Sunday 29 June 2014

Top 5 pitfalls to avoid deploying Enterprise Mobility Solutions - Episode 2

Are you about to embark on a large scale Enterprise Mobility deployment? Have you already run into your first headache in this immature market? Is mobility and big data a core topic for your business strategy these days to attempt to unlock further productivity? In this series of articles I am going to explore the common pitfalls I have seen companies run into while embarking on these innovative solution deployments, no matter if you deploy well-known brand names like SAP SMP or Accenture CAS or a custom made app.

The Enterprise Mobility Solutions fever is rolling out across the world's large industries like a wildfire. Executives experience and personally use sexy new mobile devices which are currently flooding the market and therefore have a personal reference to at least the hardware and user experience described when the consulting companies or enterprise architects move in with a sales pitch. While the objectives of these projects and programs are often well intended and will truly bring productivity if carried out correctly, there are a couple of very common foundational mistakes which companies commit over and over again as they try to engage in the age of user friendly mobile solutions and devices. This series of articles is all about the most common mistakes typically done in such projects and what attitude program managers and sponsors should have to best steer clear of them.

Why a mobile device strategy is unlikely to last?

Mobile device roadmap, source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/testrunbomber842/The mobile device market today moves at an incredible speed. The market leader and its technologies just five years ago have today been made completely obsolete and the trend is expected to continue at an ever increasing pace. This article goes beyond the considerations of a single deployment project and relates mostly to the long term strategic choices a corporation has to make in today’s mobile device market.

Saturday 21 June 2014

Halt mobile device turnover rate by placing trust in the individual

Broken device screen, source: flickr.com/photos/katyzaf/A common question I have found especially during mobility deployment project is how support of the mobile devices will be managed and especially how to link up the device provider and its external support framework with an expected rate of device turnover from software failure, broken hardware or shelling. This in turn lead to extensive discussions on guaranteed SLAs for device repair or replacement by the provider and what levels of spare devices should be held and especially by whom - the provider or the customer organization. Finally this whole story is written down within a mobile device support model, including a view of the customer and provider responsibilities and of course one or several contracts detailing out the finances and items like guaranteed time windows when a particular version of a device must be available for shipment. 

Monday 16 June 2014

Top 5 pitfalls to avoid deploying Enterprise Mobility Solutions - Episode 1

Manager with tablet, source: https://flic.kr/p/aBXjmxAre you about to embark on a large scale Enterprise Mobility deployment? Have you already run into your first headache in this immature market? Is mobility and big data a core topic for your business strategy these days to attempt to unlock further productivity? In this series of articles I am going to explore the common pitfalls I have seen companies run into while embarking on these innovative solution deployments, no matter if you deploy well-known brand names like SAP SMP or Accenture CAS or a custom made app.

The Enterprise Mobility Solutions fever is rolling out across the world's large industries like a wildfire. Executives experience and personally use sexy new mobile devices which are currently flooding the market and therefore have a personal reference to at least the hardware and user experience described when the consulting companies or enterprise architects move in with a sales pitch. While the objectives of these projects and programs are often well intended and will truly bring productivity if carried out correctly, there are a couple of very common foundational mistakes which companies commit over and over again as they try to engage in the age of user friendly mobile solutions and devices. This series of articles is all about the most common mistakes typically done in such projects and what attitude program managers and sponsors should have to best steer clear of them.

Don't assume your business know what they need in this brave new world - this is an interactive requirements cycle

This pitfall may sound like an old truth about Enterprise Solutions in general, however there is a reason it's even more accurate for Enterprise Mobility. The mobility industry is now decades old and so are the Enterprise Solutions lead by the core ERPs. However just recently the mobile devices have become sexy enough to attract a mainstream audience (yes, the Apple Newton in the 90s was well intended but did not quite hit the spot) and the Enterprise Solutions have moved in to harvest the benefits. In addition you have the Big Data movement which is also adding to the vortex. The combination is an industry which is experimental and quite immature – not that any solution provider will admit to this fact.