Led the strategic initiative to develop mobile applications, managing an outsourced development partner and technical decisions that brought cost-effective push notification capabilities to iOS and Android users.
Challenge
The platform was sending SMS notifications for package delivery updates, resulting in significant ongoing costs. We needed to develop native mobile apps for both iOS and Android to implement push notifications and eliminate SMS expenses while maintaining reliable delivery notifications.
Approach
Strategic Planning
- Evaluated technology options and selected React Native for cross-platform development
- Defined mobile product roadmap and feature prioritization
- Planned phased rollout strategy
Vendor Management
- Selected and engaged outsourced mobile development partner
- Established communication and workflow processes with external team
- Coordinated between outsourced developers, internal backend team, and designers
- Managed deliverables, timelines, and quality standards
Technical Oversight
- Guided technical architecture decisions for mobile apps
- Ensured security and performance standards were met
- Managed App Store and Google Play deployment processes
- Established mobile CI/CD pipelines
Product Collaboration
- Worked with product team to adapt features for mobile experience
- Gathered and incorporated user feedback
- Planned iterative improvements post-launch
Results
- Successfully launched apps on both iOS and Android platforms
- Migrated from SMS to push notifications, eliminating significant SMS costs
- Effectively managed outsourced development to deliver on time and within budget
- Maintained code sharing and development efficiency through React Native
- Improved notification delivery speed and reliability
- Enhanced user experience with richer notification capabilities
