I was browsing through the Java Mobile Applications Website, then came across a 2004 Report on Emerging Business Applications in the Japanese Mobile Internet.

Pretty Interesting stuff. Integrating Mobile Applications into the work fabric unlocks many efficiencies, while also introducing some challenges.

Here are some of the uses of Mobile Technology that I have heard of.

1. Mobile Applications for Field Personnel (Real Estate, Financial Services, Retail)
2. Fleet Management Apps in Retail
3. Supply Chain Applications in Retail, Government.

A Usecase for Analysis

Lets take one example of a Sales Agent for a Financial Services Firm. Lets assume he sells financing for Tractors and other farming equipment. He uses a Mobile Phone with Java or Windows CE, which runs a quote generation application.

This application connects to a central website to which he submits the details of the equipment the prospect is interested in. He should be able to generate a quote on his Mobile, and attempt to close the deal on the spot.

Now, lets us compare two different approaches to this problem.

The Traditional Approach

The Mobile Application will run a simple forms based application. The field agent will collect user details, details about the kind of equipment that the prospect is interested in a form based application in the Mobile.

This data will be sent to a central server, which will then process the data and return an estimate for a quote.

Issues with this Approach

1. Rules that drive quote generation are not externalized and centralized.
2. These rules typically change often, and are also determined by market forces.
3. Underwriting Rules and Risk Assessment Rules are typically not part of the Quote Generation System. They are done manually
4. The Field Agent cannot work in a situation when he is disconnected from the System. The Mobile Application is Dumb!

The Business Rules Approach

An alternative is to power the system using Business Rules Technology. For those of you who are new to Business Rules, here are some good places to get started.

1. What are Business Rules?
2. Examples of Business Rules
3. An Introduction to Business Rules Management Systems

How it will work

1. Rules that will drive Quote Generation can implemented and kept outside of the main application.
2. This will enable the Sales & the Fin Guys to control how Quotes are generated.
3. The Quote Generation can be exposed as a Web Service which will apply the Quotation Rules on the applicant information like personal details, equipment requested for, his financial status, his credit score if available etc.
4. What you can additionally do is that these rules can be loaded into the Mobile Device also.
5. So, the Quotation App in the mobile, will use the local version of the rules available when working in a disconnected mode. This will guarantee accurate quotes even when the mobile is offline
6. The Agent can be instructed to sync his rules with the latest server versions on a daily or twice a day mode.

Final Words …

Mobile Apps need not be a Dud. The big deal with Business Rules driven apps is that Decision making logic can be centrally controlled. You will need your best guys to decide how the rules will look like.

The guys on the field can use all the experts expertize and advice through the Business Rules that drive the business logic of their application.

You are looking at significant cuts in training $$$, faster and more accurate quote. You get them in a minute, instead of days, and of course, your application retain their intelligence even when offline.