Developing Mobile Reports

[david.stachon]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a template (or something similar) that one would use to build a report that's is specifically meant to be for mobile consumption?

...and any way to easily test without having to save the report and actually run from the mobile device?

(I'm hoping Cognos has something on developer works regarding proven practices for developing mobile reports but my searches have not come up with anything)

thanks

[MFGF]

I think the issue here is that IBM are pushing mobile as just another deployment mechanism for your existing set of reports (author once, deploy anywhere), which means they have not gone out of their way to document what would be best practice in terms of authoring reports specifically for mobile.

In my humble opinion, keeping things simple is the best way to go.  Reports with a single reporting object (crosstab, chart etc) will be easier to consume than reports with multiple objects on the same page (requiring lots of scrolling/zooming etc).  Drill-through can often be a better solution where multiple displays are required.  Prompts are handled slightly differently by the different mobile platforms, so if you can author reports that don't require them, it will remove any uncertainty as to how they will be presented.

Just my personal opinion, of course!

MF.

[david.stachon]

Thanks. I hear what you're saying and I appreciate the feedback.

I've basically arrived at the same place:

1) Really simple,
2) Small as possible,
3) User friendly parameter names (I notice on my iPhone that it uses the parameter name as the title for the prompt)

...and I agree, drill through/down works quite nicely.

I did hear interestingly that IBM for the next 10 release is including an actual app for the i-Pad for viewing reports. The go mobile technology is okay, but certainly does seem a little primitive. It will be interesting to see where they go with a native app.

[Pramod]

Hi david
I just saw your comment on drill through. You say its working fine.
Have you tested this with parameters. Also will checking cognos mobile in safari browser give me a feel of how the report will look like in ipad and iphone?