Nonprofits: Think Before You Build A Mobile App!

With a few exceptions, I always dislike hearing that nonprofit organizations are considering building a mobile app.  My main gripe has always been compatibility: why on earth would you make an iPhone-specific app (or an Android-specific app) and exclude every other mobile user not on that platform?  Now that the iPhone is no longer dominating the app-friendly smartphone market, there are plenty of folks working on - and obviously paying for - versions of apps for both platforms.  As I mentioned, there are some exceptions: if you need to rely on the phone's GPS for a neighborhood mapping application, great.  But a mobile app is not and should not be a replacement for a mobile-friendly website.

So for anyone blinded by "App Fever," please read this informative article listing eight other reasons why mobile-friendly websites are better than mobile apps.  I'm not familiar with the source, software/service provider Human Service Solutions, but this popped up on the NTEN mailing list today and I thought it was worth sharing.