PEGA MOBILITY A PEGA PLATFORM WHITEPAPER

Transcription

1 PEGA MOBILITY A PEGA PLATFORM WHITEPAPER

2 Background Mobile devices now outnumber computers as a means of connecting to the Internet. This new mobile ubiquity presents opportunities for the enterprise to reduce costs, streamline operations, and increase satisfaction across customer service, sales, marketing, and operations. But don t build another silo. Companies attempting to get mobile or think mobile first are finding that simply building dozens of mobile apps does not automatically produce the hoped-for benefits. Mobile is different, and building and deploying mobile apps requires different skills and tools than other applications. But when the mobile developers are distinct and separated from the enterprise application teams, problems can arise. Employees and customers seeking consistent answers and support through disconnected channels become frustrated and unproductive. Successful applications function well across all channels, completely independent of the device from which they re accessed. And successful digital enterprises deliver a seamless user experience across all channels, providing customers and employees with the service they expect, when and where they want it. Enter Pega Mobility Pega Mobility is the umbrella term for the products, features, and capabilities from Pega that enable enterprises to deliver applications with a seamless user experience across channels. It s not just about technology. Most mobile projects in the enterprise start with the suggestion we need to be able to from our phones! The blank can be filled with wide range of functions from the simple access customer account info to the complex diagnose a repair issue, check inventory, and order parts if necessary. Regardless of the business problem being solved, the next step in developing a mobile app usually turns into a technical discussion about the relative merits of native, hybrid, Web, SDKs, APIs, cross-platform, MADP, cloud services, B2B, B2C, and on and on. Pega Mobility includes all the technology required to meet the most demanding mobile requirements. But which pieces to use are determined by the business problem being addressed and not by technology preferences or trends. Pega Mobility enables enterprises to: Access any business process from any mobile device Publish any business process as a standalone mobile app Embed any business process in an existing mobile app Build a new business process and mobile app from scratch using open tools Pega Mobility Advantages Derive From Pega 7 Pega 7 is a unified platform for building complex enterprise applications. The advantages of the Pega 7 platform are the speed with which applications can be deployed and the ability to easily evolve applications as business requirements change. Pega 7 translates business requirements directly into functioning applications without manual programming (writing code). When business requirements change, as they always do, the application is updated simply by updating the requirements directly. Because the application derives directly from the business model, this development method is sometimes called model-driven. This approach embodies Pega s philosophy of Build for Change. 2

3 Pega Mobility provides the flexibility for enterprises to: Develop mobile apps 100% in the model Develop pieces of mobile apps in the model, and pieces of the same app with code-based tools Develop mobile apps entirely with code-based tools Mobile apps developed in the model, partially or fully, inherit the Build for Change advantages of speed and adaptability directly from Pega 7. Access any business process from any mobile device with Pega 7 To keep mobile app development 100% in the model, mobile developers can rely on the responsive design of the Pega 7 platform to run any application in a mobile browser. BEFORE PEGA 7 Developers write thousands of lines of code in hopes of replicating the process described to them by business professionals. WITH PEGA 7 Developers use graphical tools to describe the business process as captured directly from the business. Applications are built in Pega 7 by directly capturing business objectives through easy-to-read forms and visual tools. Rather than drawing on a white board or a napkin, business professionals chart processes using a capability allowing them to Directly Capture Objectives, which is equally intuitive. Developers break the process steps down to component parts not by writing code, but by building flow charts and workflows in a graphical interface. In the Designer Studio developers employ drag-and-drop graphical tools to draw a flow chart of the application. Smart Shapes help streamline the definition of common functions like send an , initiate cascading approvals, or attach documents or images. Because Pega 7 employs modern CSS-driven layouts with responsive and adaptive user interface design principles, the finished app can run effectively in a browser regardless of device, size, or orientation. Responsive Web design means that the application adapts the layout to the screen size and orientation. This is accomplished by using fluid, proportion-based grids and CSS3 media queries that allow the page to use different CSS style rules based on device characteristics. In practice this means that navigation, menus, pick lists, etc. are always displayed in a device-specific way. 3

4 The same Pega 7 application is shown on three different devices. The application functionality is identical, but the user interface display is automatically adjusted for the size and shape of the screen. As a user moves from a desktop to a tablet to a phone the navigation collapses to fit the smaller screen size and orientation, reorganizing columns from side-by-side horizontal layouts to vertical, and menus from visible lists to thumbnail icons. This all happens automatically with no action required of the user and no special UI design by the developer. An application designed in Pega 7 runs seamlessly across devices. Pega 7 also includes enhanced mobile controls for applications that can leverage specific device features. In addition to the adaptive and responsive user interface, specialized controls are available for device-specific features such as: Signature capture Camera and camera roll (take a photo or use existing) Barcode scanning GPS, including embedded maps, movable markers, and location update Each of these device capabilities is implanted via a single UI control in the model. When the application is running on a desktop, the control defaults back to the appropriate desktop control (e.g., file browser). So, Pega 7 is a platform that builds mobile-ready applications right out-of-the-box. Any Pega 7 application can be deployed across mobile devices with no additional work by developers. But sometimes business needs dictate that mobile apps be packaged standalone, distributed via an app store and managed separately from the enterprise applications. With Pega 7, that s not a problem. Publish any business process as a standalone mobile app with Pega Mobile Client Another way to keep mobile app development 100% in the model, is to deploy an application as a standalone mobile app using the Pega Mobile Client. With Pega Mobile Client almost any Pega application can be deployed as a standalone mobile app for ios or Android devices, distributed via public or private app stores, and installed by users like any other app on their devices. Pega Mobile Client works by providing a secure container on the mobile device that communicates with a client interface in Pega 7, enabling centralized deployment of enterprise grade apps regardless of device type. Deploying HTML5 Web code to the Pega Mobile Client produces a secure hybrid app that leverages device features unavailable in a pure responsive Web implementation, and automatically benefits from Pega 7 s security, integration, and management features. 4

5 Any Pega 7 application can be packaged as a standalone app, downloadable from app stores, to leverage mobile device features like GPS, camera, barcode scanner, signature capture, or push notifications The Pega Mobile client is brandable so the finished app looks and feels like a custom, native app. Enterprise apps deployed via Pega Mobile Client can be automatically updated over-the-air without user action or permission required. If a user leaves the company or a device is lost/stolen, the entire app and its associated data can be removed remotely. The most recent release of Pega 7 includes a Pega Mobile Client that is 75% smaller and % faster than previous versions. Ideal for mobile field worker apps, the Pega Mobile Client incorporates secure local storage along with guaranteed store-and-forward messaging. This means mobile apps can continue to function even when network connectivity is limited or nonexistent. For field workers who perform service in poor connection areas (remote locations, basements, elevators, hospitals, oil wells, etc.), offline functionality is a baseline requirement, and Pega Mobile Client is the solution. Embed a business process in an existing mobile app with Pega Mobile Mashup SDK Many enterprises already have consumer-facing apps in the public app stores and their challenge is now one of driving adoption, increasing usage, and improving customer satisfaction. Best-in-class mobile apps provide an opportunity for consumers to take actions on their own behalf at the time and place of their choosing, without requiring human intervention from a customer service rep. Think about booking a hotel room, upgrading service, reporting a problem or purchasing tickets. Mobile users demand that this functionality be available to them on their devices. Frequently those actions require interfacing with some form of backend system (reservations, accounts, technical support, dispute resolution, etc.). When Pega 7 powers the backend process, it s possible to insert that process into an existing app to enable customer self-service. customer self-service. This capability can greatly enhance the value of consumer-facing (B2C) apps, or broaden and deepen the capability of enterprise (B2E) apps. Inserting a process into an existing app is sometimes called a mashup and is accomplished by the Pega Mobile Mashup SDK. 5

6 In the diagram above, a process was developed in-the-model to build a customer service application. Since the application primarily guides the customer service agent through screens to capture customer information about the issue to be resolved, this is a prime candidate for customer self-service. Using the Pega Mobile Mashup SDK these screens can be embedded in an existing mobile app and presented directly to the customer on a mobile device. The customer can enter their own information, including long-form problem description or complaint, to log the issue and initiate appropriate assignment for resolution. The Pega Mobile Mashup is an ios and Android Software Development Kit consisting of an API and sample code for native mobile app developers. To build and run native mobile apps that make use of the SDK Libraries features, developers simply include the library files in their Xcode or Android Java projects along with the necessary include folders and *.bundle files. Build a new business process & mobile app from scratch with mobile tools Many enterprises have an existing investment in mobile technology, tools, and development staff. In order to leverage these resources effectively Pega makes it easy to connect to the Pega 7 platform via REST APIs using the Pega Mobile SDK, or software development kit. The Pega Mobile SDK provides everything necessary to build mobile apps with custom native UI and UX using Pega 7 as the backend for business process, case management, or enterprise gateway capabilities. The SDK includes APIs, client libraries, documentation, sample code, and demo apps. The APIs provide interfaces to cases, data, enterprise security, and even documentation. Native libraries for ios (Objective C), Android (Java), and client libraries for Pega 7 REST APIs are included. The Pega Mobile SDK provides a solution when requirements dictate building mobile apps with a custom native UI using traditional code-based approach, but still leverage Pega 7 as the back end. 6

7 Enterprise Mobility Management The window into the Pega Mobility environment is Pega Mobile Manager, a central control panel for monitoring and managing the entire mobile ecosystem including apps, devices, users, and data. Pega Mobile Manager provides a simple, touch-friendly interface that s as easy to navigate on a tablet or smartphone as on a desktop browser. MOBILE APP MANAGEMENT Apps are deployed on the Pega 7 platform and made available to users simply by dragging and dropping the app assets into the Mobile Manager console. Developers have the option to publish apps as Web, hybrid, native, or via Pega s patented multi-app managed hybrid container. Once published, apps appear in the enterprise app store, or public app stores, based on the administrator s instructions and available certificates. Apps can be pushed to Users based on their assigned Groups and designated as mandatory or optional. Administrators have visibility into the performance and usage statistics for all apps across the entire user and device population. Updates and upgrades can be pushed live by incrementing the version number and publishing the new assets, maintaining a history of app versions. Apps can be uninstalled or updated over-the-air without requiring any action on the part of the user. MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT Pega Mobile Manager includes device management capabilities for mobile administrators. Users wishing to access corporate assets can be required to register their device or devices can be automatically registered as either personal or corporate assets. Once registered, device properties are retrieved and monitored for compliance and app updates can be managed remotely. Individual apps and data or the entire device can be wiped remotely in the event of employee separation or lost/stolen device. Access to apps can be restricted based on User or Device registration information. Access policies are set and monitored in one central place for consistency, control, and compliance. Users can be created and updated manually by the administrator or imported in bulk from Directory Servers. User authentication and authorization are then integrated with enterprise systems, providing for easier adoption among users. Users can be assigned to Groups where app permissions and requirements reside, and assigned Roles where platform privileges are controlled. Users are associated with registered devices so that the entire user/app/device universe is visible and monitored by the mobile administrator. 7

8 Management Features Summary USERS DEVICES APPS DATA MONITORING & CONTROL Automated authentication and authorization Create user Groups, assign Roles to individuals Privileges determined by groups, roles Add, edit, remove users and associated devices Secure registration, automated enrollment Remote wipe of apps and data, or entire device Store and report device properties, compliance Public or private (enterprise) app stores Installs, updates, uninstalls pushed automatically Hybrid, multi-app hybrid, native, Web apps Control Pega apps and/or any other mobile apps Automated authentication and authorization Communication channel encryption to Client Remote wipe of apps and data, or entire device Centralized dashboard for reporting Ability to generate ad hoc platform queries 8

9 ABOUT PEGASYSTEMS Pegasystems develops strategic applications for sales, marketing, service and operations. Pega s applications streamline critical business operations, connect enterprises to their customers seamlessly in real-time across channels, and adapt to meet rapidly changing requirements. Pega s Global 500 customers include the world s largest and most sophisticated enterprises. Pega s applications, available in the cloud or on-premises, are built on its unified Pega 7 platform, which uses visual tools to easily extend and change applications to meet clients strategic business needs. Pega s clients report that Pega gives them the fastest time to value, extremely rapid deployment, efficient re-use and global scale. For more information, please visit us at 2015 Pegasystems, Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.