Navigating Data Management: A Critical Element in Modern App Development

Original article “App Data Management ” by Eugene Kerner – Xam Principal Consultant.

In the world of modern app development, where agility and user experience reign supreme, the significance of robust data management often takes a back seat. However, ignoring this critical aspect can lead to inefficiencies, unintended data use, subpar user experiences, data corruption, and even application crashes. In this article, we’ll shed light on the importance of designing effective data management strategies, focusing on three key factors: Data Transport, Data Modelling, and Data Lifecycle Management.

Data Lifecycle Management: Nurturing Data from Inception to Retirement

Efficient data management extends beyond the confines of your app; it encompasses the entire lifecycle of data, from its creation within the app to its storage, interaction with APIs, and usage by consumers. For the purpose of this discussion, we’ll focus on data management from the perspective of the client (app).

Data Classification: Identifying and Categorising Data

To design effective data management rules, it’s crucial to categorise your datasets and payloads. Data classes may be specific to your application or generic, but the key is to minimise their number while ensuring optimal management for each. For instance, you might classify data as “Startup,” “On Demand,” or “Report Data,” depending on usage patterns.

Design Questions to Ask: Crafting Tailored Data Management Strategies

To create efficient data management strategies, consider the following questions for each data class:

  1. When is the data first required?
    – Before app initial render
    – During app initial render
    – Background load after app initial render
    – On-demand (when needed)
  2. What is the likelihood that the data will be used?
    – Definitely
    – Maybe
    – Unlikely
  3. How frequently will the data be used?
    – Every n seconds
    – Frequently
    – Infrequently
    – Rarely
  4. When is the data considered stale/expired?
    – When the UI revision changes
    – When the API revision changes
    – When the data changes at the source
    – After a period
    – When the session expires
  5. Can stale data be used?
    – Display the data
    – Apply/use the data
  6. What is the Priority of the data?

Define Data Management Rules: Making Informed Decisions

Utilising the insights gained from these questions, you can make informed decisions about data handling, including fetch strategies, caching, creation, update, and disposal strategies. For example, you might define rules for when to fetch data, how long to cache it, and when to dispose of stale data.

Data Modelling: Maintaining Data Integrity and Compatibility

Good data modelling is essential to maintain data integrity and compatibility across different parts of your application, including databases, APIs, and clients. Instead of maintaining models in multiple places, consider using utilities, libraries, or services that allow you to share models seamlessly.

Data Transport: Bridging the Gap Between Data Sources and Apps

Data transport involves obtaining data from and saving it to data sources. While it usually doesn’t impact data management significantly, consider factors like timestamp management, choice of transport technology, and when data should be fetched and saved.

Elevating Data Management in Modern App Development

In modern app development, overlooking data management is a pitfall that can lead to inefficiencies and suboptimal user experiences. By carefully considering data transport, data modelling, and data lifecycle management, you can create applications that not only deliver exceptional user experiences but also operate efficiently and effectively. The next time you embark on an app development journey, remember the critical role of data management in shaping your application’s success.



from XAM – Developers in .NET, React, Flutter, Apps, Web, Azure, UX/UI Agency – Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne https://ift.tt/Vv7CrwT
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