wipjam @ mmm - presentation by matt hovey, gm

Design, Build and Sell the World’s Best Vehicles

InformationTechnology

Enterprise Mobile Development: What kind?

App architecture balances cost, capability and usability:− Prefer mobile web (HTML5)

− Native when necessary

− Avoiding hybrid and MEAPs for now

Most apps access enterprise data

Focus is on apps for employees, but branching out into apps for consumers

Innovation: creatively leverage the Mobile Context− Always on and always on person

− Multiple radios & wireless networks (e.g. Wi-Fi, 3G/4G, Bluetooth, NFC)

− Location & positioning (i.e. GPS)

− Rich input & output (audio, voice, images, video, motion)

− Multiple modes of communication: Voice, Push, SMS, Email, IM, …


Selling to the Enterprise: Why?

Target a problem, build a solution− In Detroit, everyone has an idea how the auto companies can work better

− Looking for not only enterprise-connected apps, but best-in-class utility and general productivity apps too

− Cheaper ways of accomplishing functionality offered by BigSoftware Co.’s

− More secure versions of cool things offered to the general public

Not the App Store Lottery, but you can charge > $0.99− Avoid artificial pricing for “Enterprise Edition”

• Charge for the complexity and extra features

− Upgrades and Tech Support can be extra, but must be offered

• Understand what this means to a global company (e.g. time zones)

− May place your app in our internal app store rather than buy directly

• No contracts, no support required; offer an employee discount


Selling to the Enterprise: Basic Requirements

Design for security

− Assume encryption is required in-transit and at-rest

− Mix of public and private networks, personal and company devices

Support more than one platform

− If mobile web, offer premise and cloud options

− Blackberry, iOS and Android

Support authenticating proxy servers and SSL reverse proxies

− Don’t assume direct connectivity (i.e. VPN)

Support some kind of enterprise authentication

− AD, OSSO, SAML 2.0


Selling to the Enterprise: Basic Requirements

Internationalize

− Language, currency, time and date format, address and phone number formats

− English (US/UK), German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean

Appropriate licensing

− Avoid cute language or pet restrictions in license agreement

− Enterprise still finds open source scary, but willing to try

Let us help you beta test – we’re good at breaking software

Be willing to modify your product


Selling to the Enterprise: How to Engage

Make contacts where enterprise people go

− LinkedIn, conferences, trade shows, user groups

Make announcements where enterprise people read

− CIO Magazine, InformationWeek, ComputerWorld, Network Computing

Contact research services

− Gartner, Burton, Forrester, IDC

Work for us

− Make contacts and see what it’s like on the inside with a contract gig

− Now hiring mobile developers (see careers.gm.com)


Questions?

Matt Hovey

[email protected]

@matthovey

mailto:[email protected]