I personally think this is overhyped. There won't be a replacement for wide screen size and the ease of using keyboard and mouse for most businesses. The only space this might make sense is in retail or some very small business where they can't afford an ERP (yet). Having said that bringing your own device to work when vulnerabilities are especially highlighted would be a tough sale for any reputable business.
In short, mobile will thrive in social contexts but thats where it will stay. Just because we created a tiny PC with a small touch screen won't change the way businesses purchase technology and adopt them.
Until someone breaks into a company via a personal mobile device and steals a whole bunch of data, and now companies are liable for security faults on mobile devices they don't have any control over. Oh, wait ...
Anytime someone asks me to use their personal whatever to do "work" my reply is twofold: "Okay, 1) the company now gets to scan and archive everything on your personal device--please do make sure that there are no naked pictures, including those of you, your partner or your children taking baths, etc. or we will have to fire you and likely report you to the police and 2) the service you are requesting will be promoted to a public facing service and will be available outside the firewall with our standard security features--I will take that up with the CxO levels."
1) generally stops people cold and it should.
Generally you get "You can DO that?" followed by an "Ummmmmmmmm..." as they think about what is on their phone. I don't want to scan your personal device. I don't want to know what you do, really. Please, spare me. I was an email admin in the early days of the Internet; I didn't want to see it then, and I certainly don't want to see it now.
2) this causes an actual discussion about need and risk.
This is going to be outside and is a security hazard; how much risk is really involved? Do we really need this service available to multiple people, or is this a one-off request? I'm not even averse to a one-off, but I'll keep an eye on it (I always have sunset deadlines for outside services if I can). If, after say 6 months, it's still just one person using it, it's probably going to get shut back down.
I understand that firewalls aren't magic. I try to harden things inside the firewall to the same levels as outside. However, work needs to get done, people take shortcuts, etc. "Secure" is not absolute--my goal is to try to align the risks with the benefits while only being about 1/2 an asshole about it.
Personally I also like the one about installing software on any personal device that is used to access company systems so any company sysadmin can instantly remote wipe it at their own discretion if they decide security is at risk.
It turns out that some people didn't realise that the above story was supposed to be satirical and actually built tools that will do that. Whatever you do, don't ask those people about stats on things like legitimate vs. accidental, malicious or negligent wipes. Certainly don't ask about the proportion of employees who were subject to "bad" wipes but got no apology or compensation, just an HR or legal goon pointing to an agreement they signed but did not even slightly understand in which they explicitly consented to exactly that.
If a business has a genuine need for someone to have mobile access to its systems -- which is sometimes reasonable, though not nearly as often as a certain kind of manager pretends -- then the business should provide a completely independent device under its own control for that purpose. It's really that simple.
> the business should provide a completely independent device under its own control for that purpose. It's really that simple.
I agree. We provide laptops and phones. However, you would not believe the bitching about "Now I have to carry another phone and computer."
And, whenever we wind up with a better laptop on hand, we do a surprise "upgrade" to somebody unannounced. We take the old one and hand them a new blank one with no access to the old one to simulate a hard drive crash.
If they aren't back up and running in 4 hours, we take the new laptop back, blank it, give them their old laptop back and give the new one to somebody else.
The fact that they aren't going to get a new shiny computer unless their computer is recoverable focuses their attention quite well.
> Employers should give them powerful, mobile-first business apps and not worry too much about their productivity, even if they run out of office to meet a friend or go to the gym in the middle of the day. They’re always on, even when not physically in the office.
Meh. As an engineer, I'm pretty skeptical about this. I only use a mobile device for work purposes when I need to communicate - email or chat. The rest of the time, I spend making things on a text editor/browser. I certainly don't wish I was productive on the walk to the coffee shop.
I think when you're a BI tool primarily used for research ("I am seeking the answer to this question"), you're probably going to be used on the desktop more. Think the Bloomberg terminal - people use these tools in the office, not on the go.
Conversely, when you're a "pull" tool - people check your app to see if there are updates - then mobile seems more important. Mobile is for constant consumption.
Until we get mobile devices that behave at least like full-fledged laptops when we need them (expandable/projectable screens, multiple input modalities, meaningful operation in low-connectivity state), this idea that you can do 95% of job via mobile only works for the simplest cases, or for people who are on the phone/email all day and do nothing else.
Even in the case of support roles where the employee is essentially on the phone all day or in a chat room, it is extremely difficult to correspond with the customer and then look up account information, examine a knowledge base, or talk with colleagues; even devices with bigger screens just are suited for this right now.
Look at things side by side or in a overhanging window on anything but a full-fledged desktop OS? Good luck.
Words cannot express how much I dislike almost everything this article represents.
Aside from the obvious bias and numerous questionable assumptions about how effective this kind of technology can be, there is a fundamental position summed up by the lines:
"Enterprise Mobility and Bring Your own Device (BYOD) have created a huge shift in the Enterprise, with more and more employees requesting access to data anytime, anywhere."
and
"Mobile technology has created a workforce that never stops working."
It's hard to dispute the basic principle that you should make business decisions based on solid data where you have it, and that it is therefore useful to have good tools that present data in a useful way.
None of that changes the fact that small, touchscreen devices are not particularly good tools for exploring data in detail and performing the kinds of detailed analysis this article implies. In short, if you need to make a critical business decision Right Now when you're out of the office, and that business decision requires serious analysis of detailed data on the spot, you're already doing so much so badly wrong that no pretty smartphone UI is going to help you.
I leave you all with this food for thought. The article tells us:
"According to Nielsen, 83% of millennials sleep with their smartphones close by."
And yet, if you search for a simple phrase like "sleeping with smartphone" and read what numerous other sources who don't make their money pushing this stuff have reported, many with proper scientific studies behind them, you'll find that the always-online culture is causing staggering amounts of damage to our society, from all the well-known negative effects of sleep deprivation to a general lack of ability to concentrate on productive work the way everyone routinely did a few years ago via all kinds of new and disturbing reports from opticians about how these Millenials' eyes are developing (degrading might be more accurate) compared to previous generations.
The kind of culture this article promotes is toxic, and ironically should be opposed by any rational person who has access to the facts, including anyone who runs a business and wants their staff to be productive.
The rise of Tableau is not an accident. Any data-driven business gains great advantages from being API-First, and Mobile-First is a natural extension of that.
Being in this space I see the usage and effects firsthand. Anything that makes work feel more effortless means workers will be more engaged without feeling that it's a burden. Slack is a prime recent example.
With smart design, the most important information can be presented concisely, without the overhead and system requirements of a desktop. These days numerous internal processes at Enterprise companies are already handled by public apps that require private logins.
Mobile has more than enough capability for a vast range of simple but important business tasks. Article is spot on.
10 comments
[ 2.3 ms ] story [ 41.7 ms ] threadIn short, mobile will thrive in social contexts but thats where it will stay. Just because we created a tiny PC with a small touch screen won't change the way businesses purchase technology and adopt them.
I think this is the exact opposite honestly. I think this WILL and IS changing the way businesses procure their technology
Anytime someone asks me to use their personal whatever to do "work" my reply is twofold: "Okay, 1) the company now gets to scan and archive everything on your personal device--please do make sure that there are no naked pictures, including those of you, your partner or your children taking baths, etc. or we will have to fire you and likely report you to the police and 2) the service you are requesting will be promoted to a public facing service and will be available outside the firewall with our standard security features--I will take that up with the CxO levels."
1) generally stops people cold and it should.
Generally you get "You can DO that?" followed by an "Ummmmmmmmm..." as they think about what is on their phone. I don't want to scan your personal device. I don't want to know what you do, really. Please, spare me. I was an email admin in the early days of the Internet; I didn't want to see it then, and I certainly don't want to see it now.
2) this causes an actual discussion about need and risk.
This is going to be outside and is a security hazard; how much risk is really involved? Do we really need this service available to multiple people, or is this a one-off request? I'm not even averse to a one-off, but I'll keep an eye on it (I always have sunset deadlines for outside services if I can). If, after say 6 months, it's still just one person using it, it's probably going to get shut back down.
I understand that firewalls aren't magic. I try to harden things inside the firewall to the same levels as outside. However, work needs to get done, people take shortcuts, etc. "Secure" is not absolute--my goal is to try to align the risks with the benefits while only being about 1/2 an asshole about it.
Sorry, but if I'm always nice, nobody listens. :)
It turns out that some people didn't realise that the above story was supposed to be satirical and actually built tools that will do that. Whatever you do, don't ask those people about stats on things like legitimate vs. accidental, malicious or negligent wipes. Certainly don't ask about the proportion of employees who were subject to "bad" wipes but got no apology or compensation, just an HR or legal goon pointing to an agreement they signed but did not even slightly understand in which they explicitly consented to exactly that.
If a business has a genuine need for someone to have mobile access to its systems -- which is sometimes reasonable, though not nearly as often as a certain kind of manager pretends -- then the business should provide a completely independent device under its own control for that purpose. It's really that simple.
I agree. We provide laptops and phones. However, you would not believe the bitching about "Now I have to carry another phone and computer."
And, whenever we wind up with a better laptop on hand, we do a surprise "upgrade" to somebody unannounced. We take the old one and hand them a new blank one with no access to the old one to simulate a hard drive crash.
If they aren't back up and running in 4 hours, we take the new laptop back, blank it, give them their old laptop back and give the new one to somebody else.
The fact that they aren't going to get a new shiny computer unless their computer is recoverable focuses their attention quite well.
Meh. As an engineer, I'm pretty skeptical about this. I only use a mobile device for work purposes when I need to communicate - email or chat. The rest of the time, I spend making things on a text editor/browser. I certainly don't wish I was productive on the walk to the coffee shop.
I think when you're a BI tool primarily used for research ("I am seeking the answer to this question"), you're probably going to be used on the desktop more. Think the Bloomberg terminal - people use these tools in the office, not on the go.
Conversely, when you're a "pull" tool - people check your app to see if there are updates - then mobile seems more important. Mobile is for constant consumption.
Even in the case of support roles where the employee is essentially on the phone all day or in a chat room, it is extremely difficult to correspond with the customer and then look up account information, examine a knowledge base, or talk with colleagues; even devices with bigger screens just are suited for this right now.
Look at things side by side or in a overhanging window on anything but a full-fledged desktop OS? Good luck.
Aside from the obvious bias and numerous questionable assumptions about how effective this kind of technology can be, there is a fundamental position summed up by the lines:
"Enterprise Mobility and Bring Your own Device (BYOD) have created a huge shift in the Enterprise, with more and more employees requesting access to data anytime, anywhere."
and
"Mobile technology has created a workforce that never stops working."
It's hard to dispute the basic principle that you should make business decisions based on solid data where you have it, and that it is therefore useful to have good tools that present data in a useful way.
None of that changes the fact that small, touchscreen devices are not particularly good tools for exploring data in detail and performing the kinds of detailed analysis this article implies. In short, if you need to make a critical business decision Right Now when you're out of the office, and that business decision requires serious analysis of detailed data on the spot, you're already doing so much so badly wrong that no pretty smartphone UI is going to help you.
I leave you all with this food for thought. The article tells us:
"According to Nielsen, 83% of millennials sleep with their smartphones close by."
And yet, if you search for a simple phrase like "sleeping with smartphone" and read what numerous other sources who don't make their money pushing this stuff have reported, many with proper scientific studies behind them, you'll find that the always-online culture is causing staggering amounts of damage to our society, from all the well-known negative effects of sleep deprivation to a general lack of ability to concentrate on productive work the way everyone routinely did a few years ago via all kinds of new and disturbing reports from opticians about how these Millenials' eyes are developing (degrading might be more accurate) compared to previous generations.
The kind of culture this article promotes is toxic, and ironically should be opposed by any rational person who has access to the facts, including anyone who runs a business and wants their staff to be productive.
Thanks!
Being in this space I see the usage and effects firsthand. Anything that makes work feel more effortless means workers will be more engaged without feeling that it's a burden. Slack is a prime recent example.
With smart design, the most important information can be presented concisely, without the overhead and system requirements of a desktop. These days numerous internal processes at Enterprise companies are already handled by public apps that require private logins.
Mobile has more than enough capability for a vast range of simple but important business tasks. Article is spot on.