By implementing micro-apps, an IT department can streamline the user interface for enterprise apps, providing a user-focused view, and allowing a user to access the functionality they need while avoiding the functionality they don’t need. Micro-apps don’t only benefit the IT department; they provide the entire company with many benefits from reduced application support costs and better security to more confident users and higher compliance.
Micro-apps are a solution for enterprise app sprawl as they deliver improved user experiences, reduce IT support, and lower maintenance costs. At Copper Mobile, we help our clients solve complex business problems with innovative mobile solutions. Contact us today to find out how micro-apps could help your business.
There is a good chance you have a least one junk drawer in your life. Perhaps it’s in the kitchen, or you might have one in your desk. A place to put all those valuable odds and ends that were useful, or could be useful in the future. Unfortunately, in addition to these physical junk drawers, sometimes businesses end up with a digital junk drawer filled with unused or, more often, underused mobile apps. Another name for this digital junk drawer could be enterprise app sprawl. Too many mobile apps, or too many of the wrong mobile apps, is not only inefficient and redundant, but it causes a strain on company resources and leads to confusion for both employees and consumers. You can simplify your enterprise app sprawl with micro-applications.
Why Enterprise App Sprawl Happens
There are a variety of ways that a company might find itself inundated with mobile apps. While we like to think that mobile apps are all there to make businesses run smoother, in reality, too many mobile apps only make processes more complicated. Mergers, acquisitions, and even organic company growth all lead to a dramatically increasing dossier of applications that an IT department must maintain and support. Application sprawl increases operational costs and also leaves a company open to additional cybersecurity risks.
What is application sprawl?
Application sprawl is the ever-growing number of applications in a company that either overlap or are underused. These underutilized apps take up an increasing amount of company resources.
How Micro-Apps are a solution you’re already using
In 2015, Forbes was already touting micro-apps and their ability to provide users with “highly focused, task-based functionality.” By now, you’re probably already using micro-apps, even if you don’t realize it. Google Hangouts, Slack, and WeChat are all examples of popular micro-apps. On a desktop, Hangouts is part of the Gmail web interface, but the micro-app focuses solely on the chat feature.
When building an app, it’s tempting for businesses to try to put too much functionality all into one singular app. Micro-apps provide businesses with a much more efficient way to develop complex apps by assembling multiple micro-apps. Micro-apps are easy to build and implement, they can be tested independently, and they can be combined with other micro-apps on an as-need basis.
Key Takeaways
- Application sprawl is the ever-growing number of applications in a company that either overlap or are underused.
- Micro-apps provide users with highly focused, task-based functionality.
- Micro-apps are a solution for enterprise app sprawl as they deliver improved user experiences, reduce IT support, and lower maintenance costs.
