Revamping Assura's Mobile App: A Tale of Cross-Platform Challenges and C# Solutions

Background

Assura, a leading SaaS provider of health and safety solutions, offers a comprehensive platform for businesses to create, deploy, and manage custom forms. The platform consists of a web portal and a cross-platform mobile app. While the web portal provides administrative functions, the mobile app is crucial for on-site data collection.

Challenge

Initially, Assura's mobile app was built using Xamarin, a popular cross-platform development framework. However, as the mobile app landscape evolved, Xamarin faced challenges, particularly with iOS support. The platform's limitations hindered Assura's ability to update the app's UI and keep pace with industry trends.

The Solution

To address these limitations and ensure a competitive edge, Assura decided to migrate the app's UI design code from Storyboard to C#. This strategic move provided several key benefits:

• Increased Flexibility: By transitioning to C#, Assura gained greater control over the app's UI, allowing for more customization and flexibility in design updates.

• Leveraging Core Competencies: As most Assura developers were proficient in C#, the migration enabled them to directly contribute to UI design, reducing the reliance on external designers.

• Improved Efficiency: The shift to C# streamlined the development process, as developers could work more efficiently within their familiar language and framework.

Result

The successful migration of the app's UI code to C# resulted in several positive outcomes:

• Enhanced User Experience: The ability to make timely UI updates ensured that Assura's app remained visually appealing and user-friendly, meeting the evolving expectations of its users.

• Faster Development Cycles: By empowering developers to handle UI design, Assura accelerated the development process, allowing for quicker iterations and feature releases.

• Cost Savings: The migration reduced the need for external design resources, resulting in cost savings for the company.

Key Takeaway

This case study demonstrates the importance of adaptability and flexibility in mobile app development. While cross-platform frameworks can offer initial benefits, it's essential to be prepared to adjust strategies as the technology landscape evolves. By migrating to C#, Assura was able to overcome the limitations of Xamarin and deliver a more competitive and user-friendly mobile app.