Holistic B2X Mobile Application Development -- A Reference Model

Abstract

Business-to-X (B2X, "X" for business, customer, etc.) mobile applications ("apps") show various mobile-specific chances and challenges that must be ad-dressed in the whole development process. Knowledge about mobile app devel-opment models' usage remains restricted, although various process models for B2X app development have been published already. This article first reviewed available process models for mobile app development. In addition, 28 expert in-terviews with various stakeholders involved in typical B2X mobile app develop-ment processes were conducted to examine this research-practice knowledge di-vide. Since hybrid process models are often advantageous for B2X mobile app development, technical backgrounds or communication processes, are also cru-cial. Since no process model can be used unadopted, this study theorizes mobile-specific characteristics and challenges of app development process models to a reference model generally valuable for management decision support. The find-ings create avenues for better theorizing toward successful B2X mobile app de-velopment.