According to Computerworld, 42% of companies are actively implementing collaboration technologies. IT mobility and collaboration is hot. Let’s take a look at the tools and trends seeing the most activity.
Mo money
Collaboration and mobility are trending, companies are doing it, and that means a dedicated budget for implementing these tools. It’s hard to go forward without a budget. Mobility not only has the attention, now companies are dedicating funds for it too.
And it’s more than just money, putting strategies in place for mobility solutions are taking priority. Time is being dedicated to mobile strategies.
Apps
Let’s get things started with some apps. Companies are creating apps to solve specific problems, creating these tools to simplify processes and make accessing and sharing information easier.
Speaking of apps, you can also expect to see a shift from native apps to Web apps. Don’t expect the native apps to go anywhere, they will still provide better user experience, but as HTML5 becomes more capable, Web apps will increase in use since they can be produced faster and cheaper than native apps.
Imagine IT departments turning into app stores, providing support and governance. App stores will be central points for users to get the tools they need.
Bring your own device (BYOD)
More and more companies are allowing employees to bring and work on their own mobile devices. Outside of the office, even if they cannot access information stored on servers, employees are able to jump in and get some work done from their personal devices. Working on a personal device helps keep everyone more connected to the office.
Virtual training
Mobile based training will deliver high quality content at a lower cost to a larger group. Increase in social functionalities of mobile tools will continue to make mobile conferences and trainings even more convenient. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are already changing higher education, how people learn and how universities think about education and classes.
Welcome to the cloud
Personal computing will become cloud computing as more and more people begin to store information on clouds including businesses. Microsoft 2013 now comes with “save to the cloud” options built in. Storage space just got as big as the sky.
It’s all connected
All devices will connect to the Internet, everything: cameras, microphones, buildings and embedded sensors, augmented reality. Who and what we interact with will all be connected to the internet, and immensely easier to share.
2014 is going to find us all in a very different more collaborative world. Is your company putting any of these trends or tools to work? Where can we go from here?
Leave a Reply