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Mobile Development Framework Evaluation

Over the years, we have helped companies decide which mobile development framework is best for them.  I have found that they Hybrid vs. Native vs. Mobile Web can spark a minor religious debate.  Similar to Mac vs. PC, Microsoft vs. Java, Apple vs. Android you now have Hybrid vs. Native and you have dedicated folks on either side.

Everybody has a bias towards one or another (our bias is more on the Hybrid side, but that’s a topic for a different post.)  However we recognize the bias and believe that a company’s specific business requirements should drive which technology you use.

For example if you are a game development company wanting to create a consumer focused game, then I would have a difficult time making the case for building a hybrid application.  On the flip side, if you are building an application for employees that does nothing more than call web services and display information in mobile form, then I’d say there is no reason not to build a Hybrid application.

To help companies make this decision we have compiled this knowledge in an easy to use Decision tool that asks several questions regarding your business requirements and presents a simple recommendation:

However if you need a more detailed deep dive, we have created a Mobile Development Framework Evaluation Project. This is a fixed price project where we document your requirements for mobile development and make a recommendation on which technology you should use:

High-Level Plan:

  • High-Level requirements meeting: 1-2 hours
  • Initial meeting de-brief and prep for detailed requirements meetings: 1-2 days
  • Detailed requirements meeting: 2-4 hours
  • Prepare final recommendation: 2-3 days
  • Final presentation: 1-2 hours

Deliverables:

  • Decision Matrix – Spreadsheet of requirements, weights, and scores used to arrive at an unbiased recommendation
  • Final Recommendation – Specific recommendation along with advantages and disadvantages of the recommendation as it relates to your specific requirements
  • Cost Analysis – Optional high-level estimate and calculations to show if it makes sense or not to do hybrid development when targeting multiple platforms.

If you are faced with making the decision as to which mobile development framework you should use take a look at our Hybrid vs Native Decision Tool.  If you need more detail than what that can provide or need guidance picking a tool, then don’t hesitate to contact us.