When a business identifies the need for a mobile application, does that mean they should jump right in and build it? Businesses may feel compelled to be ‘mobile’ due to technology and competitor trends, so they feel pressurised to make an app just to be at the party.
It is possible that the app might solve some pain points but offer little help to the business, so the question that should be asked is “How much is this application worth to the business?” or “What is the potential return on investing in this app?”
Return on investment may not always be measured in terms of revenue. It could manifest itself through improvements in productivity, customer engagement, automation or any areas that are of great value to the business, or through significant savings rather than greater revenue generation.
For any mobile application to be successful, it must support a larger business initiative like streamlining a labour-intensive business process, automating a data collection process, building brand loyalty and acquiring new customers, or strengthening relationships with channel partners. If such business targets are being met, the mobile app development project has a greater chance of success.