CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN APP CREATION.
I was at the supermarket the other day with a basket full of potential deliciousness for dinner when it occurred to me that I should also book the movie tickets for tonight’s show. I did this in the pasta aisle. Then I got to the produce section and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember one of the ingredients in tonight’s recipe, so I jumped into my 4IWellness app (blatant client promotion) and double checked. I then stood in the queue to pay and thought I might have time for a run before dinner and the movie, but it looked like rain. I then checked the weather app. All of this was done on one shopping visit and none of it would have been possible without mobile apps.
In business today, it is critical that a company has a mobile app. It can offer some unique benefits in customer service, risk mitigation and sales due to the immediacy of the device. Some businesses make the mistake of investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in recreating another version of their website. In doing so, they may be missing an opportunity to deliver unprecedented customer service and additional income.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR MOBILE APPS THAT WILL DELIVER YOU A RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT.
WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY ARE IOT SECURITY ISSUES REALLY?
Traditionally, the tech sector takes pride in its ability to self-regulate. This allows for freedom, creativity and significant economic gains. However, in this instance, is there a need for greater government intervention? The dynamic monolith that is the IoT, is growing so rapidly, organically and in unprecedented ways, that perhaps it is bigger than the individual devices and apps that operate on it and indeed bigger than the infrastructure that fuels it? Its growth is fed by start-ups, big business, governments and the general consumer’s voracious appetite for the benefits that it has to offer. As such, the very benefit of connectivity that makes the IoT so great, is also the very big elephant in the room which makes it so vulnerable.
In a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Australia was identified as the country that felt the most vulnerable in terms of a lack in cyber security professionals. The federal government’s $230 million dollar cyber security strategy is generally felt to be comprehensive enough in its offensive tactics to protect us from major attacks in the future. It’s looking for collaboration in creating national security measures. Although, there plans are as yet untested. However, what we are perhaps lacking is in defensive strategies.
To have a decent defensive program in place the start-up or tech company has to implement defensive programs and safeguards at production and update stages. Currently, the Australian Government has released voluntary standards which companies can adopt as they see fit. From some start-ups and businesses’ perspectives it’s much like knowing you should eat kale and exercise regularly. Yet, you continue to eat the hamburger and chips because it tastes so great and it’s much more exciting. Besides, that heart attack will never happen to you right?
This adhoc adoption has no cohesiveness and in most cases is the last thing on the radar of a start-up busting at the seams to launch. Surely, a better strategy for our industry is to adopt self-regulated minimum standards to ensure adequate security safeguards in both devices and infrastructure. Better this, than wait until an attack happens on Australian shores and the consequent debris results in prohibitive legislation that will add considerable expense and time to product launches. Particularly, when it comes to high risk industries such as telehealth and PERS.
The devices and apps we create have the potential to make a real contribution to the quality of people’s lives. That is what makes this industry so exciting and rewarding to work in. For this to work though, there is no point ignoring the giant grey-trunked beast in the room. We need to do the work to protect our apps and devices. This, combined with the offensive and precautionary broader range strategies proposed by the Australian government, will ensure a level of comprehensiveness that will certainly help us make the difference to people’s lives that we are striving for. Let’s make sure we do our bit.