I admit I am a Hunger Games fan. I read all three books in a week and vowed to take archery lessons. And I am not the only one, judging by the number of books sold. In 2012, Suzanne Collins’s trilogy sold 27.7 million copies (print and eBooks combined).
So what makes the story so compelling? Well, unlike the ho-hum of Survivor-like programs, in The Hunger Games it’s not just a torch that gets snuffed. People fight to the death. Twenty-four Tributes (or contestants) are placed in a hostile environment and need to use tools, talent and strategy to stay alive. The last Tribute standing gets rewarded with wealth and lots of food (hence the Hunger Games).
At the office, I am all things education – and try to keep educational material accessible and interesting. What does accessible education mean? Having material anywhere, any time. And how is that done? Through online resources. My goal for 2015 is to get a number of educational apps onto the SYSPRO App Store as a learning support resource for our arsenal of educational material. But first, we need to get people educated about and using the SYSPRO App Store.
So now let’s combine the Hunger Games concept with the above-mentioned requirement and bring forth… “The App Games” (hear the crowds roar). Let’s pit Developer against Developer, to create an app our community needs. And reward them for doing so. Interested? Are you drawing your metaphorical swords, beating your chests, cracking your programming knuckles? If so, here’s a reminder of what makes a good business app:
- Intuitive – works seamlessly with the core solution. No additional configuration is necessary.
- Ease of use – displays a simple interface, has clean typography, interactive elements and use of grids.
- Makes something easier – provides a solution or meets a requirement not met by the core ERP solution. This may in turn simplify a process or reduce processing time.
- Valuable information – contains relevant information required at the time of querying, reporting or processing.
- Compatible on all devices
A rubric is provided on the SYSPRO App Store to give you a better idea of how we will be assessing your apps. Like the Tributes, you have the tools and the talent. Start strategizing and designing. Go out there and develop. “And may the odds be ever in your favour”.
Visit the App Store to enter the App Games and for competition rules.
