Incorporating the Latest Technology into Your Municipal or Local Government Mobile App

If you’ve been tasked with leading the project to build a mobile app for your municipality or local government, it’s helpful to understand the latest advancements in mobile app development so you know what to ask for when having your app built. While you don’t need to fully understand the technology of each one, knowing what new features or possible options will be suitable for your target audience can help you build the most relevant and up-to-date app possible.

Don’t Get Lost In the Hype of New Technology

It’s important to consider the latest technology trends in mobile apps, but don’t assume that they’re all applicable to your project and target audience. If you’re about to have a mobile app built, take the time to learn about the latest developments and ask focused questions to determine if the latest and greatest are suitable for your needs. What are focused questions? The questions you have are the smart ones. What is the point of this feature? Why is this a big deal? Who will use this? They may feel basic, but these are the important questions you need to ask as you are speaking on behalf of your residents. If they can’t figure out the technology, they’re not going to be using your app for very long.

How to Know What New Technology To Consider

Think about your residents and what they need from your mobile app. Consider what features and functionality would be most useful to them.

At the time of writing (spring 2023) one of the latest technology trends to consider is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into mobile apps. These technologies can help automate processes and provide more personalized experiences for users. For example, an e-commerce app could use AI to make personalized product recommendations based on a user’s past purchases. However, it’s important to consider the cost and complexity of implementing these technologies and whether they’re necessary for your municipal or local government audience.

Another trend to consider is augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). These technologies allow users to interact with a virtual environment in a more immersive way, which can be especially useful for gaming or education apps. However, it’s important to consider whether this technology is appropriate for your target audience and whether it will add value to your app. It could be used for a self-walking tour of your municipality to show users old buildings or what certain streets looked like in the 1800s, for example.

Next Steps

Knowing about the latest technology and choosing not to incorporate certain mobile app features because they don’t apply to your audience is a reasonable decision. Don’t get intimidated by all the things technology lets us do.

It’s important to keep up with the latest technology trends but not to blindly assume that they’re all applicable to your project and target audience. Take the time to learn about what’s new and ask focused questions to determine if they’re suitable for your needs. By doing so, you can ensure that your mobile app meets the needs of your residents.

If you’d like to learn more about the latest developments in mobile apps and how you could use new technologies for your mobile app, book a consultation with the Info Grove team.

Karim Mansour is an Inside Sales Representative at 14 Oranges, the creators of the Info Grove platform.

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