Discuss the decision about whether or not to create a mobile app version of a mobile site.

What will be an ideal response?

Although mobile apps are trendy, not all mobile sites need to be apps. In fact, some should not be apps.

Before deciding to turn a mobile site into an app, be sure to consider the advantages and disadvantages of creating an app. Apps provide access to advanced features of mobile devices through their APIs so you can create advanced functionality and interactions. They provide a standard experience across devices even if the devices have different operating systems and settings. Apps can be perceived as more professional or high end than sites. However, apps are more costly to create and to update. They usually must be hosted at the app store for each mobile operating system and, therefore, may reach a smaller audience. They require installation (users cannot just type a URL into a browser and access the app). Users have higher expectations of and expect advanced functionality from apps, and can become annoyed about installing an app that provides nothing more than a Web site. If the advantages of creating an app outweigh the disadvantages, then you should move forward.

The next step in determining whether a mobile site should be an app is to evaluate the project by answering the following questions:

• Does the project need to interact with the API? If so, what will these interactions cost the client (both in time and money), what value will they provide to the end user, and are the benefits worth the costs?
• What is the goal of the project? Can the goal be better achieved with an app or a mobile site?
• Will the hassle of downloading and installing an app negatively impact the project? Is the target audience likely to spend the time to download the app? If they download the app, will it fulfill their expectations?

The answers to these questions should help you determine whether the project is best suited as a mobile site or an app.

Be sure to include the client in the entire decision-making process to ensure that the choice you make will best suit the client's needs and will provide the outcome that he or she is expecting.