Maybe you have heard of Datapipe – cool company that offers a single provider solution for managing and securing mission-critical IT services. I recently talked to vice president Ed Laczynski and asked some questions about his view on current consumerization of IT trends. Laczynski is responsible for driving Datapipe’s cloud computing strategy and the architecture of new cloud platforms and integrations.
I wanted to know what consumer applications are making their way into business software. Laczynski broke them down into three major categories:
1) Social media
2) Mobile apps
3) Messaging/mail/collaboration
I’ve seen how social media can infiltrate enterprise software within my own company, but I was curious about mobile apps and collaboration apps. Here’s what Laczynski had to say about popular collaboration tools:
“The days of using local and network file stores are giving way to products like Dropbox, Basecamp, and Google Apps. The hardline phone is giving way to Skype and browser-based VoIP competitors. The video conference room is moving into the device with products like FaceTime.”
Some of the most popular mobile apps that are influencing business software include:
· Evernote – Allows users to easily capture information using any computer, phone or tablet
· Remember the Milk – A to-do list that’s everywhere you are: from your phone, to the web, to your Google apps, and more
· Wunderlist – A free, easy-to-use task manager for iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android and your browser
· TripIt – A trip planner that keeps all of your travel plans in one spot
Laczynski described how business users are no longer blindly accepting a standard solution. Rather, they are picking solutions that work for them individually. He also described how app influence spreads within a company:
“It is interesting that the influence isn’t always from the top down. For example, in the case of TripIt, the administrators and travel coordinators found it a compelling alternative to manual travel itinerary management. From there, it made its way to field sales, marketing, and executives’ mobile devices and desktops.”
IT development is keeping up with this trend by changing the overall role they play. As Laczynski describes it, “IT departments are shifting to become curators and governors of IT decisions for the benefit of their end users, not necessarily decision makers.” So what is the difference between an IT department that is a decision maker versus a curator of IT decisions? Laczynski describes it as such:
“An IT department that curates seeks constant feedback from its users; is a user of cloud and mobile technology themselves; spends time discovering and evangelizing the best and most secure cloud and app technology available on the market; and builds strong capabilities in enabling technologies like Single-Sign-On, secure cloud storage, API integration, virtual desktops, etc.
The decision-making IT department has typically eschewed this type of outreach. However, a good IT department will find a moderate approach that considers both the end-user goals and corporate governance needs.”
Laczynski believes that IT departments can find success by acting more like a vending machine. To do so would mean that the department “presents business users with sound choices that they themselves make, rather than assuming end-to-end decision making to delivery. IT can present a menu of solid choices and let the business user decide what, when, and how much to consume.”
Since consumer apps are becoming more popular with business users, I asked Laczynski what is the biggest risk a business owner needs to consider when implementing consumer apps into the workplace. Laczynski suggests avoiding acting like an ostrich:
“The biggest risk would be to put your head in the sand. The second would be to not realize that once a single employee uses that corporate email address to create an account on an app anywhere in the cloud, the company is part of a new paradigm and must be managed as such.”
Are you seeing Laczynski’s list of popular mobile apps in your workplace? Let me know in the comments below.
