Working away from a desk.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Whether customers actually need it, and for what.
WHAT THE ANSWER USUALLY IS
Not the whole product: a few specific tasks.
WHAT THOSE TYPICALLY ARE
Checking status Approving something Capturing information in the field Responding to a notification
WHAT TO BUILD FIRST
Those, done well, in a responsive interface.
WHY RESPONSIVE BEFORE AN APPLICATION
It costs far less, works immediately, and requires no installation or review process.
WHEN A NATIVE APPLICATION IS WARRANTED
Camera or sensor use Offline operation Push notifications that must be reliable Frequent daily use
WHAT A NATIVE APPLICATION COSTS
Two platforms Store review and its delays Update cycles you do not control Support for old versions in the field
WHAT RESPONSIVE DESIGN REQUIRES
Touch targets large enough Tables that work on narrow screens Forms that do not demand precision Awareness of the keyboard covering fields
WHAT MATTERS LOCALLY
Modest devices and mobile data.
WHAT THAT DEMANDS
Small pages Tolerance of interruption Work that is not lost when a connection drops
WHAT TO TEST
On a mid-range phone, on a throttled connection.
