5 GREAT PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR MOBILE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS

Mobile Development Specialists Professional Organizations

• Developers Alliance
• Association of Software Professionals
• ACT | The App Association
• Professional Developers Association
• WebProfessionals.org

Professional associations have long been a fixture in the IT and electronics industries, but with the field of mobile technology development being relatively new and innovative, many well-established associations didn't cater to their needs. It wasn't necessarily the case that the mobile development specialist was barred from joining, but rather the fact that there weren't a lot of resources available which were specific to their needs. That said, the face of advancing technology is now changing; the future is definitively mobile. With that change comes a much more widespread embrace of mobile technology, and a lot of specialized support for the people who create, maintain and advance it.

Here are five great professional organizations for the mobile development specialist, and other mobile technology innovators today:

Developers Alliance

The Developers Alliance is a world-leading organization supporting the professional and academic needs of current and future software developers. Its focus is not specifically on mobile platforms, but their prominent position within the software industry overall has resulted in a dramatic expansion of their representation within the association. The breadth of the organization's focus can in itself help mobile developers to produce innovative, outside-the-box solutions to issues they face every day.

Association of Software Professionals

The Association of Software Professionals is one of the oldest and most well-established professional associations for software development. Its pedigree as such makes it an invaluable resource, with a well-established base of professional members who have had to confront a wide range of programming challenges over the course of their long careers. Its various newsletters and libraries of digitized information make it a particularly valuable resource for students and young professionals who are just getting started.

ACT | The App Association

As a professional association, ACT represents more than five thousand member companies and freelance professionals from across the United States. It focuses specifically on the development of mobile software applications, and is one of the first professional organizations to provide a strong focus on the mobile side of the information technology industry. Its policy is one of encouraging and rewarding innovation in software development, and many ACT | The App Association members are on the forefront of continuing innovation in the new mobile industry.

Professional Developers Association

The Professional Developers Association offers a dual focus on the development of web-based and mobile technology, and is a leading innovator in the field of certifying and supporting mobile app developers. Its ample library of resources and inclusive networking technologies are available to all of its members, who may benefit from the overall programs offered by PDA, or choose to focus on one of the two paths of certification exclusively. The organization's innovative "Boot Camp" style course offers to transform newcomers to the industry into certifiable professionals in a matter of months.

WebProfessionals.org

WebProfessionals.org's presentation is focused entirely on the online domain (hence the somewhat uniquely branded name of the organization itself). As a professional organization, it offers a resourceful community, educational opportunities, and a range of professional certifications. WebProfessionals.org maintains a significant focus on software development within the mobile technology industry, thanks to its explosive growth in recent years, and it has one of the largest bodies of mobile app developers of any IT-affiliated professional organization.

The right professional association can make a huge amount of difference in a person's career. They provide networking opportunities, solutions to common problems, and a wealth of resources and materials to their members. The regular conferences and workshops that such organizations sponsor allow more of the same opportunities, and often focus on a specific issue of common import to many throughout the associated industry. The availability of professional associations for mobile development specialists reflects the changing face of technological advancement, with an increasing emphasis on the power, convenience and versatility of mobile computing platforms.

See also: Top 8 Cheap Online Mobile Computing Degree Programs (Bachelor's)