The mobile workspace has made digital nomads fully operational regardless of where they find themselves because it puts their office at their fingertips! Of course, the right equipment is necessary, but business apps, collaboration tools and unified communications all help to create the “always on” workspace.
multi-device and digital ecosystems
The arrival of tablets must be highlighted, as these devices are the perfect companions to the usual PC + smartphone combo. This new triad is making a strong case in favor of “tablets for everyone.” And people are listening!
These devices no longer occupy their own separate worlds. They now form a powerful whole made even stronger by the networks that connect them. Having an excellent CRM base for my customers isn’t enough: now I also have to make sure all my devices can connect to it! Same goes for intranet sites and collaboration platforms.
Recent operating system evolutions work to create digital ecosystems that offer a consistent user experience from one device to the next, thus reducing “perpetual login” syndrome. One example of this is the Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 ecosystem and its aim to provide a “unified” user experience.
This new convergence first started a few years ago when devices began to synchronize contacts, email, personal calendars, etc. At the time, the rise of the Personal Information Manager (PIM) signaled the birth of the Cloud. Nowadays, this trend has gone much further through the expansion of business apps that notably help collect data directly in the field – cost estimates, reports, etc – and sync them directly to the company information systems before reworking them.
The Cloud ushered in the era of “real time,” which helped cut costs related to reprocessing data and reduce the risks tied to repeatedly collecting data. This has led to real gains in flexibility, time and costs.
collaboration 2.0
For better or worse, traveling is no longer a good excuse! With the connected ecosystem, digital nomads can improve their productivity. In addition to instant messaging, options such as voice-over IP, conference calls and videoconferencing solutions have taken interaction to a new level. By offering high-speed uploads, 4G makes it possible to transfer large files. Thanks to reduced lag time, 4G also makes videoconferencing more powerful and effective than ever.
These changes in the work environment are part of the impetus behind developing enterprise social networks, which provide highly useful platforms for internal collaboration. More and more, businesses are creating project-specific spaces through which team members can interact. Even better, project teams with an international dimension can now recruit the right specialists without worrying about their location or travel costs.
new uses for new mobility
These functionalities are evolving to become increasingly user-friendly because the success of the Mobile WorkSpace depends on user adoption, i.e. allure. In short, don’t forget that the performance of virtual networks always depends on the performance of physical networks!
Yann
PS: You can also read this blogpost in French here.
image: © Sergey Nivens - Fotolia.com
De formation littéraire, mais issu de la génération Y, je me suis spécialisé dans le business particulier des nouvelles technologies où j’achève mon cursus. Curieux de nature, je me plais à observer de l’intérieur les tendances technologiques qui façonnent notre quotidien, et à tenter de comprendre tant les opportunités que les nouveaux challenges qu’elles emmènent avec elles...