The Blog

Old Data? Give it New Life

by / 23 Feb / In Blog

Rich data is only as useful as people’s access to it.  In the enterprise, legacy databases are the norm.  Problems arise, however, when considering how to grant secure access to the data, as well as how to make the data relevant to the user.

One solution to the accessibility and usability of data is to turn to the web to serve as a secure conduit, making the data accessible to users who do not have easy access to it.  As the data access needs of geographically dispersed staff are considered, for example, it becomes clear that a data-driven web application can be the solution.  Delivery of data via a web application provides:

  • Security
  • Interactivity
  • Real-time data updates
  • Opportunities for comparative analysis

Comparative data, or trending data, can be visualized through infographics: using interactive graphs, charts and other imagery to help data ‘come to life’ for the viewer.

 

Website vs Web app vs Mobile app

by / 03 Nov / In Blog

In response to numerous questions from clients regarding the actual differences between a website, a web application, and a mobile app, we thought a quick primer would be useful:

A website consists of static, manually-updated information.

A web application allows the user to interact with the web site, eg. to make a purchase, like PayPal or Amazon. A web application relies on a database for content and can be accessed from any device that has a web browser.

A mobile website is a website or web application that displays nicely on a mobile device. The site is accessed via the web browser of the device. You can still access some phone specific features, like calling a number from your phone or geo-location services.

A mobile application, sometimes referred to as a native application, is something you download onto your phone or device( via the Apple or Google Play store, for example) to perform a task or provide a function.

When deciding which approach, be sure to consider your specific business needs. If you primarily want to communicate a message, a mobile website may be the best first step.

A mobile app makes sense if you are targeting regular users, you want to offer them customization, you want them to be able to use the content offline, or the content requires complex calculations (ie. for gaming).

Since the cost of developing a mobile app is typically greater than that of a mobile website, consider if a mobile website will meet your business requirements, as compared to a mobile app.