Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
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March 2014 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 21 BRIDGING THE GAP By Jim Boomer, CPA.CITP Should Your Firm Make an App for Clients? Mobile Apps in the Profession Today T he nu m b e r o f f i r m s t h a t h a v e explored developing mobile apps is still relatively small and the number that has successfully completed this initiative is even smaller. However, the interest and level of d iscussion is growing. While a mobile app can be a costly initiative (especia l ly if you haven't done your up-front planning), it can also be an excellent diferenti- ator for your frm. And it is going to become more important as your client base becomes more dependent on their mobile devices and their expec- tations start to include the ability to easily interact with your frm through those devices. Before you make the dec i sion to pu r s ue a mobi le app though, there are a number of ques- tions you need to ask yourself. Important Questions Te ultimate goal of the list of ques- tions below is to ensure that you have clear objectives for your mobile app i n it i at i ve a nd a pl a n/ budget for meeting those objectives. • What is the purpose? What need are you flling? – Start by asking yourself the purpose of the app you want to develop and be weary of scope creep. All successful mobile apps address a pain point and make completing a task or set of tasks more convenient for the end user. So start by identifying the need you are trying to fll. If you are thinking of providing information that is already on your public website, you probably need to keep exploring the purpose. • Who is your audience? - Will your app be client facing, internally focused or both? Knowing the answer to this question will impact not only the pur - pose but also the amount of time and money you are willing to invest into the project. • What is your budget? Understanding the amount of time and money you are willing to spend on a mobile app is very important to determine on the front end. • Native vs. Browser-Based App? – Tere is a diference between developing a mobile app that can be downloaded in one of the app stores and creating one that adjusts formating when viewed on a mobile device's browser. As with anything, there are pros and cons to each but you' ll want to make this determination early in the project. • Which devices will you develop for and will you list in the app stores? – Will the app be for iOS, Android or a combina - tion of devices and platforms? Distrib - uting your app through the app stores can add complexity in terms of addi- tional requirements so you'll want to know your options for geting your apps into the hands of the end-users. • How will you develop the app? – Depending on the internal development resources you currently have in the frm (if any) and the budget you've set, you can choose from any of the options below. Custom Development - If you want to create a unique app that addresses an unmet need for the end-user, you'll probably want to explore custom development. Tis will require that you either hire in-house developers or source the project to a third party. Tis approach tends to come with a higher price tag. App Builder Tools – If you want to provide some relatively basic and standard functions, there a number of pre-built tools out there that can get you up and running with very litle time or money invested in the project. • Existing Sofware Vendors – Do your current sofware vendors already have apps to accomplish the purpose you've set forth and do they ofer white-label options? If so, this is defnitely the easiest and least costly option. • What is your Quality Assurance Pro- cess? – Having measurements outlined and a process for ensuring that the end-product meets your success criteria is something you should outline prior to starting instead of making it an aferthought. Getting Started T he f irst step in the process is to ensure that mobile app development is a priority in terms of strategic initia- tives for your frm. If not, it won't get the atention it needs and it may drag on endlessly. Next, start your explora- tion with the easy solutions – apps from your existing sofware vendors and app builder tools. If neither meets your needs, then you'll want to look into the custom development route. What you don't want to do is turn a blind eye to this trend. Tere will be signifcant and rapid developments over the coming years as more frms develop their own apps and sofware vendors continue to progress on executing their mobile strategies. It won't be long before mobile apps are no longer a diferenti- ator but rather an expectation. Don't get lef t beh ind. Star t developing your mobile strategy today. Jim Boomer is a shareholder and the CIO for Boomer Consulting , Inc. He is the director of the Boomer Technology Circles™ and an expert on managing technology within an accounting frm. He also serves as a strategic planning and technology consultant and frm adviser in the areas of performance and risk management. In addition, Jim is leading a new program, Te Producer Circle, in collaboration with CPA2BIZ and the AICPA. W e live in a mobile world that is becoming increasingly so every day. Expectations are growing among mobile users that they should be able to do anything and communicate with anyone (including your frm) from the convenience of applications on their mobile devices. So what is your frm doing about the develop- ment of mobile apps for your clients and employees? CPA 0314 1-21.indb 21 3/24/14 9:38 AM