Mobile browsers now provide the same functionality of desktopWeb browsers so users get a consistent experience regardless of device. More people are searching theWeb, reading news, watching streamed TV, accessingWeb applications, and making transactions on their phone. this trend continues business is driven to evolve. Google, for example, recognized the increased use of mobile devices as a medium forWeb browsing and made its search tool and productivity applications (Google Apps) available on mobile phones, setting the benchmark for usability.
Smartphones are also forcing a shift in the paradigm of how information technology (IT) groups work. There are currently 1.5 billion phones in use around the world. By 2011 half of the world’s population will have mobile phones – 50 percent of which will be smartphones. This change clearly indicates that enterprises have to embrace smartphones as a primary form of communication. IT groups – for the first time in their history – have to adapt to consumer requirements instead of dictating their own agenda. If consumers can now access their Gmail on phones, why not access corporate apps too?
Improvements in Productivity
Economic gains from enabling mobile reporting are irrefutable. Currently one out of seven e-mail users is also a mobile e-mail user, having a BlackBerry or another smartphone. Early adopters,mainly executives, have seen measurable increases in productivity by being able to:
- Work during times otherwise wasted, such as while waiting at airports and before meetings
- Respond immediately to urgent messages
- Be avalable to and connected with other key decision-makers 24/7
Gains in productivity outweigh the expense of mobile devices and applications – an estimated fixed cost of $2,500 per mobile user. A low-cost mobile BI solution that does not require additional infrastructural investments such drives up the per-user return on investment (ROI). Furthermore, as mobile computing spreads through the ranks to all employees, the ROI increases exponentially.
According to Gartner analysts Steve Kleynhans, “Most IT organizations are ill prepared to deal with this new environment in which users drive technology.” IT groups are often (and in many cases justifiably) leery of new technologies. Knowing the difficulties inherent in implementing unproven solutions, many would prefer to wait for other companies to provide successful case studies with clear user benefits. Yet, waiting until this technology becomes mainstream means missing out on years of productivity gains.
Dashboards for Everyone
The sheer volume of information available, however, means users risk information overload. Dashboards have emerged as a concise way to visualize information. Instead of analyzing multiple reports and the relationships between them, a dashboard offers an analytical perspective. All relationships and associated measures are presented in a single, prepackaged view. The key obstacle to mass use of mobile dashboards is the small screen on the device as well as the requirement to be connected to the dashboard infrastructure. Two trends are changing this:
Better, larger screens with higher resolution are becoming popular, as on the iPhone, HP hybrid devices, and Nokia business phones. And, better browsers with advanced zoom functions, touch screen navigation, and interaction enhancers – such as zoom drop boxes for easier selection – display content in a useful way similar to dashboard displays.
Active Dashboards can be distributed to anyone – on any device – either via e-mail, via the My Mobile Favorites launch page or by posting them on theWeb, and users can interact with them online or offline.
