Mobility is a reality today there is no escaping from. From personal to professional, smartphones and tablets have transformed our lives in such a way, that the fundamental way we go about our lives has changed.
Mobility is a reality today there is no escaping from. From personal to professional,
smartphones and tablets have transformed our lives in such a way, that the fundamental way we go about our lives has changed. From reading news to social interactions to emails and calendars, everything we do is today centered on the shiny rectangles (mostly) of different sizes. This rapid adoption and passion that surrounds it has put mobility on the center stage with respect to the enterprise initiatives. This make the CIO’s job challenging.
The CIO is burdened by the responsibility of managing the employee expectations while trying to conform the internal security and access policies. It is a position to be dealt with using care. Here are some things to keep in mind when addressing mobility.
1. It is still evolving – Mobility is by no means mature. It is still in a nascent stage. CIOs should be aware of this fact when planning a roadmap. Knowing that you are dealing with a moving target may not solve the problem, but will enable you take decisions on where to invest, and how much to invest. You also need to make plans that can accommodate this evolution.
2. Prepare for the worst – You know what they say about the best laid plans. Plan for failure while you work towards success. The primary reasons for failure are either having an unrealistic goal in terms of the specs, or underestimating the complexity, or a poor design / product. When Treading unchartered territory, it is best to make early mistakes, learn from them, and move on, rather than never leaving your comfort zone.
3. Managing heterogeneity is the key – Unlike the personal computer world where the desktops and laptops were primarily standard image replicas of each other (and therefore similar), smart devices are going to be very different from each other. The traditional support teams are not geared to handle this fragmentation. They should be trained well and sensitized on the future landscape well in advance.
4. Security will be improved – Security is a big concern when going mobile. The data security for access over non-secure networks and the risk of unauthorized access looms like a cloud over most mobilization plans. However, when you actually move towards the solution, you will unearth and fix a number of existing security gaps. Also, enterprises are increasingly moving to corporate app stores, which helps in security. It is important not to let your CISO scare you away. Rather, collaborate with him and ensure that proper design considerations are made.
5. Personal gratification vs. professional control – Smart device revolution is fueled by people’s desire for a fashionable device. They want to use it not only for work, but also for other things like games, fitness, entertainment etc. Also, the configuration of the devices, the security features, and platform might not be compatible with what you are trying to achieve. It is important to include the workforce into the planning cycle, while deciding on the final platform and devices that your initiative will include. This will help in getting the buy in and feedback. The idea is to balance he needs of the employees and the enterprise objectives.
6. Do not limit yourself – Mobility has to be a strategic move, not a tactical maneuver, if you intend on reaping its benefits. These initiatives either improve the bottom line, or the top line. The focus should be on exploring opportunities, not limiting the scope to a single application or policy.
