MobileCaddy and the Design Concept that got it all started

I’ve just posted an overview of the journey Paul (our CTO at MobileCaddy) and I made in deciding how we should build offline enabled fully robust salesforce mobile applications.

The article “A design concept for all business critical mobile apps” is a short read but I hope really gets to the heart of what MobileCaddy is about creating in terms of mobile apps that are powered by the force.com platform.

My next targets are going to be why monitoring and continuous integration are the key enablers once this ‘More(s) Design’ concept has been made to core of all applications.

Mobile transformation is a journey not an App

An App or a JourneyEveryone gets Mobile. Individuals are Mobile. Enterprises know they need to ‘go’ mobile. Customers are Mobile. Partners are Mobile. So we’re all going Mobile.

And what is the first thought on how to go about this? We need a Mobile App.

I mean it’s obvious, right?

And of course the answer is yes. And no.

Yes, if we think of an App as a container. A container to deliver our processes, data and functionality to our employees, our customers, our partners etc.

However we need to think about value. And value is a moving and sometimes unknown target. Opportunities, markets, technology, products, services, everything is on the move for better or for worse, and at what a pace. An App, a single purpose non changing app, is not going to cut it here.

Get Started Already!

But we do need to start and the best way is often to start with an App. No doubt this single app will bring value, but really its purpose is to educate the organisation on the differences that mobile IT has to its desk bound brethren. As well as start to open up eyes and kick off the excitement and ideas that are suddenly possible and achievable (in cost and technology) once process, data and logic can be put in the pocket of everyone who needs it, whenever they need it.

The journey, even if it’s not thought about in that way to begin with, often starts with a paper based processed being digitised and mobilised. Think of this as version one. And then we deploy. And sit back and wait for the praise. But instead we get told what is missing, how frustrating it is to use, how slow it has made the process. Do not be down beaten. This is excellent news and, even better, this is our first feedback loop.

Just think, if the app did all these things that are being suggested, how good it could be. The org gets the data, the speed, the integrity, the consistency – and the user, once these suggestions are incorporated, gets a tool that makes them, and by extension the organisation more successful.

So now our ‘we need an App’ has turned into ‘we need an App and then we quickly need a second version’. Wow, that one app decision went out the window quickly. And if we are not prepared, so did our budget or our ability to make good on these new requirements.

Of course what happens next is that after 6 months of version two of the app, especially if we have incorporated a feedback process into the actual app, we will have a stack of new features and time saving/value creating amendments to make. Build another App? Well that would be costly. Version the app because we chose to build continuous integration in at the outset….no debating needed on this.

Software is eating the world. Mobile is the main course.

We do not have the time, resources or finance to get this wrong if we are to really tap into the rich rewards that mobilizing our organisation can produce. This story will repeat out, the only difference is if it was expected and embraced.

As Marc Andreessen stated a few years back and Forbes recently re-iterated every company is either a software company or is powering their strategy through IT innovation. And Mobile is notching the game up again. If you are not an always on, always ready, truly mobile organisation then you can bet you are going to be ignored by the people that matter most or beaten by a company who is.

So I’d like to finish with the following points:

  1. Do start with an App

  2. Be prepared for, but better still embrace, the fact that you will need to change, update and enhance your App on a regular, but value creating, basis.

  3. Think about the delivery of the app. This must work offline. Be able to work on multiple devices (that you have today and may have tomorrow) and must be simple to deploy and monitor. App delivery is like a switch. When it is turned off so is the value it delivers.

  4. Ask the difficult questions. What about tomorrow. What if we changes devices. What if we want to make a small change in a few weeks. What if we really don’t know what we want but we’ve got to start somewhere. What will be the true cost of the path we are about to set down.

  5. And then let your mind go wild. What if you could deliver all the power of your organisation’s knowledge to every single person that needed it, whenever they needed it. What then could be achieved!

To learn more about the App Building process, why versioning is so important, what continuous integration means and why you should monitor every transaction and interaction made by your mobile users please contact Justin directly for a discussion ceo@mobilecaddy.net

If you are a developer and want to start building offline apps today please visit our dedicated developer site at http://developer.mobilecaddy.net

(This post was originally posted to the MobileCaddy blog here)

Here we go…

So I have made the decision to focus all my available time to start another company. It is true that I still have other business commitments but it just feels like the right time to push my passion for business and technology forward.

MobileCaddy is a joint effort between Paul and myself and is something we have long talked about during our many ‘world to rights’ chats.

Being very early days we are still building out the product but even though the long hours and weekends are now already a way of life, the challenge and kick I am getting is already worth it. We are solving a problem that we both feel is worth solving. We are working on something we both feel we have value to bring to. We’re going to smash it 🙂

Paul is an awesome guy to work with and I feel pretty lucky that we have clicked from the first time we met. His ability is something I now take for granted but is the type of focused skill and immediate understanding you only find very rarely. And the ability to no doubt deal with my intense ramblings is not too common either.

MobileCaddy aims to bring all the lessons we have learnt in mobilising enterprise applications during the last 5 years and bringing them together into an easy to use application and framework. The scope and complexities are quite staggering but the ultimate value we could deliver is that much greater because of it.

I have put an initial site together so if you fancy a nose around (and point out any typos) please feel free and feedback here.

On a personal note I have never been happier, more stressed or more excited. Without all the lessons learned and the support from being part of an awesome family and family firm I would never have had the confidence to take on yet another project what with everything else. But most of all without Lucy, I’m pretty sure I’d not even taken this first step. Thanks bubba.

Whether we succeed or fail the dice has been rolled!

Oh and as a last note. Blanket apologies for being lax on keeping up with everyone. I love my work. Even the shitty work. If there’s not some mental, complex, impossible to achieve/workout/understand problem on my plate I’m not really very happy. If I could ask a favour it’s that you can kick my arse to not miss out on all the other stuff going on. Because I really love this stuff too.