Mobile apps development: A framework for technology decision making

Abstract

Developers of a new Mobile App have to undertake a number of decisions, including the target platform and the development technology to utilize. Even though there is no one-size-fits-all solution, which could meet all needs for all contexts, this paper is concerned with an exploratory study aimed to provide developers with a framework to support their technology selection process, including practical guidelines on how to select the technology that best fits the given context and requirements. The exploited research methods are survey, interview, and case study. Results consist in a model of, and a collection of data and experts' experiences about, some advanced platforms. Results are packed in a tool-prototype: once entered the needs and required device features, the tool returns measures that allow a decision maker to identify the development technology, among the recommended alternatives, which best fulfills the actual requirements. © 2013 ICST Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.