Mobile devices lead change
Fahad Al Hassawi A large number of smartphones and tablets are entering the workplace
The increased usage of mobile devices across the Middle East is leading to changes in behaviour, in terms of how workers access corporate data. It also signals change for the IT departments of our businesses.
New data has shown the number of smartphones and tablets entering the workplace — both company-provisioned and personally owned — continue to grow. Surveys show that 68 per cent of full-time employees who are smartphone owners now use their smartphone to access corporate data, while 70 per cent of full-time employees who are tablet owners use their tablets for work.
These results represent a radical shift in terms of the devices being used to access corporate data, and the behaviours of supported users, when compared to only a few years ago. Many IT departments are yet to adapt to this changing support landscape. This is highlighted by the same survey showing that over 25 per cent of those who access corporate data on smartphones or tablets are doing so in direct contravention of the policies set by their IT departments.
Embracing a broader device support model may not ultimately be advantageous. However, business executives should not adopt a dismissive attitude; reaching a decision should involve investigation of both the benefits and pitfalls of supporting a broader hardware estate. It is possible that after this initial analysis, an organisation identifies more reasons against a broader device support strategy than for it. Such an approach by our IT departments is far more constructive than simply ignoring behaviours that exist, as the knowledge gained will enable IT departments to more effectively communicate to business unit leaders why support of some mobile devices is not encouraged. Conversely, should the analysis provide IT departments with greater knowledge of how the use of a wider estate relates to real business benefits, strategies for how best to adapt the current support model can be developed and implemented.
The leading smartphone platform for corporate use was Android with 46 per cent, followed by BlackBerry with 22 per cent, and iOS with 21 per cent. Android (46 per cent) and iPad (44 per cent) dominate consumer tablet share. These numbers will help identify where IT departments wishing to embrace a wider support strategy should focus their support efforts. Identifying common support needs, and how to satisfy them, across the leading mobile operating systems would be a good place for support functions to start. Support functions should liaise with the business and identify common behaviours among people using such devices. This insight will ensure that the IT function is able to build a support model that meets the needs of users.
Managed service solutions could play a role here; where some or all of the support function is effectively outsourced to a third-party specialist for remote management. These solutions are gaining in acceptance in the Middle East. This is because they free up business and IT personnel to do more important tasks, and ensure the wheels of business continue to turn, whether workers are office-based, off site and mobile, or on the road and roaming.
Acknowledging the types of usage that staff are currently engaged in, even those that have not been encouraged by IT, should be the first step in the development (or review) of a comprehensive mobility policy.
Many businesses are failing to acknowledge the needs of supported users in this respect, with 46 per cent of BYOD activity currently going under the IT radar. This is not a constructive strategy as it hinders potential improve- ment initiatives, reduces the associated business benefits, and further discourages users from engaging with the service desk, which has traditionally been the first point of contact.
A key influencer of the on-going consumerisation of IT is the IT departments’ inability to accurately understand and respond to the needs of the business in a timely manner. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of users’ current and desired behaviour should be a vital service desk activity. IT departments should look to utilise existing tools and analytics to understand user behaviour.
Communicating with users directly in regards to their behaviour (for example, through business re-
IT departments should look to utilise existing tools and analytics to understand user behaviour
lationship management and service level management) should be encouraged. Using analytics tools and reviewing cases raised in service management environments are also important — What users say they are doing and what they are actually doing can often be two different things.