Project Description
The client is a medical device manufacturer who has a multi-tiered sales organization and clinical support staff. The sales organization serves different constituents based on organization type, organization size, and geography. The clinical support group works with different hospital types and departments based on the particular product being sold. Executives at the client interact with a wide range of customers as well as investors. The client needed a way to easily provide different product and marketing materials and media to the different groups within the organization.
For example, one sales group would carry one set of documents and media types on their iPads for sales meetings and presentations. Another sales group needed to carry a different set of documents and presentations. The clinicians needed their separate sets of information, and yet the company’s C-level employees needed their own sets.
The client already recognized the value of using the iPad for ease and effectiveness in giving one-on-one presentations or one-to-many presentations. They needed a way to make sure that their employees stayed on message by having the proper documents for their needs available. The client’s marketing staff also needed a way to manage these documents and provide accessibility to a far-flung workforce.
Key Functionality Content Management Application:
- CMS users with access can log into the web based CMS securely with username and password.
- Administrators can create usernames and passwords for users of the iPad apps and then assign those users to groups (“clinical”, “North American Reps”, “Executives”, etc.).
- Administrators can upload various content documents (PDF, Word, Videos, etc.) and then assign the documents to the groups that can have access to them.
- Administrators can change the documents, add documents, and delete documents. The iPad apps will synchronize the changes.
Key functionality for iPad app:
- Users can download the iPad app from the iTunes App Store and then enter a password to activate the app
- Users can then connect to the CMS to synchronize their content. Documents and content that the user is permissioned for will be downloaded to the iPad.
- Users can open the documents, play the media such as videos, and presentations.
- Users can email, print, open in other apps.
- App can check the CMS server periodically to see if there are any new documents available, and if so, can download them.
Challenges:
- Creating synchronization capabilities between iPads and CMS system.
- Management of documents on iPads as they change and are updated
- Dealing with different document types and video formats for use on the iPad
- Security: the ability to protect access to the app and docs should the app fall into the wrong hands
The Solution:
Outright built a native iOS app which connected to the CMS system via a JSON web service. The CMS was built using PHP and HTML. The native app is distributed via the iTunes App Store and therefore contains a password mechanism for users to unlock the app in order to prevent unauthorized usage. The app also has a username and password feature which enables the back end CMS system to identify the end user and provide/synchronize the correct content for the user. The marketing staff can upload documents, sales presentations, videos, and other content. The iPad users in the field always have the right content on their iPads relative to their role/job function.
