Hi Rosie,

I would suggest do not create a native app but  take  the web app route - ie having an entire app hosted online in a light weight responsive website using HTML5 compliant standards.
The reasons being 
- App development is now becoming more bespoke and requires considerable  developer input (though this is changing with more drag and drop tools) .
- Creating apps needs to account for spreading your  bets across platforms. IOS is fairly standardised but Androids are out there in huge number - but you do have to make a decision to target which subset  of Android .
- Web Apps are more flexible and the coding is fairly general skill set. Anyone with HTML + coffee can deal with this.
- Prototyping and changes can quickly be effective on web apps.
- The only reason why you may want native apps is if you need deep system hooks like access to hardware functions that are walled off from web apps. However this is changing  - new emerging standards would allow for deeper secure system calls from web apps soon. 
- Ah another reason for native apps is if you want to monetise your content by downloads. 
Whatever the route, ensure that you have complete end-to-end control over the idea to code chain - especially with regard to copy right . By law, the creator of the code owns the copyright . You may have to ensure that a form of 'coder-for-hire' agreement is in place for you to get the code off the developer. 
-Going the web app way does not exclude you from native apps- plenty of platforms exist to bundle the html code into IOS / Windows/ Android  app code. 

Or of course , you could use a hybrid method where the content lives on a web app and could be pulled into native apps on demand or during access.  
Which the route , aim for something that is quick,responsive, open source to the extent possible and all owned by you.

Hope this helps and good luck  !



--

anjanesh babu
ICT Support Officer (Networks)
The Ashmolean Museum ,University of Oxford
Beaumont Street
Oxford  OX1 2PH


________________________________________
From: Museums Computer Group [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Rosie Fuller [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 28 October 2014 08:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Small museums/organisations creating apps (or not creating apps)

Hello

I am working with a small museum (that is, a large collection but a small site). They would like to increase their education provision - increasing access to their collection and supporting learning from school to university level. one of the ways they would like to do this is by creating an app. There has been very little development of the idea so far, and I think before they go any further, it would be good to learn from other organisations' experiences.

I would be grateful for any suggestions of case studies, posts or articles about small teams with small budgets creating apps.

It would also be very useful to hear from anyone who has considered creating an app and then taken a different route.

My question is, really - have organisations found that creating an app is worth the time/money invested in it?

Apologies for cross-posting.

Many thanks,
Rosie


Rosie Fuller

Mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: rosiefuller.wordpress.com
Twitter: @rosieeatsjam

Sent from my iPad. Apologies for auto-complete word weirdness.

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