Desktop Application Development

The Desktop Application has been the undisputed workhorse of corporate world, has been for over four decades, and the reason is simple. Desktop Applications are orders of magnitude faster than their Web-App cousins (as the business logic, images, layout information, and code are already encapsulated in the Desktop Application), they have access to all of a computer’s hardware, they are virtually impossible to hack, require far fewer server resources, and provide a much richer user experience (e.g. drag-and-drop).

Between the hundreds of software libraries Harrison Consulting has created over past two decades and the development tools currently available, we are uniquely situated to develop just about any application perfectly tailored to your organization’s needs in record time. Without doubt, Desktop Applications generate the greatest return on investment in software development for internal use.

Is a new Desktop Application right for your organization?

Between the hundreds of software libraries Harrison Consulting has created over past two decades and the development tools currently available, we are uniquely situated to develop can develop just about any application perfectly tailored to your organization’s needs in record time.

Is a Desktop Application right for you?

+ Desktop Application Pros

  • Very responsive User Interface (e.g. drag-and-drop within the same window or other window)
  • Multiple Windows can remain open in the same visual plane and can update one another
  • Very secure as they have a very small Attack Surface
  • Wide range of Data Sources which include the local hard disk, Internet APIs, network file and database access
  • Few server resources required (as servers only need to provide raw, task related data)
  • Low bandwidth requirements
  • API connectivity allows for remote work without VPNs and the associated cybersecurity concerns
  • Applications have access to all of the host computer’s hardware (document scanners, touch screen with stylus for handwritten notes, microphone, barcode/QR code scanners, card processing terminals, etc.).
  • Can directly incorporate AI Document Intelligence (e.g. scanned invoices can be directly imported into accounting software without manual data entry)
  • Direct access to IoT Microcontrollers to receive telemetry from an external environment as well as send instructions to modify that environment
  • Most cost-effective software solution for on-site and remote employees/staff

- Desktop Application Cons

  • Requires installation on each PC/Tablet PC/Laptop
  • Updates, which can be automated, require downloading and installation
  • User support may require remote access to host computer

Our Recomendation

For security and performance reasons, migrate Enterprise Web Applications (applications designed for internal use by staffers and employees) to Desktop Applications.

A word about security. In the case of a Consumer Web-App (where the user is a customer, client, or patient), damage resulting from compromised credentials (because of an outdated browser, a malicious browser add-in, keylogger, the same username/password combination repeatedly used across multiple sites, phishing, etc.) is limited just that user’s account. In the case of an Enterprise Web-App (where the user is an employee with access to hundreds or thousands of accounts), compromised credentials could lead to a catastrophic data breach. Desktop Applications can greatly decrease these risks by using a combination of hardware specific serial numbers (CPU, hard drive, etc.) in conjunction with the user’s credentials during the authentication process and continue to use this information to create an additional layer of encryption.

Reduce if not eliminate Data Entry. Take advantage of the Desktop Application’s access to the host computer’s hardware and use a scanner (overhead for small volume or flatbed with a document feeder for greater volume) in conjunction with A.I.’s ability correctly categorize typed as well as handwritten text and automate data entry. Also, investigate solutions to avoid copying information from one application and pasting it into another. Most desktop software and Web-Applications (from your accounting software, to large online retailers, to brokerage houses, to shipping companies) provide APIs that allow for the two-way flow of information and, in most cases, access is Free! With the help of a custom Desktop Application to coordinate this wealth of information, most data entry can become as simple as click-and-drag.

Call us at (203) 254-0044 to arrange for a free consultation.

;