by Dave Harrison

Just before the JDE17 conference I wrote a blog about some interesting elements of JDE Mobile Apps and Mobile Framework, so I was interested to see there was a presentation on the progress that JDE Mobile Apps had made in the last 5 years.

The presenter, Jack van den Brink, had given a presentation 5 years ago and was now providing an update on how he saw what had changed over the last 5 years.

Before he went into his presentation, Jack carried out a brief survey of his audience. The findings are helpful in setting the scene:

• The majority of people were on JDE E1 9.1 or 9.2
• Nobody was currently using mobile JDE apps
• 30% wanted to within the next 2 years

I guess this explains why they were in a session about the changes in JDE mobile!

Jack presented some interesting facts about how more connected the world has become in the last 5 years, but I think we all know that anecdotally anyway. He also described how, from many potential alternatives, IOS and Android have become the standard for mobile platforms.

The biggest shift seemed to have been the perception of mobile in relation to JDE.  Back in 2012 mobile apps were just not adding any real value to JDE, so were not widely used.  Fast forward to 2017 and there has been a fundamental change in attitudes towards mobility. JDE customers feel that apps should be a part of the initial requirement of a project. Delivered as standard, rather than an extension (or, worse still, an after-thought). Of course, usability is also a key consideration. Mobile apps should be as simple and intuitive to use as their desktop equivalents.

This is simply a reflection of the 24/7 culture that wants everything, everywhere, every time and on every device.

So, where does that leave us in implementing new JDE mobile apps?

As usual, there is more than one way to tackle any project. However, the best approach may become clearer when you consider the following:

• Do you want native IOS and Android platforms or a multi-OS platform?
• What resources and expertise do you have in-house to development these platforms?
• Do you want to use any of the tools available such as Oracle MAF?
• Have you researched the complex licencing model that applies when you start to customise the mobile app?
• Would you prefer to move to the cloud using Oracle’s MCS or stay On Premise with direct interfaces to the AIS server?

There is, undoubtedly, lots more to come in regard to JDE mobile apps. As demand increases, and development times come down, we will see mobility integrated throughout the organisation.

If you’d like to find out more about our work in this area, explore our DevTech Services or contact us today to discuss your requirements.