Project management in the mobile applications’ field

By Alexandre, Amaris Consultant

• In a few words, can you describe your project?

I am currently leading a project within one of the French leaders of the mobile industry, specifically, in the “Mobile Application Program” department.

As a technical project manager, I’m in charge of several software solutions, both for the application and the back-end parts. The application refers to the mobile app as you can see on your screen. The back-end corresponds to all services that application uses to work and user can’t see. For example, it can be the server that stocks data or the system that sends information related to the customer’s consumption. So far, I have been in charge of two projects?

* The first one was about the setting-up of a DRM system (Digital Right Management), which allows, among others, to secure applications against hacking,

* The second one consisted in the creation of a new version of the applications’ downloading platform.

What’s the project manager’s role? Reconcile: marketing expectations, deadline and cost limits in order to bring a technical and coherent answer to the need.

• What are the context and the objectives?

Till some time ago, there were 3 major operators fighting for the mobile telephony and Internet market. Nowadays, they are 4. The last one came on the market with a tariff package more than attractive, putting competitors in a bad position.

In order to face this aggressive offer, our client has to put in lights its competitive advantages by deploying its services’ portfolio, whose applications are part of it. For example, there’s an application to follow football games, another offers discounts for cinema tickets or, with another one you can also check your phone consumption.  

My work issues are dual: brand image and turnover of the company.

• What are your role and the Amaris contribution in that project?

Amaris offers a competence to our client; through this, I had the opportunity to work on tasks in which the implemented technologies still had a lack of maturity. All technological and managerial knowledge, developed over these years, allow me to move forward projects and to provide solutions to the problems.

Let me give you an example. When an error is detected, preventing the smooth running of the application, the system automatically generates a temporary license. This license is sent to all users, allowing them the use of it despite the dysfunction. However, the system is unable to detect if the user has an official, a testing or a pirated version. Therefore, it is important to fix the error as soon as possible; otherwise, everyone would end up in possession of the application representing a loss for the company.

Thus, I had to solve one of these internal errors during the test of one of our editors’ solution: it was due to the VPN (secure connection between two machines) that prevented the sending of the application.

• What do you get of that experience?

I improved my technological knowledge by discovering all the specific technics of our client (their SI, services or platforms’ running) and my general knowledge (communication between two servers, http protocol, secured payment…).  I also discovered a new environment, new constraints and a new way to monitor a project.  In the automotive field for example, where I used to work, projects are much longer and are highly segmented. My team and I were only assigned to the preliminary study and to the innovation’s specification. Now I manage innovating projects from the beginning to the end, from the needs presentation to the implementation on the market.

This mission is truly rewarding, in every way.