract a high number of candidates. Postings begin with a link to a short video on working at NASA, its history, and how it lives its vision. The video highlights NASA's diversity of perspectives, career development, and learning opportunities.

NASA's company brand and employer brand are tightly intertwined, providing a consistent view of the organization.

The employer vision is presented in the best place to reach NASA's ideal candidate: usajobs.gov, the official website of the United States Government and the “go-to” for government job listings. NASA also extends its postings to other generic job sites as well as LinkedIn and professional associations.

Interview with Robert Leahy
Chief Information Officer
Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA

“Making sure we have the tools and mechanisms are two hiring challenges we are going to face in the future as how we work evolves and our work environment changes. What will we need to consider with our job announcements and the criteria for selecting employees?”

Liteshia Dennis,
Office Chief, Headquarter IT Office, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA

The ability to attract and secure candidates requires a strategy

Despite prioritizing recruiting, IT departments see candidate experience as THE last Priority, either not focusing on it or relegating it to HR

Candidate experience is listed as one of the bottom IT challenges, but without a positive experience, securing the talent you want will be difficult.

Candidate experience starts with articulating your unique culture, benefits, and opportunities for development and innovative work as well as outlining flexible working options within an employer brand. Defining an employee value proposition is key to marketing your roles to potential employees.

81% of respondents' rate culture as very important when considering a potential employer. (Info-Tech IT Talent Trends 2022 Survey)

Tactics Used in Job Postings to Position the Organization Favorably as a Potential Employer

(Info-Tech IT Talent Trends 2022 Survey)

Case Study: Increasing talent pool at Info-Tech Research Group

Strong sales leads to growth in operation capacity

Info-Tech Research Group is an IT research & advisory firm helping IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. Our actionable tools and analyst guidance ensure IT organizations achieve measurable results.

The business has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, creating a need to recruit additional talent who were highly skilled in technical applications and approaches.

In response, approval was given to expand headcount within Research for fiscal year 2022 and to establish a plan for continual expansion as revenue continues to grow.

Looking for deep technical expertise with a passion for helping our members

Hiring for our research department requires talent who are typically subject matter experts within their own respective IT domains and interested in and capable of developing research and advising clients through calls and workshops.

This combination of skills, experience, and interest can be challenging to find, especially in an IT labor market that is more competitive than ever.

Interview with Practice Lead Tracy-Lynn Reid

Focus on Candidate Experience increases successful hire rate

The senior leadership team established a project to focus on recruiting for net-new and open roles. A dedicated resource was assigned and used guidance from our research to enhance our hiring process to reduce time to hire and expand our candidate pool. Senior leaders stayed actively involved to provide feedback.

The hiring process was improved by including panel interviews with interview protocols and a rubric to evaluate all candidates equitably.

The initial screening conversation now includes a discussion on benefits, including remote and flexible work offerings, learning and development budget, support for post-secondary education, and our Buy-a-Book program.

As a result, about 70% of the approved net-new headcount was hired within 12 weeks, with recruitment ongoing.

Choose Your Mobile Platform and Tools

Maximize the value of your mobile investments by prioritizing technology decisions on user experience, business priorities, and system quality.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Mobile is the way of working.

Workers require access to enterprise products, data, and services anywhere at anytime on any device. Give them the device-specific features, offline access, desktop-like interfaces, and automation capabilities they need to be productive.

To be successful, you need to instill a collaborative business-IT partnership. Only through this partnership will you be able to select the right mobile platform and tools to balance desired outcomes with enterprise security, performance, integration, quality, and other delivery capacity concerns.

Andrew Kum-Seun
Senior Research Analyst,
Application Delivery and Application Management
Info-Tech Research Group

Executive Summary

Your Challenge

• Organizations see the value of mobile applications in improving productivity and reach of day-to-day business and IT operations. This motivates leaders to begin the planning of their first application.
• However, organizations often lack the critical foundational knowledge and skills to deliver and maintain high quality and valuable applications that meet business and user priorities and technical requirements.
• Mobile technologies and trends are continually evolving and maturing. It is hard to predict which trends will make a significant impact and to prepare current mobile investments to harness the value of these trends.

Common Obstacles

• Mobile applications can stress the stability, reliability and overall quality of your enterprise systems and services. They will also increase your security risks because of the exposure of your enterprise technology assets to unsecured networks and devices.
• High costs of entry may restrict what native features your users can have in their mobile experience. Workarounds may not be sufficient to offset the costs of certain native feature needs.
• Many operating models do not enable or encourage the collaboration required to fully understand user needs and behaviors and evaluate mobile opportunities and underlying operational systems from multiple perspectives.

Info-Tech's Approach

• Establish the right expectations. Understand your mobile users by learning their needs, challenges, and behaviors. Discuss the current state of your systems and your high priority non-functional requirements to determine what to expect from your mobile applications.
• Choose the right mobile platform approach and shortlist your mobile delivery solutions. Obtain a thorough view of the business and technical complexities of your mobile opportunities, including current mobile delivery capabilities and system compatibilities.
• Create your mobile roadmap. Describe the gradual rollout of your mobile technologies through minimal valuable products (MVPs).

Insight Summary

Overarching Info-Tech Insight

Treat your mobile applications as digital products. Digital products are continuously modernized to ensure they are fit-for-purpose, secured, accessible, and immersive. A successful mobile experience involves more than just the software and supporting system. It involves good training and onboarding, efficient delivery turnaround, and a clear and rational vision and strategy.

Phase 1: Set the Mobile Context

• Build applications your users need and desire – Design the right mobile application that enables your users to address their frustrations and productivity challenges.
• Maximize return on your technology investments – Build your mobile applications with existing web APIs, infrastructure, and services as much as possible.
• Prioritize mobile security, performance and integration requirements – Understand the unique security, performance, and integration influences has on your desired mobile user experience. Find the right balance of functional and non-functional requirements through business and IT collaboration.

Phase 2: Define Your Mobile Approach

• Start with a mobile web platform - Minimize disruptions to your existing delivery process and technical stack by building against common web standards. Select a hybrid platform or cross-platform if you need device hardware access or have complicated non-functional requirements.
• Focus your mobile solution decision on vendor support and functional complexity – Verify that your solution is not only compatible with the architecture, data, and policies of existing business systems, but satisfies IT's concerns with access to restricted technology and data, and with IT's ability to manage and operate your applications.
• Anticipate changes, defects & failures in your roadmap - Quickly shift your mobile roadmaps according to user feedback, delivery challenges, value, and stability.

Mobile is how the business works today

Mobile adoption continues to grow in part due to the need to be a mobile workforce, and the shift in customer behaviors. This reality pushed the industry to transform business processes and technologies to better support the mobile way of working.

Mobile Builds Interests
61%
Mobile devices drove 61% of visits to U.S. websites
Source: Perficient, 2021

Mobile Maintains Engagement
54%
Mobile devices generated 54.4% of global website traffic in Q4 2021.
Source: Statista, 2022

Mobile Drives Productivity
82%
According to 82% of IT executives, smartphones are highly important to employee productivity
Source: Samsung and Oxford Economics, 2022

Mobile applications enable and drive your digital business strategy

Organizations know the criticality of mobile applications in meeting key business and digital transformation goals, and they are making significant investments. Over half (58%) of organizations say their main strategy for driving application adoption is enabling mobile access to critical enterprise systems (Enterprise CIO, 2016). The strategic positioning and planning of mobile applications are key for success.

Mobile Can Motivate, Support and Drive Progress in Key Activities Underpinning Digital Transformation Goals

Goal: Enhance Customer Experience

• A shift from paper to digital communications
• Seamless, omni-channel client experiences across devices
• Create Digital interactive documents with sections that customers can customize to better understand their communications

Goal: Increase Workflow Throughput & Efficiency

• Digitized processes and use of data to improve process efficiency
• Modern IT platforms
• Automation through robotic process automation (RPA) where possible
• Use of AI and machine learning for intelligent automation

Source: Broadridge, 2022

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Define Your Digital Business Strategy blueprint.

Well developed mobile applications bring unique opportunities to drive more value

Info-Tech Insight

If you build it, they may not come. Design and build the applications your user wants and needs, and ensure users are properly onboarded and trained. Learn how your applications are leveraged, capture feedback from the user and system dashboards, and plan for enhancements, fixes, and modernizations.

Workers expect IT to deliver against their high mobile expectations

Workers want sophisticated mobile applications like what they see their peers and competitors use.

Why is IT considering building their own applications?

• Complex and Unique Workflows: Canned templates and shells are viewed as incompatible to the workflows required to complete worker responsibilities outside the office, with the same level of access to corporate data as on premise.
• Supporting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Developing your own mobile applications around your security protocols and standards can help mitigate the risks with personal devices that are already in your workforce.
• Long-Term Architecture Misalignment: Outsourcing mobile development risks the mobile application misaligned with your quality standards or incompatible with other enterprise and third-party systems.

Continuously meeting aggressive user expectations will not be easy

Value Quickly Wears Off
39.9% of users uninstall an application because it is not in use.
40%
Source: n=2,000, CleverTap, 2021

Low Tolerance to Waiting
Keeping a user waiting for 3 seconds is enough to dissatisfy 43% of users.
43%
Source: AppSamurai, 2018

Quick Fixes Are Paramount
44% of defects are found by users
44%
Source: Perfecto Mobile, 2014

Mobile emphasizes the importance of good security, performance, and integration

Today's mobile workers are looking for new ways to get more work done quickly. They want access to enterprise solutions and data directly on their mobile devices, which can reside on multiple legacy systems and in the cloud and third-party infrastructure. This presents significant performance, integration, and security risks.

Accept change as the norm

IT is challenged with keeping up with disruptive technologies, such as mobile, which are arriving and changing faster and faster.

What is the issue? Mobile priorities, concepts, and technologies do not remain static. For example, current Google's Pixels benefit from at least three versions of Android updates and at least three years of monthly security patches after their release (NextPit, 2022). Keeping up to date with anything mobile is difficult if you do not have the right delivery and product management practices in place.

What is the impact on IT? Those who fail to prepare for changing requirements and technologies will quickly run into maintainability, extensibility, and flexibility issues. Mobile applications will quickly become stale and misaligned with the maturity of other enterprise infrastructure and applications.

Continuously look at the trends, vendor roadmaps, and your user's feedback to envision where your mobile applications should be. Learning from your past attempts gives you insights on the opportunities and impacts changes will have on your people, process, and technology.

How do I address this issue? A well-defined mobile vision and roadmap ensures your initiatives are aligned with your holistic business and technology strategies, the right problem is being solved, and resources are available to deliver high priority changes.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision blueprint.

Address the difficulties in managing enterprise mobile technologies

Adaptability During Development

Teams must be ready to alter their mobile approach when new insights and issues arise during and after the delivery of your mobile application and its updates.

High Cybersecurity Standards

Cybersecurity should be a top priority given the high security exposure of mobiles and the sensitive data mobile applications need to operate. Role-based access, back-up systems, advanced scanning, and protection software and encryption should all be implemented.

Integration with Other Systems

Your application will likely be integrated with other systems to expand service offerings and optimize performance and user experience. Your enterprise integration strategy ensures all systems connect against a common pattern with compatible technologies.

Finding the Right Mobile Developers

Enterprise mobile delivery requires a broad skillset to build valuable applications against extensive non-functional requirements in complex and integration environments. The right resources are even harder to find when native applications are preferred over web-based ones.

Source: Radoslaw Szeja, Netguru, 2022.

Build and manage the right experience by treating mobile as digital products

Digital products are continuously modernized to ensure they are fit-for-purpose, secured, insightful, accessible, and interoperable. A good experience involves more than just technology.

First, deliver the experience end users want and expect by designing the application against digital application principles.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Modernize Your Applications blueprint.

Then, deliver a long-lasting experience by supporting your applications with key governance and management capabilities.

• Product Strategy and Roadmap
• External Relationships
• User Adoption and Organizational Change Management
• Funding
• Knowledge Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Product Governance
• Maintenance & Enhancement
• User Support
• Managing and Governing Data
• Requirements Analysis and Design
• Research & Development

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Make the Case for Product Delivery blueprint.

Choose Your Mobile Platform and Tools

Maximize the value of your mobile investments by prioritizing technology decisions on user experience, business priorities, and system quality.

	WORKFLOW
1. Capture Your User Personas and Journey
2. Select Your Platform
3. Shortlist Your Solutions

Make user experience (UX) the standard

User experience (UX) focuses on a user's emotions, beliefs, and physical and psychological responses that occur before, during, or after interacting with a service or product.

For a mobile application to be meaningful, the functions, aesthetics and content must be:

• Usable
  • Users can intuitively navigate through your mobile application and complete their desired tasks.
• Desirable
  • The application elements are used to evoke positive emotions and appreciation.
• Accessible
  • Users can easily use your mobile application, including those with disabilities.
• Valuable
  • Users find the content useful, and it fulfills a need.

Enable a greater experience with UX-driven thinking

Designing for a high-quality experience requires more than just focusing on the UI. It also requires the merging of multiple business, technical, and social disciplines in order to create an immersive, practical, and receptive application. The image on the right explains the disciplines involved in UX. This is critical for ensuring users have a strong desire to use the mobile application, it is adequately supported technically, and it supports business objectives.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Implement and Mature Your User Experience Design Practice blueprint.

Source: Marky Roden, Xomino, 2018

Define the mobile experience your end users want

• Anytime, Anywhere
  • The user can access, update and analyze data and corporate products and services whenever they want, in all networks, and on any device.
• Hands-Off and Automated
  • The application can perform various workflows and tasks without the user's involvement and notify the user when specific triggers are hit.
• Personalized and Insightful
  • Content presentation and subject are tailored for the user based on specific inputs from the user, device hardware, or predicted actions.
• Integrated Ecosystem
  • The application supports a seamless experience across various third-party and enterprise applications and services the user needs.
• Visually Pleasing and Fulfilling
  • The UI is intuitive and aesthetically gratifying, with little security and performance trade-offs to use the full breadth of its functions and services.

Each mobile platform has its own take on the mobile native experience. The choice ultimately depends on whether the costs and effort are worth the anticipated value.

Mobile value is dependent on the platform you choose

What is a platform?

"A platform is a set of software and a surrounding ecosystem of resources that helps you to grow your business. A platform enables growth through connection: its value comes not only from its own features, but from its ability to connect external tools, teams, data, and processes." (Source: Emilie Nøss Wangen, 2021) In the mobile context, applications in a platform execute and communicate through a loosely-coupled API architecture, whether the supporting system is managed and supported by your organization or by third-party providers.

Web

Mobile web applications are deployed and executed within the mobile web browser. They are often developed with a combination of web and scripting languages, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Web often takes two forms on mobile:

• Progressive Web Applications (PWA)
• Mobile Web Sites

Hybrid

Hybrid applications are developed with web technologies but are deployed as native applications. The code is wrapped using a framework so that it runs locally within a native container. It uses the device's browser runtime engine to support more sophisticated designs and features than to the web approach.

Cross-Platform

Cross-platform applications are developed within a distinct programming or scripting environment that uses its own scripting language (often like web languages) and APIs. The solution compiles the code into device-specific builds for native deployment.

Native

Native applications are developed and deployed to specific devices and OSs using platform-specific software development kits (SDKs) provided by the operating system vendors. The programming language and framework are dictated by the targeted device, such as Java for Android.

Start mobile development on a mobile web platform

Start with what you have: begin with a mobile web platform to minimize impacts to your existing delivery skill sets and technical stack while addressing business needs. Resort to a hybrid first. Then consider a cross-platform application if you require device access or need to meet specific non-functional requirements.

Why choose a mobile web platform?

Other Notable Benefits with Web Languages

• Modern browsers in most mobile devices can execute and render many mobile features developed in web languages, allowing for greater portability and sophistication of code across multiple devices. However, this flexibility comes at the cost of performance since the browser's runtime engine will not perform as well as a native engine.
• Web languages are well known by developers, minimizing skills and resourcing impacts. Consequently, changes can be quickly accommodated and updated uniformly across all end users.

Select your mobile platform

Drive your mobile platform selection against user-centric needs (e.g. device access, aesthetics) and enterprise-centric needs (e.g. security, system performance).

Understand the common attributes of a mobile delivery solution

• Source Code Management – Built-in or having the ability to integrate with code management solutions for branching, merging, and versioning. Debugging and coding assistance capabilities may be available.
• Single Code Base – Capable of programming in a standard coding and scripting language for deployment into several platforms and devices. This code base is aligned to a common industry framework (e.g. AngularJS, Java) or a vendor-defined one.
• Out-of-the-Box Connectors & Plug-ins – Pre-built APIs enhance the solution's capabilities with third-party tools and systems to deliver and manage high quality and valuable mobile applications.
• Emulators – Ability to virtualize an application's execution on a target platform and device.
• Support for Native Features – Supports plug-ins and APIs for access to device-specific features.

What are mobile delivery solutions?

A mobile delivery solution provides the tools, resources, and support to enable or build your mobile application. It can provide pre-built applications, vendor supported components to allow some configurations, or resources for full stack customizations. Solutions can be barebone software development kits (SDKs), or comprehensive suites offering features to support the entire software delivery lifecycle, such as:

• Mobile application management
• Testing and publishing to app stores
• Content management
• Cloud hosting
• Application performance management

Info-Tech Insight

Mobile enablement and development capabilities are already embedded in many common productivity tools and enterprise applications, such as Microsoft PowerApps and ERP modules. They can serve as a starting point in the initial rollout of new management and governance practices without the need to acquire new tools.

Select your mobile delivery solutions

1. Set the scope of your framework.

• The initial context of this framework is based on the mobile functions needed to support your desired mobile experience and on the current state of your enterprise and 3rd party systems.

Optimize your software delivery process

Mobile brings new delivery and management challenges that are often difficult for organizations that are tied to legacy systems, hindered by rigid and slow delivery lifecycles, and are unable to adopt leading-edge technologies. Many of these challenges stem from the fact that mobile is a significant shift from desktop development:

• Mobile devices and operating systems are heavily fragmented, especially in the Android space.
• Test coverage is significantly expanded to include physical environments and multiple network connections.
• Mobile devices do not have the same performance capabilities and memory storage as their desktop counterparts.
• The user interface must be strategically designed to accommodate the limited screen size.
• Mobile applications are highly susceptible to security breaches.
• Mobile users often expect quick turnaround time on fixes and enhancements due to continuously changing technology, business priorities, and user needs.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Modernize Your SDLC blueprint.

How should the process change?

• Cross-functional collaboration – Bringing business and IT together at the most opportune times to clarify user needs and business priorities, and set realistic expectations given technology and capacity constraints. The appropriate tactics and techniques are used to improve decision making and delivery effectiveness according to the type of work.
• Iterative delivery – Frequent delivery of progressive changes minimizes the risk of low-quality features by containing and simplifying scope, and enables responsive turnarounds of fixes, enhancements, and priority changes.
• Feedback loops –Mobile application owners constantly review, update and refine their backlog of mobile features and changes to reflect user feedback and system performance metrics. Delivery teams proactively prepare the application for future scaling based on lessons and feedback learned from earlier releases.

Achieve mobile success with MVPs

By delivering mobile capabilities in small iterations, teams recognize value sooner and reduce accumulated risk. Both benefits are realized as the iteration enters validation testing and release.

An MVP focuses on a small set of functions, involves minimal possible effort to deliver a working and valuable solution, and is designed to satisfy a specific user group. Its purpose is to:

• Maximize learning.
• Evaluate the value and acceptance of mobile applications.
• Inform the building of a mobile delivery practice.

The build-measure-learn loop suggests mobile delivery teams should perpetually take an idea and develop, test, and validate it with the mobile development solution, then expand on the MVP using the lessons learned and evolving ideas. In this sense the MVP is just the first iteration in the loop.

Gauge the value with the right metrics

Metrics are a powerful way to drive behavior change in your organization. But metrics are highly prone to creating unexpected outcomes so they must be used with great care. Use metrics judiciously to avoid gaming or ambivalent behavior, productivity loss, and unintended consequences.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively blueprint.

What should I measure?

1. Mobile Application Engagement, Retention and User Satisfaction
   1. The activeness of users on the applications, the number of returning users, and the happiness of the users.
   2. Example: Number of tasks completed, number of active and returning users, session length and intervals, user satisfaction
2. Value Driven from Mobile Applications
   1. The business value that the user directly or indirectly receives with the mobile application.
   2. Example: Mobile application revenue, business operational costs, worker productivity, business reputation and image
3. Delivery Throughput and Quality
   1. The health and quality of your mobile applications throughout their lifespan and the speed to deliver working applications that meet stakeholder expectations.
   2. Example: Frequency of release, lead time, request turnaround, escaped defects, test coverage.

Use Info-Tech's diagnostic to evaluate the reception of your mobile applications

Info-Tech's Application Portfolio Assessment (APA) Diagnostic is a canned end-user satisfaction survey used to evaluate your application portfolio health to support data-driven decisions.

USE THE PROGRAM DIAGNOSTIC TO:

• Assess the importance and satisfaction of enterprise applications.
• Solicit feedback from your end users on applications being used.
• Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your current applications.
• Perform a high-level application rationalization initiative.

INTEGRATE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS TO:

• Target which applications to analyze in greater detail.
• Expand on the initial application rationalization results with a more comprehensive and business-value-focused criteria.

Grow your mobile delivery practice

Level 1: Mobile Delivery Foundations

You understand the opportunities and impacts mobile has on your business operations and its disruptive nature on your enterprise systems. Your software delivery lifecycle was optimized to incorporate the specific practices and requirements needed for mobile. A mobile platform was selected based on stakeholder needs that are weighed against current skillsets, high priority non-functional requirements, the available capacity and scalability of your stack, and alignment to your current delivery process.

Level 2: Scaled Mobile Delivery

New features and mobile use cases are regularly emerging in the industry. Ensuring your mobile platform and delivery process can easily scale to incorporate constantly changing mobile features and technologies is key. This can help minimize the impact these changes will have on your mobile stack and the resulting experience.

Achieving this state requires three competencies: mobile security, performance optimization, and integration practices.

Level 3: Leading-Edge Mobile Delivery

Many of today's mobile trends involve, in one form or another, hardware components on the mobile device (e.g., NFC receivers, GPS, cameras). You understand the scope of native features available on your end user's mobile device and the required steps and capabilities to enable and leverage them.

Hit a home run with your stakeholders

Use a data-driven approach to select the right tooling vendor for your needs – fast.

Investing time improving your software selection methodology has big returns.

Info-Tech Insight

Not all software selection projects are created equal – some are very small, some span the entire enterprise. To ensure that IT is using the right framework, understand the cost and complexity profile of the application you're looking to select. Info-Tech's Rapid Application Selection Framework approach is best for commodity and mid-tier enterprise applications; selecting complex applications is better handled by the methodology in Info-Tech's Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process.

Pitch your mobile delivery approach with Info-Tech's template

Communicate the justification of your approach to mobile applications with Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template:

• Level set your mobile application goals and objectives by weighing end user expectations with technical requirements.
• Define the high priority opportunities for mobile applications.
• Educate decision makers of the limitations and challenges of delivering specific mobile experiences with the various mobile platform options.
• Describe your framework to select the right mobile platform and delivery tools.
• Lay out your mobile delivery roadmap and initiatives.

INFO-TECH DELIVERABLE

Info-Tech's methodology for mobile platform and delivery solution selection

Info-Tech offers various levels of support to best suit your needs

DIY Toolkit

"Our team has already made this critical project a priority, and we have the time and capability, but some guidance along the way would be helpful."

Guided Implementation

"Our team knows that we need to fix a process, but we need assistance to determine where to focus. Some check-ins along the way would help keep us on track."

Workshop

"We need to hit the ground running and get this project kicked off immediately. Our team has the ability to take this over once we get a framework and strategy in place."

Consulting

"Our team does not have the time or the knowledge to take this project on. We need assistance through the entirety of this project."

Diagnostics and consistent frameworks used throughout all four options

Guided Implementation

What does a typical GI on this topic look like?

A Guided Implementation (GI) is a series of calls with an Info-Tech analyst to help implement our best practices in your organization.

A typical GI is 6 to 9 calls over the course of 2 to 3 months.

Workshop Overview

Contact your account representative for more information.
workshops@infotech.com 1-888-670-8889

Phase 1

Set the Mobile Context

Choose Your Mobile Platform and Tools

This phase will walk you through the following steps:

• Step 1.1 – Build Your Mobile Backlog
• Step 1.2 – Identify Your Technical Needs
• Step 1.3 – Define Your Non-Functional Requirements

This phase involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Step 1.1

Build Your Mobile Backlog

Activities

1.1.1 Generate user personas with empathy maps

1.1.2 Build your mobile application canvas

1.1.3 Build your mobile backlog

Set the Mobile Context

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Outcomes of this step

• User personas
• Mobile objectives and metrics
• Mobile opportunity backlog

Users expect your organization to support their mobile way of working

Today, users expect sophisticated and personalized features, immersive interactions, and cross-platform capabilities from their mobile applications and be able to access information and services anytime, anywhere and on any device. These demands are pushing organizations to become more user-driven, placing greater importance on user experience (UX) with enterprise-grade technologies.

How has technologies evolved to easily enable mobile capabilities?

• Desktop-Like Features
  • Native-like features, such as geolocation and local caching, are supported through web language or third-party plugins and extensions.
• Extendable & Scalable
  • Plug-and-play architecture is designed to allow software delivery teams to explore new use cases and mobile capabilities with out-of-the-box connectors and/or customizable REST APIs.
• Low Barrier to Entry
  • Low- and no-code development tools, full-stack solutions, and plug-and-play architectures allow non-technical users to easily build and implement applications without direct IT involvement.
• Templates & Shells
  • Vendors provide UI templates and application shells that contain pre-built native features and multiple aesthetic layouts in a publishing-friendly and configurable way.
• Personalized Content
  • Content can be uniquely tailored to a user's preference or be automatically generated based on the user's profile or activity history.
• Hands-Off Operations
  • Many mobile solutions operate in a as-a-service model where the underlying and integrated technologies are managed by the vendor and abstracted away.

Make user experience (UX) the standard

User experience (UX) focuses on a user's emotions, beliefs, and physical and psychological responses that occur before, during, or after interacting with a service or product.

For a mobile application to be a meaningful experience, the functions, aesthetics and content must be:

• Usable
  • Users can intuitively navigate through your mobile application and complete their desired tasks.
• Desirable
  • The application elements are used to evoke positive emotions and appreciation.
• Accessible
  • Users can easily use your mobile application, including those with disabilities.
• Valuable
  • Users find the content useful, and it fulfills a need.

Enable a greater experience with UX-driven thinking

Designing for a high-quality experience requires more than just focusing on the UI. It also requires the merging of multiple business, technical, and social disciplines in order to create an immersive, practical, and receptive application. The image on the right explains the disciplines involved in UX. This is critical for ensuring users have a strong desire to use the mobile application, it is adequately supported technically, and it supports business objectives.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Implement and Mature Your User Experience Design Practice blueprint.

Source: Marky Roden, Xomino, 2018

UX-driven mobile apps bring together a compelling UI with valuable functionality

Info-Tech Insight

Organizations often over-rotate on the UI. Receptive and satisfying applications require more than just pretty pictures, bold colors, and flashy animations. UX-driven mobile applications require the seamless merging of enticing design elements and valuable functions that are specifically tailored to the behaviors of the users. Take a deep look at how each design element and function is used and perceived by the user, and how your application can sufficiently support user needs.

UI-Function Balance to Achieve Highly Satisfying Mobile Applications

An application's UI and function both contribute to UX, but they do so in different ways.

• The UI generates the visual, audio, and vocal cues to draw the attention of users to key areas of the application while stimulating the user's emotions.
• Functions give users the means to satisfy their needs effortlessly.

Finding the right balance of UI and function is dependent on the organization's understanding of user emotions, needs, and tendencies. However, these factors are often left out of an application's design. Having the right UX competencies is key in assuring user behaviors are appropriately accommodated early in the delivery process.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Modernize Your Corporate Website to Drive Business Value blueprint.

Focus your efforts on all items that drive high user experience and satisfaction

UX-driven mobile applications involve all interaction points and system components working together to create an immersive experience while being actively supported by delivery and operations teams. Many organizations commonly focus on visual and content design to improve the experience, but this is only a small fraction of the total UX design. Look beyond the surface to effectively enhance your application's overall UX.

Use personas to envision who will be using your mobile application

What Are Personas?

Personas are detailed descriptions of the targeted audience of your mobile application. It represents a type of user in a particular scenario. Effective personas:

• Express and focus on the major needs and expectations of the most important user groups.
• Give a clear picture of the typical user's behavior.
• Aid in uncovering critical features and functionalities.
• Describe real people with backgrounds, goals, and values.

Why Are Personas Important to UX?

They are important because they help:

• Focus the development of mobile application features on the immediate needs of the intended audience.
• Detail the level of customization needed to ensure content is valuable to and resonates with the user.
• Describe how users may behave when certain audio and visual stimulus are triggered from the mobile application.
• Outline the special design considerations required to meet user accessibility needs.

Key Elements of a Persona:

• Professional and Technical Skills and Experiences (e.g., knowledge of mobile applications, area of expertise)
• Persona Group (e.g., executives)
• Technological Environment of User (e.g., devices, browsers, network connection)
• Demographics (e.g., nationality, age, language spoken)
• Typical Behaviors and Tendencies (e.g., goes to different website when cannot find information in 20 seconds)
• Purpose of Using the Mobile Application (e.g., search for information, submit registration form)

Create empathy maps to gain a deeper understanding of stakeholder personas

Empathy mapping draws out the characteristics, motivations, and mannerisms of a potential end user.

Source: XPLANE, 2017

Empathy mapping focuses on identifying the problems, ambitions, and frustrations they are looking to resolve and describes their motivations for wanting to resolve them. This analysis helps your teams:

• Better understand the reason behind the struggles, frustrations and motivators through a user's perspective.
• Verify the accuracy of assertions made about the user.
• Pinpoint the specific problem the mobile application will be designed to solve and the constraints to its successful adoption and on-going use.
• Read more about empathy mapping and download the empathy map PDF template here.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Use Experience Design to Drive Empathy with the Business blueprint.

1.1.1 Generate user personas with empathy maps

1-3 hours

1. Download the Empathy Map Canvas and draw the map on a whiteboard or project it on the screen.
2. Choose an end user to be the focus of your empathy map. Using sticky notes, fill out the sections of the empathy map in the following order:
   1. Start by filling out the goals section. State who the subject of the empathy map will be and what activity or task you would like them to do.
      1. Focus on activities and tasks that may benefit from mobile.
   2. Next, complete the outer sections in clockwise order (see, say, do, hear). The purpose of this is to think in terms of what the subject of your empathy map is observing, sensing, and experiencing.
      1. Indicate the mobile devices and OS users will likely use and the environments they will likely be in (e.g., places with poor connections)
      2. Discuss accessibility needs and how user prefer to consume content.
   3. Last, complete the inner circle of the empathy map (pains and gains). Since you spent the last step of the exercise thinking about the external influences on your stakeholder, you can think about how those stimuli affect their emotions.
3. Document your end user persona into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

1.1.1 cont'd

Download the Empathy Map Canvas

Many business priorities are driving mobile

Mobile Applications

• Product Roadmap
  • Upcoming enterprise technology releases and updates offer mobile capabilities to expand its access to a broader userbase.
• Cost Optimization
  • Maximizing business value in processes and technologies through disciplined and strategic cost and spending reduction practices with mobile applications.
• Competitive Differentiation
  • Developing and optimizing your organization's distinct products and services quickly with mobile applications.
• Digital Transformation
  • Transitioning processes, data and systems to a digital environment to broaden access to enterprise data and services anywhere at anytime.
• Operational Efficiency
  • Improving software delivery and business process throughput by increasing worker productivity with mobile applications.
• Other Business Priorities
  • New corporate products and services, business model changes, application rationalization and other priorities may require modernization, innovation and a mobile way of working.

Focus on the mobile business and end user problem, not the solution

People are naturally solution-focused. The onus isn't on them to express their needs in the form of a problem statement!

When refining your mobile problem statement, attempt to answer the following four questions:

• Who is impacted?
• What is the (user or organizational) challenge that needs to be addressed?
• Where does it happen?
• Why does it matter?

There are many ways of writing problem statements, a clear approach follows the format:

• "Our (who) has the problem that (what) when (where). Our solution should (why)."
• Example: "Our system analysts has the problem that new tickets take too long to update when working on user requests. Our approach should enable the analyst to focus on working with customers and not on administration."

Adapted from: "Design Problem Statements – What and How to Frame Them"

How to write a vision statement

It's ok to dream a little!

When thinking about a vision statement, think about:

• Who is it for?
• What does the customer need?
• What can we do for them?
• And why is this special?

There are different statement templates available to help form your vision statements. Some include:

1. For [our target customer], who [customer's need], the [product] is a [product category or description] that [unique benefits and selling points]. Unlike [competitors or current methods], our product [main differentiators]. (Crossing the Chasm)
2. "We believe (in) a [noun: world, time, state, etc.] where [persona] can [verb: do, make, offer, etc.], for/by/with [benefit/goal].
3. To [verb: empower, unlock, enable, create, etc.] [persona] to [benefit, goal, future state].
4. Our vision is to [verb: build, design, provide], the [goal, future state], to [verb: help, enable, make it easier to...] [persona]."

(Numbers 2-4 from: How to define a product vision)

Info-Tech Best Practice

A vision shouldn't be so far out that it doesn't feel real and so short term that it gets bogged down in minutiae and implementation details. Finding that right balance will take some trial and error and will be different depending on your organization.

Ensure mobile supports ongoing value delivery and stakeholder expectations

Success hinges on your team's ability to deliver business value. Well-developed mobile applications instill stakeholder confidence in ongoing business value delivery and stakeholder buy-in, provided proper expectations are set and met.

Business value defines the success criteria of an organization, and it is interpreted from four perspectives:

• Profit Generation – The revenue generated from a business capability with mobile applications.
• Cost Reduction – The cost reduction when performing business capabilities with mobile applications.
• Service Enablement – The productivity and efficiency gains of internal business operations with mobile applications.
• Customer and Market Reach – Metrics measuring the improved reach and insights of the business in existing or new markets.

See our Build a Value Measurement Framework blueprint for more information about business value definition.

Set realistic mobile goals

Mobile applications enables the exploration of new and different ways to improve worker productivity and deliver business value. However, the realities of mobile applications may limit your ability to meet some of your objectives:

• On the day of installation, the average retention rate for public-facing applications was 25.3%. By day 30, the retention rate drops to 5.7%. (Source: Statista, 2020)
• 63% of 3,335 most popular Android mobile applications on the Google Play Store contained open-source components with known security vulnerabilities and other pervasive security concerns including exposing sensitive data (Source: Synopsys, 2021)
• 62% of users would delete the application because of performance issues, such as crashes, freezes and other errors (Source: Intersog, 2021).

These realities are not guaranteed to occur or impede your ability to deliver valuable mobile applications, but they can lead to unachievable expectations. Ensure your stakeholders are not oversold on advertised benefits and hold you accountable for unrealistic objectives. Recognize that the organization must also change how it works and operates to see the full benefit and adoption of mobile applications and overcome the known and unknown challenges and hurdles that often come with mobile delivery.

Benchmarks present enticing opportunities, but should be used to set reasonable expectations

66%
Improve Market Reach
66% of the global population uses a mobile device
Source: DataReportal, 2021

20%
Connected Workers are More Productive
Nearly 20 percent of mobile professionals estimate they miss more than three hours of working time a week not being able to get connected to the internet
Source: iPass, 2017

80%
Increase Brand Recognition
80% of smartphone users are more likely to purchase from companies whose mobile sites of apps help them easily find answers to their questions
Source: Google, 2018

Gauge the value with the right metrics

Metrics are a powerful way to drive behavior change in your organization. But metrics are highly prone to creating unexpected outcomes so they must be used with great care. Use metrics judiciously to avoid gaming or ambivalent behavior, productivity loss, and unintended consequences.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Select and Use SDLC Metrics Effectively blueprint.

What should I measure?

1. Mobile Application Engagement, Retention and User Satisfaction
   • The activeness of users on the applications, the number of returning users, and the happiness of the users.
   • Example: Number of tasks completed, number of active and returning users, session length and intervals, user satisfaction
2. Value Driven from Mobile Applications
   • The business value that the user directly or indirectly receives with the mobile application.
   • Example: Mobile application revenue, business operational costs, worker productivity, business reputation and image
3. Delivery Throughput and Quality
   • The health and quality of your mobile applications throughout their lifespan and the speed to deliver working applications that meet stakeholder expectations.
   • Example: Frequency of release, lead time, request turnaround, escaped defects, test coverage.

Use Info-Tech's diagnostic to evaluate the reception of your mobile applications

Info-Tech's Application Portfolio Assessment (APA) Diagnostic is a canned end user satisfaction survey used to evaluate your application portfolio health to support data-driven decisions.

USE THE PROGRAM DIAGNOSTIC TO:

• Assess the importance and satisfaction of enterprise applications.
• Solicit feedback from your end users on applications being used.
• Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your current applications.
• Perform a high-level application rationalization initiative.

INTEGRATE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS TO:

• Target which applications to analyze in greater detail.
• Expand on the initial application rationalization results with a more comprehensive and business-value-focused criteria.

Use a canvas to define key elements of your mobile initiative

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision blueprint.

1.1.2 Build your mobile application canvas

1-3 hours

1. Complete the following fields to build your mobile application canvas:
   • Mobile application initiative name
   • Mobile application owner
   • Parent initiative name
   • Problem that mobile applications are intending to solve and your vision. See the outcome from the previous exercise.
   • Mobile application business goals and metrics.
   • Capabilities, processes and application systems involved
   • Primary customers/users (For additional help with your product personas, download and complete to Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision.)
2. Stakeholders
3. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

1.1.2 cont'd

Create your mobile backlog

Your backlog gives you a holistic understanding of the demand for mobile applications across your organization.

Find your mobile opportunities

Modern mobile technologies enable users to access, analyze and change data anywhere with native device features, which opens the door to enhanced processes and new value sources.

Examples of Mobile Opportunities:

• Mobile Payment
  • Cost alternative to credit card transaction fees.
  • Loyalty systems are updated upon payment without need of a physical card.
  • Quicker completion of transactions.
• Inventory Management
  • Update inventory database when shipments arrive or deliveries are made.
  • Inform retailers and consumers of current stock on website.
  • Alert staff of expired or outdated products.
• Quick and Small Data Transfer
  • Embed tags into posters to transfer URIs, which sends users to sites containing product or location information.
  • Replace entry tags, fobs, or smart cards at doors.
  • Exchange contact details.
• Location Sensitive Information
  • Proactively send promotions and other information (e.g. coupons, event details) to users within a defined area.
  • Inform employees of nearby prospective clients.
• Supply Chain Management
  • Track the movement and location of goods and delivery trucks.
  • Direct drivers to the most optimal route.
  • Location-sensitive billing apps such as train and bus ticket purchases.
• Education and Learning
  • Educate users about real-world objects and places with augmented books and by pushing relevant learning materials.
  • Visualize theories and other text with dynamic 3D objects.
• Augmented Reality (AR)
  • Provide information about the user's surroundings and the objects in the environment through the mobile device.
  • Interactive and immersive experiences with the inclusion of virtual reality.
• Architecture and Planning
  • Visualize historic buildings or the layout of structural projects and development plans.
  • Develop a digital tour with location-based audio initiated with location-based services or a camera.
• Navigation
  • Provide directions to users to navigate and provide contextual travelling instructions.
  • Push traffic notifications and route changes to travelling users.
• Tracking User Movement
  • Predict the future location of users based on historic information and traffic modelling.
  • Proactively push information to users before they reach their destination.

1.1.3 Build your mobile backlog

1-3 hours

1. As a group, discuss the use and value mobile already has within your organization for each persona.
   1. What are some of the apps being used?
   2. What enterprise systems and applications are already exposed to the web and accessible by mobile devices?
   3. How critical is mobile to business operations, marketing campaigns, etc.?
2. Discuss how mobile can bring additional business value to other areas of your organization for each persona.
   1. Can mobile enhance your customer reach? Do your customers care that your services are offered through mobile?
   2. Are employees asking for better access to enterprise systems in order to improve their productivity?
3. Write your mobile opportunities in the following form: As a [end user persona], I want to [process or capability to enable with mobile applications], so that [organizational benefit]. Prioritize each opportunity against feasibility, desirability, and viability.
4. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Manage your mobile backlog

Your backlog stores and organizes your mobile opportunities at various stages of readiness. It must be continuously refined to address new requests, maintenance and changing priorities.

3 – IDEAS
Composed of raw, vague, and potentially large ideas that have yet to go through any formal valuation.

2 – QUALIFIED
Researched and qualified opportunities awaiting refinement.

1 READY
Discrete, refined opportunities that are ready to be placed in your team's delivery plans.

Adapted from Essential Scrum

A well-formed backlog can be thought of as a DEEP backlog

• Detailed Appropriately: opportunities are broken down and refined as necessary
• Emergent: The backlog grows and evolves over time as opportunities are added and removed.
• Estimated: The effort an opportunity requires is estimated at each tier.
• Prioritized: The opportunity's value and priority are determined at each tier.

(Source Perforce, 2018)

See our Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision for more information on backlog practices.

Step 1.2

Identify Your Technical Needs

Activities

1.2.1 Discuss your mobile needs

1.2.2 Conduct a technical assessment

Set the Mobile Context

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Outcomes of this step

• List of mobile features to enable the desired mobile experience
• System current assessment

Describe your desired mobile experiences with journey maps

A journey map tells the story of the user's experience with an existing or prospective product or service, starting with a trigger, through the process of engagement, to create an outcome. Journey maps can focus on a particular part of the user's or the entire experience with your organization's products or services. All types of maps capture key interactions and motivations of the user in chronological order.

Why are journey maps an important for mobile application delivery?

Everyone has their own preferred method for completing their tasks on mobile devices – often, what differentiates one persona from another has to do with how users privately behave. Understand that the activities performed outside of IT's purview develop context for your persona's pain points and position IT to meet their needs with the appropriate solution.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Use Experience Design to Drive Empathy with the Business blueprint.

Pinpoint specific mobile needs in your journey map

Realize that mobile applications may not precisely fit with your personas workflow or align to their expectations due to device and system limitations and restrictions. Flag the mobile opportunities that require significant modifications to underlying systems.

Consider these workflow scenarios that can influence your persona's desire for mobile:

Define the mobile experience your end users want

Anytime, Anywhere
The user can access, update and analyze data, and corporate products and services whenever they want, in all networks, and on any device.

Hands-Off & Automated
The application can perform various workflows and tasks without the user's involvement and notify the user when specific triggers are hit.

Personalized & Insightful
Content presentation and subject are tailored for the user based on specific inputs from the user, device hardware or predicted actions.

Integrated Ecosystem
The application supports a seamless experience across various 3rd party and enterprise applications and services the user needs.

Visually Pleasing & Fulfilling
The UI is intuitive and aesthetically gratifying with little security and performance trade-offs to use the full breadth of its functions and services.

Each mobile platform has its own take on the mobile native experience. The choice ultimately depends on whether the costs and effort are worth the anticipated value.

1.2.1 Discover your mobile needs

1-3 hours

1. Define the workflow of a high priority opportunity in your mobile backlog. This workflow can be pertaining to an existing mobile application or a workflow that can benefit with a mobile application.
   1. Indicate the trigger that will initiate the opportunity and the desired outcome.
   2. Break down the persona's desired outcome into small pieces of value that are realized in each workflow step.
2. Identify activities and touchpoints the persona will need to complete to finish each step in the workflow. Indicate the technology used to complete the activity or to facilitate the touchpoint.
3. Indicate which activities and touchpoints can be satisfied, complimented or enhanced with mobile.

1.2.1 cont'd

Legend:

Bold – Touchpoint

* – Activities or Touchpoints That Can Benefit with Mobile

1.2.1 cont'd

1-3 hours

1. Analyze persona expectations. Identify the persona's must-haves, then nice-to-haves, and then hidden needs to effectively complete the workflow.
   1. Must-haves. The necessary outcomes, qualities, and features of the workflow step.
   2. Nice-to-haves. Desired outcomes, qualities, or features that your persona is able to articulate or express.
   3. Hidden needs. Outcomes, qualities, or features that your persona is not aware they have a desire for; benefits that they are pleasantly surprised to receive. These will usually be unknown for your first-iteration journey map.
2. Indicate which persona expectations can be satisfied with mobile. Discuss what would the desired mobile experience be.
3. Discuss feedback and experiences your team has heard from the personas they engage with regularly.
4. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

1.2.1 cont'd

Example

1.2.1 cont'd

Template:

If you need more than four steps in the workflow, duplicate this slide.

Understand how mobile fits with your current system

Evaluate the risks and impacts of your desired mobile features by looking at your enterprise system architecture from top to bottom. Is your mobile vision and needs compatible with your existing business capabilities and technologies?

An architecture is usually represented by one or more architecture views that together provide a coherent description of the application system, including demonstrating the full impact mobile will have. A single, comprehensive model is often too complex to be understood and communicated in its most detailed form, and a model too high level hides the underlying complexity of an application's structure and deployment (The Open Group, TOGAF 8.1.1 - Developing Architecture Views). Obtain a complete understanding of your architecture by assessing it through multiple levels of views to reveal different sets of concerns:

Application Architecture Views

1. Use Case View

• How does your business operate, and how will users interact with your mobile applications?

• What is the user workflow impacted by mobile, and how will it change?

• How are my existing applications structured? What are its various components? How will mobile expand the costs of the existing technical debt?

• What is the relationship of the data and information consumed, analyzed, and transmitted? Will mobile jeopardize the quality and reliability of the data?

• In what environment are your mobile application components deployed? How will the existing systems operate with your mobile applications?

See our Enhance Your Solution Architecture for more information.

Ask key questions in your current system assessment

• How do the various components of your system communicate with each other (e.g., web APIs, middleware, and point to point)?
• What information is exchanged during the conversation?
• How does the data flow from one component to the next? Is the data read-only or can application and users edit and modify it?
• What are the access points to your mid- and back-tier systems (e.g., user access through web interface, corporate networks and third-party application access through APIs)?
• Who has access to your enterprise systems?
• Which components are managed and operated by third-party providers? What is your level of control?
• What are the security protocols currently enforced in your system?
• How often are your databases updated? Is it real-time or periodic extract, transfer, and load (ETL)?
• What are the business rules?
• Is your mobile stack dependent on other systems?
• Is a mobile middleware, web server, or API gateway needed to help facilitate the integration between devices and your back-end support?

1.2.2 Conduct a technical assessment

1-3 hours

1. Evaluate your current systems that will support the journey map of your mobile opportunities based on two categories: system quality and system management. Use the tables on the following slides and modify the questions if needed.
2. Discuss if the current state of your system will impede your ability to succeed with mobile. Use this discussion to verify the decision to continue with mobile applications in your current state.
3. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

1.2.2 cont'd

Current State System Quality Assessment

1.2.2 cont'd

Current State System Management Assessment

Step 1.3

Define Your Non-Functional Requirements

Activities

1.3.1 Define mobile application quality

1.3.2 Verify your decision to deliver mobile applications

Set the Mobile Context

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams

Outcomes of this step

• Mobile application quality definition
• Readiness for mobile delivery

Build a strong foundation of mobile application quality

Functionality and aesthetics often take front seats in mobile application delivery. Applications are then frequently modified and changed, not because they are functionally deficient or visually displeasing, but because they are difficult to maintain or scale, too slow, vulnerable or compromised. Implementing clear quality principles (i.e., non-functional requirements) and strong quality assurance practices throughout delivery are critical to minimize the potential work of future maintenance and to avoid, mitigate and manage IT risks.

What is Mobile Application Quality?

• Quality requirements (i.e., non-functional requirements) are properties of a system or product that dictate how it should behave at runtime and how it should be designed, implemented, and maintained.
• These requirements should be involved in decision making around architecture, UI and functional design changes.
• Functionality should not dictate the level of security, availability, or performance of a product, thereby risking system quality. Functionality and quality are viewed orthogonally, and trade-offs are discussed when one impacts the other.
• Quality attributes should never be achieved in isolation as one attribute can have a negative or positive impact on another (e.g. security and availability).

Why is Mobile Quality Assurance Critical?

• Quality assurance (QA) is a necessity for the validation and verification of mobile delivery, whether you are delivering applications in an Agile or Waterfall fashion. Effective QA practices implemented across the software development lifecycle (SDLC) are vital, as all layers of the mobile stack need to readily able to adjust to suddenly evolving and changing business and user needs and technologies without risking system stability and breaking business standards and expectations.
• However, investments in QA optimizations are often afterthoughts. QA is commonly viewed as a lower priority compared to other delivery capabilities (e.g., design and coding) and is typically the first item cut when delivery is under pressure.

See our Build a Software Quality Assurance Program for more information.

Mobile emphasizes the importance of good security, performance and integration

Today's mobile workforce is looking for new ways to get more work done quickly. They want access to enterprise solutions and data directly on their mobile device, which can reside on multiple legacy systems and in the cloud and third-party infrastructure. This presents significant performance, integration, and security risks.

Mobile risks opening and widening existing security gaps

New mobile technologies and the continued expansion of the enterprise environment increase the number of entry points attackers to your corporate data and networks. The ever-growing volume, velocity, and variety of new threats puts significant pressure on mobile delivery teams who are responsible for implementing mobile security measures and maintaining alignment to your security policies and those of app stores.

Mobile attacks can come from various vectors:

Understand the top web security risks and vulnerabilities seen in the industry

Recognize mobile applications are exposed to the same risks and vulnerabilities as web applications. Learn of OWASP's top 10 web security risks.

• Broken Access Control
  • Failures typically lead to unauthorized information disclosure, modification, or destruction of all data or performing a business function outside the user's limits.
• Cryptographic Failures
  • Improper and incorrect protection of data in transit and at rest, especially proprietary and confidential data and those that fall under privacy laws.
• Injection
  • Execution of malicious code and injection of hostile or unfiltered data on the mobile device via the mobile application.
• Insecure Design
  • Missing or ineffective security controls in the application design. An insecure design cannot be fixed by a perfect implementation,. Needed security controls were never created to defend against specific attacks.
• Security Misconfiguration
  • The security settings in the application are not securely set or configured, including poor security hardening and inadequate system upgrading practices.
• Vulnerable and Outdated Components
  • System components are vulnerable because they are unsupported, out of date, untested or not hardened against current security concerns.
• Identification and Authentication Failures
  • Improper or poor protection against authentication-related attacks, particularly to the user's identity, authentication and session management.
• Software and Data Integrity Failures
  • Failures related to code and infrastructure that does not protect against integrity violations, such as an application relying upon plugins, libraries, or modules from untrusted sources, repositories, and content delivery networks
• Security Logging and Monitoring Failures
  • Insufficient logging, detection, monitoring, and active response that hinders the ability to detect, escalate, and respond to active breaches.
• Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
  • SSRF flaws occur whenever a web application is fetching a remote resource without validating the user-supplied URL.

Good mobile application performance drives satisfaction and value delivery

Underperforming mobile applications can cause your users to be unproductive. Your mobile applications should always aim to satisfy the productivity requirements of your end users.

Users quickly notice applications that are slow and difficult to use. Providing a seamless experience for the user is now heavily dependent on how well your application performs. Optimizing your mobile application's processing efficiency can help your users perform their jobs properly in various environment conditions.

Productive Users Need
Performant Mobile Applications

Enhance the performance of the entire mobile stack

Due to frequently changing mobile hardware, users' high performance expectations and mobile network constraints, mobile delivery teams must focus on the entire mobile stack for optimizing performance.

Fine tune your enterprise mobile applications using optimization techniques to improve performance across the full mobile stack.

Info-Tech Insight

Some user performance expectations can be managed with clever UI design (e.g., spinning pinwheels to indicate loading in progress and directing user focus to quick loading content) and operational choices (e.g. graceful degradation and progressive enhancements).

Create an API-centric integration strategy

Mobile delivery teams are tasked to keep up with the changing needs of end users and accommodate the evolution of trending mobile features. Ensuring scalable APIs is critical in quickly releasing changes and ensuring availability of corporate services and resources.

As your portfolio of mobile applications grows, and device platforms and browsers diversify, it will become increasingly complex to provide all the data and service capabilities your mobile apps need to operate. It is important that your APIs are available, reliable, reusable, and secure for multiple uses and platforms.

Take an API-centric approach to retain control of your mobile development and ensure reliability.

APIs are the underlying layer of your mobile applications, enabling remote access of company data and services to end users. Focusing design and development efforts on the maintainability, reliability and scalability of your APIs enables your delivery teams to:

• Reuse tried-and-tested APIs to deliver, test and harden applications and systems quicker by standardizing on the use and structure of REST APIs.
• Ensure a consistent experience and performance across different applications using the same API.
• Uniformly apply security and access control to remain compliant to security protocols, industry standards and regulations.
• Provide reliable integration points when leveraging third-party APIs and services.

See our Build Effective Enterprise Integration on the Back of Business Process for more information.

Guide your integration strategy with principles

Craft your principles around good API management and integration practices

Expose Enterprise Data And Functionality in API-Friendly Formats
Convert complex on-premises application services into developer-friendly RESTful APIs

Protect Information Assets Exposed Via APIs to Prevent Misuse
Ensure that enterprise systems are protected against message-level attack and hijack

Authorize Secure, Seamless Access for Valid Identities
Deploy strong access control, identity federation and social login functionality

Optimize System Performance and Manage the API Lifecycle
Maintain the availability of backend systems for APIs, applications and end users

Engage, Onboard, Educate and Manage Developers
Give developers the resources they need to create applications that deliver real value

Source: 5 Pillars of API Management, Broadcom, 2021

Clarify your definition of mobile quality

Quality does not mean the same thing to everyone

Do not expect a universal definition of mobile quality. Each department, person and industry standard will have a different interpretation of quality, and they will perform certain activities and enforce policies that meet those interpretations. Misunderstanding of what is defined as a high quality mobile application within business and IT teams can lead to further confusion behind governance, testing priorities and compliance.

Each interpretation of quality can lead to endless testing, guardrails and constraints, or lack thereof. Be clear on the priority of each interpretation and the degree of effort needed to ensure they are met.

For example:

Mobile Application Owner
What does an accessible mobile application mean?

Persona: Customer
I can access it on mobile phones, tablets and the web browser

Persona: Developer
I have access to each layer of the mobile stack including the code & data

Persona: Operations
The mobile application is accessible 24/7 with 95% uptime

Example: A School Board's Quality Definition

1.3.1 Define mobile application quality

1-3 hours

1. List 5 quality attributes that your organization sees as important for a successful mobile application.
2. List the core personas that will support mobile delivery and that will consume the mobile application. Start with development, operations and support, and end user.
3. Describe each quality attributes from the perspective of each persona by asking, "What does quality mean to you?".
4. Review each description from each persona to come to an acceptable definition.
5. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

1.3.1 cont'd

Example: Info-Tech Guided Implementation with a Legal and Professional Services Organization

1.3.2 Verify your decision to deliver mobile applications

1-3 hours

1. Review the various end user, business and technical expectations for mobile its achievability given the current state of your system and non-functional requirements.
2. Complete the list of questions on the following slide as an indication for your readiness for mobile delivery.

1.3.2 cont'd

Phase 2

Define Your Mobile Approach

Choose Your Mobile Platform and Tools

This phase will walk you through the following activities:

• Step 2.1 – Choose Your Platform Approach
• Step 2.2 – Shortlist Your Mobile Delivery Solution
• Step 2.3 – Create a Roadmap for Mobile Delivery

This phase involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Step 2.1

Choose Your Platform Approach

Activities

2.1.1 Select your platform approach

Define Your Mobile Approach

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Outcomes of this step

• Desired mobile platform approach

Mobile value is dependent on the platform you choose

What is a platform?

"A platform is a set of software and a surrounding ecosystem of resources that helps you to grow your business. A platform enables growth through connection: its value comes not only from its own features, but from its ability to connect external tools, teams, data, and processes." (Source: Emilie Nøss Wangen, 2021) In the mobile context, applications in a platform execute and communicate through a loosely coupled API architecture whether the supporting system is managed and supported by your organization or by 3rd party providers.

Web

The mobile web often takes on one of the following two approaches:

• Responsive websites – Content, UI and other website elements automatically adjusts itself according to the device, creating a seamless experience regardless of the device.
• Progressive web applications (PWAs) – PWAs uses the browser's APIs and features to offer native-like experiences.

Mobile web applications are often developed with a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript languages.

Hybrid

Hybrid applications are developed with web technologies but are deployed as native applications. The code is wrapped using a framework so that it runs locally within a native container, and it uses the device's browser runtime engine to support more sophisticated designs and features compared to the web approach. Hybrid mobile solutions allows teams to code once and deploy to multiple platforms.

Some notable examples:

• Gmail
• Instagram

Cross-Platform

Cross-platform applications are developed within a distinct programming or scripting environment that uses its own scripting language (often like web languages) and APIs. Then the solution will compile the code into device-specific builds for native deployment.

Some notable examples:

• Facebook
• Skype
• Slack

Native

Native applications are developed and deployed to specific devices and OSs using platform-specific software development kits (SDKs) provided by the operating system vendors. The programming language and framework are dictated by the targeted device, such as Java for Android.

With this platform, developers have direct access to local device features allowing customized operations. This enables the use of local resources, such as memory and runtime engines, which will achieve a higher performance than hybrid and cross-platform applications.

Each platform offers unique pros and cons depending on your mobile needs

Start mobile development on a mobile web platform

Start with what you have: begin with a mobile web platform to minimize impacts to your existing delivery skill sets and technical stack while addressing business needs. Resort to a hybrid first and then consider a cross-platform application if you require device access or the need to meet specific non-functional requirements.

Why choose a mobile web platform?

Pros

The latest versions of the most popular web languages (HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript) abstract away from the granular, physical components of the application, simplifying the development process. HTML5 offer some mobile features (e.g., geolocation, accelerometer) that can meet your desired experience without the need for native development skills. Native look-and-feel, high performance, and full device access are just a few tradeoffs of going with web languages.

Cons

Native mobile platforms depend on device-specific code which follows specific frameworks and leverages unique programming libraries, such as Objective C for iOS and Java for Android. Each language requires a high level of expertise in the coding structure and hardware of specific devices requiring resources with specific skillsets and different tools to support development and testing.

Other Notable Benefits with Web Languages

• Modern browsers in most mobile devices are capable of executing and rendering many mobile features developed in web languages, allowing for greater portability and sophistication of code across multiple devices. However, this flexibility comes at the cost of performance since the browser's runtime engine will not perform as well as a native engine.
• Web languages are well known by developers, minimizing skills and resourcing impacts. Consequently, changes can be quickly accommodated and updated uniformly across all end users.

Do you need a native platform?

Consider web workarounds if you choose a web platform but require some native experiences.

The web platform does not give you direct access or sophisticated customizations to local device hardware and services, underlying code and integrations. You may run into the situation where you need some native experiences, but the value of these features may not offset the costs to undertake a native, hybrid or cross-platform application. When developing hybrid and cross-platform applications with a mobile delivery solution, only the APIs of the commonly used device features are available. Note that some vendors may not offer a particular native feature across all devices, inhibiting your ability to achieve feature parity or exploiting device features only available in certain devices. Workarounds are then needed.

Consider the following workarounds to address the required native experiences on the web platform:

Info-Tech Insight

In many cases, workarounds are available when evaluating the gaps between web and native applications. For example, not having application-level access to the camera does not negate the user option to upload a picture taken by the camera through a web form. Tradeoffs like this will come down to assessing the importance of each platform gap for your organization and whether a workaround is good enough as a native-like experience.

Architect and configure your entire mobile stack with a plan

• Assess your existing technology stack that will support your mobile platform. Determine if it has the capacity to handle mobile traffic and the necessary integration between devices and enterprise and 3rd party systems are robust and reliable. Reach out to your IT teams and vendors if you are missing key mobile components, such as:
• The acquisition and provisioning of physical or virtual mobile web servers and middleware from existing vendors.
• Cloud services [e.g., Mobile Back-end as a Service (mBaaS)] that assists in the mobilization of back-end data sources with API SDKs, orchestration of data from multiple sources, transformation of legacy APIs to mobile formats, and satisfaction of other security, integration and performance needs.
• Configure the services of your web server or middleware to facilitate the translation, transformation, and transfer of data between your mobile front-end and back-end. If your plan involves scripts, maintenance and other ongoing costs will likely increase.
• Leverage the APIs or adapters provided by your vendors or device manufacturers to integrate your mobile front-end and back-end support to your web server or middleware. If you are reusing a web server, the back-end integration should already be in place. Remember, APIs implement business rules to maintain the integrity of data exchange within your mobile stack.
• See Appendix A for examples of reference architectures of mobile platforms.

See our Enhance Your Solution Architecture for more information.

Do Not Forget Your Security and Performance Requirements

Security: New threats from mobile put organizations into a difficult situation beyond simply responding to them in a timely matter. Be careful not to take the benefits of security out of the mobile context. You need to make security a first-order citizen during the scoping, design, and optimization of your systems supporting mobile. It must also be balanced with other functional and non-functional requirements with the right roles taking accountability for these decisions.

See our Strengthen the SSDLC for Enterprise Mobile Applications for more information.

Performance: Within a distributed mobile environment, performance has a risk of diminishing due to limited device capacity, network hopping, lack of server scalability, API bottlenecks, and other device, network and infrastructure issues. Mobile web APIs suffer from the same pain points as traditional web browsing and unplanned API call management in an application will lead to slow performance.

See our Develop Enterprise Mobile Applications With Realistic and Relevant Performance for more information.

Enterprise platform selection requires a shift in perspective

Your mobile platform selection must consider both user and enterprise (i.e., non-functional) needs. Use a two-step process for your analysis:

Begin Platform Selection with a User-Centric Approach

Organizations appealing to end users place emphasis on the user experience: the look and appeal of the user interface, and the satisfaction, ease of use, and value of its functionalities. In this approach, IT concerns and needs are not high priorities, but many functions are completed locally or isolated from mission critical corporate networks and sensitive data. Some needs include:

• Performance: quick execution of tasks and calculations made on the device or offloaded to web servers or the cloud.
• User Interface: cross-platform compatibility and feature-rich design and functionality. The right native experience is critical to the user adoption and satisfaction.
• Device Access: use of local device hardware and software to complete app use cases, such as camera, calendar, and contact lists.

Refine Platform Selection with an Enterprise-Centric Approach

From the enterprise perspective, emphasis is on security, system performance, integration, reuse and other non-functional requirements as the primary motivations in the selection of a mobile platform. User experience is still a contributing factor because of the mobile application's need to drive value but its priority is not exclusive. Some drivers include:

• Openness: agreed-upon industry standards and technologies that can be applied to serve enterprise needs which support business processes.
• Integration: increase the reuse of legacy investments and existing applications and services with integration capabilities.
• Flexibility: support for multiple data types from applications such as JSON format for mobile.
• Capacity: maximize the utilization of your software delivery resources beyond the initial iteration of the mobile application.

Info-Tech Insight

Selecting a mobile platform should not solely be made on business requirements. Key technical stakeholders should be at the table in this discussion to provide insight on the implementation and ongoing costs and benefits of each platform. Both business and technical requirements should be considered when deciding on a final platform.

Select your mobile platform

Drive your mobile platform selection against user-centric needs (e.g. device access, aesthetics) and enterprise-centric needs (e.g. security, system performance).

When does a platform makes sense to use?

Web

• Desire to maximize current web technologies investments (people, process, and technologies).
• Use cases do not require significant computational resources on the device or are tightly constrained by non-functional requirements.
• Limited budget to acquire mobile development resources.
• Access to device hardware is not a high priority.

Hybrid / Cross-Platform

• The need to quickly spin up native-like applications for multiple platforms and devices.
• Desire to leverage existing web development skills, but also a need for device access and meeting specific non-functional requirements.
• Vendor support is needed for the entire mobile delivery process.

Native

• Developers are experts in the target programming language and with the device's hardware.
• Strong need for high performance, security and device-specific access and customizations.
• Application use cases requiring significant computing resources.

2.1.1 Select your platform approach

1-3 hours

1. Review your mobile objectives, end user needs and non-functional requirements.
2. Determine which mobile platform is appropriate for each mobile opportunity or use case by answering the following questions on the following slides against two factors: user-centric and enterprise-centric needs.
3. Calculate an average score for user-centric and one for enterprise-centric. Then, map them on the matrix to indicate possible platform options. Consider all options around the plotted point.
4. Further discuss which platforms should be the preferred choice.
5. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

2.1.1 cont'd

User-Centric Needs: Functional Requirements

2.1.1 cont'd

User-Centric Needs: Native User Experience Factors

2.1.1 cont'd

Enterprise-Centric Needs: Non-Functional Requirements

2.1.1 cont'd

Enterprise-Centric Needs: Delivery Capacity

2.1.1 cont'd

Example:

Build a scalable and manageable platform

Long-term mobile success depends on the efficiency and reliability of the underlying operational platform. This platform must support the computational and performance demands in a changing business environment, whether it is composed of off-the-self or custom-developed solutions, or a single vendor or best-of-breed.

• Application
  • The UI design and content language is standardized and consistently applied
  • All mobile configurations and components are automatically versioned
  • Controlled administration and tooling access, automation capabilities, and update delivery
  • Holistic portfolio management
• Data
  • Automated data management to preserve data quality (e.g. removal of duplications)
  • Defined single source of truth
  • Adherence to data governance, and privacy and security policies
  • Good content management practices, governance and architecture
• Infrastructure
  • Containers and sandboxes are available for development and testing
  • Self-healing and self-service environments
  • Automatic system scaling and load balancing
  • Comply to budgetary and licensing constraints
• Integration
  • Backend database and system updates are efficient
  • Loosely coupled architecture to minimize system regressions and delivery effort
  • Application, system and data monitoring

Step 2.2

Shortlist Your Mobile Delivery Solution

Activities

2.2.1 Shortlist your mobile delivery solution

2.2.2 Build your feature and service lists

Define Your Mobile Approach

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Outcomes of this step

• Shortlisted mobile delivery solutions
• Desired list of vendor features and services

Ask yourself: should I build or buy?

Weigh the pros and cons of mobile enablement versus development

Understand the common attributes of a mobile delivery solution

• Source Code Management – Built-in or having the ability to integrate with code management solutions for branching, merging, and versioning. Debugging and coding assistance capabilities may be available.
• Single Code Base – Capable of programming in a standard coding and scripting language for deployment into several platforms and devices. This code base is aligned to a common industry framework (e.g., AngularJS, Java) or a vendor-defined one.
• Out-of-the-Box Connectors & Plug-ins – Pre-built APIs enhance the solution's capabilities with 3rd party tools and systems to deliver and manage high quality and valuable mobile applications.
• Emulators – Ability to virtualize an application's execution on a target platform and device.
• Support for Native Features – Supports plug-ins and APIs for access to device-specific features.

What are mobile delivery solutions?

A mobile delivery solution gives you the tools, resources and support to enable or build your mobile application. They can provide pre-built applications, vendor supported components to allow some configurations, or resources for full stack customizations. Some solutions can be barebone software development kits (SDKs) or comprehensive suites offering features to support the entire software delivery lifecycle, such as:

• Mobile application management
• Testing and publishing to app stores
• Content management
• Cloud hosting
• Application performance management

Info-Tech Insight

Mobile enablement and development capabilities are already embedded in many common productivity tools and enterprise applications, such as Microsoft PowerApps and ERP modules. They can serve as a starting point in the initial rollout of new management and governance practices without the need of acquiring new tools.

Select your mobile delivery solutions

1. Set the scope of your framework.

• The initial context of this framework is based on the mobile functions needed to support your desired mobile experience and on the current state of your enterprise and 3rd party systems.

Explore the various solution options

Vendor Hosted Mobile Platform

• Cloud Services (Mobile Backend-as-a-Service) (Amazon Amplify, Kinvey, Back4App, Google Firebase, Apache Usergrid)
• Low Code Mobile Platforms (Outsystems, Mendix, Zoho Creator, IBM Mobile Foundation, Pega Mobile, HCL Volt MX, Appery)
• Mobile Development via Enterprise Application (SalesForce Heroku, Oracle Application Accelerator MAX, SAP Mobile Development Kit, NetSuite Mobile)
• Mobile Development via Business Process Automation (PowerApps, Appian, Nintex, Quickbase)

Cross-Platform Development SDKs

React Native, NativeScript, Xamarin Forms, .NET MAUI, Flutter, Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile, jQuery Mobile, Telerik, Temenos Quantum

Custom Native Development Solutions

• Native Development Languages and Environments (Swift, Java, Objective-C, Kotlin, Xcode, NetBeans, Android Studio, AppCode, Microsoft Visual Studio, Eclipse, DriodScript, Compose, Atom)
• Mobile Application Utilities (Unity, MonoGame, Blender, 3ds Max Design, Maya, Unreal Engine, Amazon Lumberyard, Oculus)

Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Solutions

• No Code Mobile Platforms (Swiftic, Betty Blocks, BuildFire, Appy Pie, Plant an App, Microsoft Power Apps, AppSheet, Wix, Quixy)
• Mobile Application Point Solutions and Enablement via Enterprise Applications

Hybrid Development SDKs

Cordova Project, Sencha Touch, Electron, Ionic, Capacitor, Monaca, Voltbuilder

Custom Web Development Solutions

Web Development Frameworks (React, Angular, Vue, Express, Django, Rails, Spring, Ember, Backbone, Bulma, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Blade)

Get the most out of your solutions by understanding their core components

While most of the heavy lifting is handled by the vendor or framework, understanding how the mobile application is built and operates can identify where further fine-tuning is needed to increase its value and quality.

Platform Runtime

Automatic provisioning, configurations, and tuning of organizational and 3rd party infrastructure for high availability, performance, security and stability. This can include cloud management and non-production environments.

Extensions

• Mobile delivery solutions can be extended to allow:
• Custom development of back-end code
• Customizable integrations and hooks where needed
• Integrations with CI/CD pipelines and administrative services
• Integrations with existing databases and authentication services

Platform Services

The various services needed to support mobile delivery and enable continuous delivery, such as:

• Configuration & Change Management – Verifies, validates, and monitors builds, deployments and changes across all components.
• Code Generator – Transforms UI and data models into native application components that are ready to be deployed.
• Deployment Services – Deploys application components consistently across all target environments and app stores.
• Application Services – Manages the mobile application at runtime, including executing scheduled tasks and instrumentation.

Application Architecture

Fundamentally, mobile application architecture is no different than any other application architecture so much of your design standards still applies. The trick is tuning it to best meet your mobile functional and non-functional needs.

Source: "HCL Volt MX", HCL.

Build your shortlist decision criteria

The decision on which type of mobile delivery solution to use is dependent on several key questions?

Who is the Mobile Delivery Team?

• Is it a worker, business or IT?
• What skills and knowledge does this person have?
• Who is supporting mobile delivery and management?
• Are other skills and tools needed to support, extend or mature mobile delivery adoption?

What are the Use Cases?

• What is the value and priority of the use cases?
• What native features do we need?
• Who is the audience of the output and who is impacted?
• What systems, data and services do I need access?
• Is it best to build it or buy it?
• What are the quality standards?
• How strategic is the use case?

How Complex is the System?

• Is the mobile application a standalone or integrated with enterprise systems?
• What is the system's state and architecture?
• What 3rd party services do we need integrated?
• Are integrations out-of-the-box or custom?
• Is the data standardized and who can edit its definition?
• Is the system monolithic or loosely coupled?

How Much Can We Tolerate?

• Risks: What are the business and technical risks involved?
• Costs: How much can we invest in implementation, training and operations?
• Change: What organizational changes am I expecting to make? Will these changes be accepted and adopted?

2.2.1 Shortlist your mobile delivery solution

1-3 hours

1. Determine which mobile delivery solutions is appropriate for each mobile opportunity or use case by answering the following questions on the following slides against two factors: complexity of mobile workflows and native features and management of the mobile stack.
   1. Take the average of the enterprise-centric and user-centric scores from step 2.1 for your complexity of mobile workflows and native features scores.
2. Calculate an average score for the management of the mobile stack. Then, map them on the matrix to indicate possible solution options alongside your user-centric scores. Consider all options around the plotted point.
3. Further discuss which solution should be the preferred choice and compare those options with your selected platform approach.
4. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

2.2.1 cont'd

Stack Management

2.2.1 cont'd

Example:

Consider the following in your solution selection and implementation

• Vendor lock in – Each solution has its own approach, frameworks, and data schemas to convert designs and logic into an executable build that is stable in the targeted environment. Consequently, moving application artifacts (e.g., code and designs) from one solution or environment to another may not be easily accomplished without significant modifications or the use of application modernization or migration services.
• Conflicting priorities and viewpoints of good delivery practices – Mobile delivery solutions are very particular on how they generate applications from designs and configurations. The solution's approach may not accommodate your interpretation of high-quality code (e.g., scalability, maintainability, extensibility, security). Technical experts should be reviewing and refactoring the generated code.
• Incompatibility with enterprise applications and systems – The true benefit of mobile delivery solutions is their ability to connect your mobile application to enterprise and 3rd party technologies and services. This capability often requires enterprise technologies and services to be architected in a way that is compatible with your delivery solution while ensuring data, security protocols and other standards and policies are consistently enforced.
• Integration with current application development and management tools – Mobile delivery solutions should be extensions from your existing application development and management tools that provides the versioning, testing, monitoring, and deployment capabilities to sustain a valuable application portfolio. Without this integration, IT will be unable to:
  • Root cause issues found on IT dashboards or reported to help desk.
  • Rollback defective applications to a previous stable state.
  • Obtain a complete application portfolio inventory.
  • Execute comprehensive testing for high-risk applications.
  • Trace artifacts throughout the development lifecycle.
  • Generate reports of the status of releases.

Enhance your SDLC to support mobile delivery

What is the SDLC?

The software development lifecycle (SDLC) is a process that ensures valuable software products are efficiently delivered to customers. It contains a repeatable set of activities needed to intake and analyze requirements to design, build, test, deploy, and maintain software products.

How will mobile delivery influence my SDLC?

• Cross-functional collaboration – Bringing business and IT together at the most opportune times to clarify user needs and business priorities, and set realistic expectations given technology and capacity constraints. The appropriate tactics and techniques are used to improve decision making and delivery effectiveness according to the type of work.
• Iterative delivery – Frequent delivery of progressive changes minimizes the risk of low-quality features by containing and simplifying scope, and enables responsive turnarounds of fixes, enhancements, and priority changes.
• Feedback loops –Mobile application owners constantly review, update and refine their backlog of mobile features and changes to reflect user feedback and system performance metrics. Delivery teams proactively prepare the application for future scaling based on lessons and feedback learned from earlier releases.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Modernize Your SDLC blueprint.

Example: Low- & No-Code Mobile Delivery Pipeline

Use Info-Tech's research to address your delivery gaps

Mobile success requires more than a set of good tools.

Overcome the Common Challenges Faced with Building Mobile Applications

Source: DronaHQ, 2021

Learn the differentiators of mobile delivery solutions

• Native Program Languages – Supports languages other than web (Java, Ruby, C/C++/C#, Objective-C).
• IDE Integration – Available plug-ins for popular development suites and editors.
• Debugging Tools – Finding and eliminating bugs (breakpoints, single stepping, variable inspection, etc.).
• Application Packaging via IDE – Digitally sign applications through the IDE for it to be packaged and published in app stores.
• Automated Testing Tools – Native or integration with automated functional and unit testing tools.
• Low- and No- Code Designer – Tools for designing graphical user interfaces and features and managing data with drag-and-drop functionalities.
• Publishing and Deployment Capabilities – Automated deployment to mobile device management (MDM) systems, mobile application management (MAM) systems, mobile application stores, and web servers.
• Third-Party and Open-Source Integration – Integration with proprietary and open-source third-party modules, development tools, and systems.
• Developer Marketplace – Out-of-the-box plug-ins, templates, and integration are available through a marketplace.
• Mobile Application Support Capabilities – Ability to gather, manage, and address application issues and defects.
• API Gateway, Monitoring, and Management – Services that enable the creation, publishing, maintenance, monitoring, and securing of APIs through a common interface.
• Mobile Analytics and Monitoring – View the adoption, usage, and performance of deployed mobile applications through graphical dashboards.
• Mobile Content Management – Publish and manage mobile content through a centralized system.
• Mobile Application Security – Supports the securing of application access and usage, data encryption, and testing of security controls.

Define your mobile delivery vendor selection criteria

Focus on the key vendor attributes and capabilities that enable mobile delivery scaling and growth in your organization

Build your features list

Incorporate different perspectives when defining the list of mandatory and desired features of your target solution.

Appendix B contains a list of features for low- and no-code solutions that can be used as a starting point.

Visit Info-Tech's Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process blueprint.

Mobile Developer

• Visual, drag-and-drop models to define data models, business logic, and user interfaces.
• One-click deployment.
• Self-healing capabilities.
• Vendor-managed infrastructure.
• Active community and marketplace.
• Pre-built templates and libraries.
• Optical character recognition and natural language processing.
• Knowledgebase and document management.
• Business value, operational costs, and other KPI monitoring.
• Business workflow automation.

Mobile IT Professional

• Audit and change logs.
• Theme and template builder.
• Template management.
• Role-based access.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Consistent design and user experience across applications.
• Application and system performance monitoring.
• Versioning and code management.
• Automatic application and system refactoring and recovery.
• Exception and error handling.
• Scalability (e.g. load balancing) and infrastructure management.
• Real-time debugging.
• Testing capabilities.
• Security management.
• Application integration management.

2.2.2 Build your feature and service lists

1-3 hours

Review the key outcomes in the previous exercises to help inform the features and vendor support you require to support your mobile delivery needs:

End user personas and desired mobile experience

Objectives and expectations

Desired mobile features and platform

Mobile delivery solutions

Brainstorm a list of features and functionalities you require from your ideal solution vendors. Prioritize these features and functionalities. See our Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process blueprint for more information on vendor procurement.

Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

Download the Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template

Hit a home run with your stakeholders

Use a data-driven approach to select the right tooling vendor for your needs – fast.

Investing time improving your software selection methodology has big returns.

Info-Tech Insight

Not all software selection projects are created equal – some are very small, some span the entire enterprise. To ensure that IT is using the right framework, understand the cost and complexity profile of the application you're looking to select. Info-Tech's Rapid Application Selection Framework approach is best for commodity and mid-tier enterprise applications; selecting complex applications is better handled by the methodology in Info-Tech's Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process.

Step 2.3

Create a Roadmap for Mobile Delivery

Activities

2.3.1 Define your MVP release

2.3.2 Build your roadmap

Define Your Mobile Approach

This step involves the following participants:

• Applications Manager
• Product and Platform Owners
• Software Delivery Teams
• Business and IT Leaders

Outcomes of this step

• MVP design
• Mobile delivery roadmap

Achieve mobile success with MVPs

By delivering mobile capabilities in small iterations, teams recognize value sooner and reduce accumulated risk. Both benefits are realized as the iteration enters validation testing and release.

An MVP focuses on a small set of functions, involves minimal possible effort to deliver a working and valuable solution, and is designed to satisfy a specific user group. Its purpose is to:

• Maximize learning.
• Evaluate the value and acceptance of mobile applications.
• Inform the building of a mobile delivery practice.

The build-measure-learn loop suggests mobile delivery teams should perpetually take an idea and develop, test, and validate it with the mobile development solution, then expand on the MVP using the lessons learned and evolving ideas. In this sense the MVP is just the first iteration in the loop.

Leverage a canvas to detail your MVP

Use the release canvas to organize and align the organization around your MVP!

2.3.1 Define your MVP release

1-3 hours

1. Create a list of high priority use cases slated for mobile application delivery. Brainstorm the various supporting activities required to implement your use cases including the shortlisting of mobile delivery tools.
2. Prioritize these use cases based on business priority (from your canvas). Size the effort of these use cases through collaboration.
3. Define your MVPs using a release canvas as shown on the following slide.
4. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

2.3.1 cont'd

Build your mobile roadmap

It's more than a set of colorful boxes. It's the map to align everyone to where you are going

Your mobile roadmap

• Lays out a strategy for your mobile application, platform and practice implementation and scaling.
• Is a statement of intent for your mobile adoption.
• Communicates direction for the implementation and use of mobile delivery tools, mobile applications and supporting technologies.
• Directly connects to the organization's goals

However, it is not:

• Representative of a hard commitment.
• A simple combination of your current product roadmaps

Roadmap your MVPs against your milestones and release dates

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision blueprint.

Understand what is communicated in your roadmap

WHY is the work being done?

Explains the overarching goal of work being done to a specific audience.

WHO is doing the work?

Categorizes the different groups delivering the work on the product.

WHAT is the work being done?

Explains the artifacts, or items of work, that will be delivered.

WHEN is the work being done?

Explains when the work will be delivered within your timeline.

To learn more, visit Info-Tech's Deliver on Your Digital Product Vision blueprint.

Pay attention to organizational changes

Be prepared to answer:

"How will mobile change the way I do my job?"

• Plan how workers will incorporate mobile applications into their way of working and maximize the features it offers.
• Address the human concerns regarding the transition to a digital world involving modern and mobile technologies and automation.
• Accept changes, challenges and failures with open arms and instill tactics to quickly address them.
• Build and strengthen business-IT trust, empowerment, and collaborative culture by adopting the right practices throughout the mobile delivery process.
• Ensure continuous management and leadership support for business empowerment, operational changes, and shifts in role definitions to best support mobile delivery.
• Establish a committee to manage the growth, adoption, and delivery of mobile as part of a grandeur digital application portfolio and address conflicts among business units and IT.

Anticipate and prepare for changes and issues

Verify and validate the flexibility and adaptability of your mobile applications, strategy and roadmap against various scenarios

• Scenarios
  • Application Stores Rejecting the Application
  • Security Incidents & Risks
  • Low User Adoption, Retention & Satisfaction
  • Incompatibility with User's Device & Other Systems
  • Device & OS Patches & Updates
  • Changes in Industry Standards & Regulations

Use the "Now, Next, Later" roadmap

Use this when deadlines and delivery dates are not strict. This is best suited for brainstorming a product plan when dependency mapping is not required.

Now

What are you going to do now?

Next

What are you going to do very soon?

Later

What are you going to do in the future?

Adapted From: "Tips for Agile product roadmaps & product roadmap examples," Scrum.org, 2017

2.3.2 Build your roadmap

1-3 hours

1. Identify the business outcomes your mobile application delivery and MVP is expected to deliver.
2. Build your strategic roadmap by grouping each business outcome by how soon you need to deliver it:
   1. Now: Let's achieve this ASAP.
   2. Next: Sometime very soon, let's achieve these things.
   3. Later: Much further off in the distance, let's consider these things.
3. Identify what the critical steps are for the organization to embrace mobile application delivery and deliver your MVP.
4. Build your tactical roadmap by grouping each critical step by how soon you need to address it:
   1. Now: Let's do this ASAP.
   2. Next: Sometime very soon, let's do these things.
   3. Later: Much further off in the distance, let's consider these things.
5. Document your findings and discussions into Info-Tech's Mobile Application Delivery Communication Template.

2.3.2 cont'd

Example: Tactical Roadmap

Milestone 1

• Modify the business processes of the MVP to best leverage mobile technologies. Streamline the business processes by removing the steps that do not directly support value delivery.
• Develop UI templates using the material design framework and the organization's design standards. Ensure it is supported on mobile devices through the mobile browser and satisfy accessibility design standards.
• Verify and validate current security controls against latest security risks using the W3C as a starting point. Install the latest security patches to maintain compliance.
• Acquire the Ionic SDK and upskill delivery teams.

Milestone 2

• Update the current web framework and third-party libraries with the latest version and align web infrastructure to latest W3C guidelines.
• Verify and validate functionality and stability of APIs with third-party applications. Begin transition to REST APIs where possible.
• Make minor changes to the existing data architecture to better support the data volume, velocity, variety, and veracity the system will process and deliver.
• Update the master data management with latest changes. Keep changes to a minimum.
• Develop and deliver the first iteration of the MVP with Ionic.

Milestone 3

• Standardize the initial mobile delivery practice.
• Continuously monitor the system and proactively address business continuity, system stability and performance, and security risks.
• Deliver a hands-on and facilitated training session to end users.
• Develop intuitive user manuals that are easily accessible on SharePoint.
• Consult end users for their views and perspectives of suggested business model and technology changes.
• Regularly survey end users and the media to gauge industry sentiment toward the organization.

Pitch your roadmap initiatives

There are multiple audiences for your pitch, and each audience requires a different level of detail when addressed. Depending on the outcomes expected from each audience, a suitable approach must be chosen. The format and information presented will vary significantly from group to group.

Continuously measure the benefits and value realized in your mobile applications

Success hinges on your team's ability to deliver business value. Well-developed mobile applications instill stakeholder confidence in ongoing business value delivery and stakeholder buy-in, provided proper expectations are set and met.

Business value defines the success criteria of an organization, and it is interpreted from four perspectives:

• Profit Generation – The revenue generated from a business capability with mobile applications.
• Cost Reduction – The cost reduction when performing business capabilities with mobile applications.
• Service Enablement – The productivity and efficiency gains of internal business operations with mobile applications.
• Customer and Market Reach – Metrics measuring the improved reach and insights of the business in existing or new markets.

See our Build a Value Measurement Framework blueprint for more information about business value definition.

Business Value Matrix

Grow your mobile delivery practice

Grow your mobile delivery practice (cont'd)

Summary of Accomplishment

Choose Your Mobile Platform and Tools

• User personas
• Mobile objectives and metrics
• Mobile opportunity backlog
• List of mobile features to enable the desired mobile experience
• System current assessment
• Mobile application quality definition
• Readiness for mobile delivery
• Desired mobile platform approach
• Shortlisted mobile delivery solutions
• Desired list of vendor features and services
• MVP design
• Mobile delivery roadmap

If you would like additional support, have our analysts guide you through other phases as part of Info-Tech workshop.

Contact your account representative for more information

workshops@infotech.com

1-888-670-8889

Research Contributors and Experts

Chaim Yudkowsky
Chief Information Officer
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee

Chaim Yudkowsky is currently Chief information Officer for American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the DC headquartered not-for-profit focused on lobbying for a strong US-Israel relationship. In that role, Chaim is responsible for all traditional IT functions including oversight of IT strategy, vendor relationships, and cybersecurity program. In addition, Chaim also has primary responsibility for all physical security technology and strategy for US offices and event technology for the many AIPAC events.

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Appendix A

Sample Reference Frameworks

Reference Framework: Web Platform