Until quite recently only large companies had the resources necessary to introduce mobile enterprise solutions. Fed Ex, UPS and others spent millions implementing proprietary systems that let them track packages and communicate with their mobile fleets. However, in the last few years we've seen the introduction of mass-produced mobile devices and expanding wireless networks. These have made mobile enterprise solutions less expensive, putting them within the reach of mid-size and small businesses.
Many companies realize the benefits of "pushing" enterprise applications and information out to their mobile workforce. But mobile
computing represents uncharted waters for most IT departments and
questions abound. What are the limitations of the different mobile devices
and which ones should we use? What wireless technology is best for our
company? Do we need to retool our development team? Should we work with an
outside solutions provider? If these questions sound familiar read on.
Will it help your business?
The test is simple. Does your company have mobile workers and do they
need to interact with corporate data while they're away from their desks?
If so, you should be investigating mobile enterprise solutions. The most
obvious candidates are salespeople, deliverymen, customer service
representatives and the like. But executives and managers may also need to
check schedules and e-mail while they're away from the office. In fact,
you could even include as candidates, farmers accessing weather reports
while in their fields or doctors accessing patient medical records from
anywhere in the world. I would be willing to wager that almost every
business out there could find areas where a mobile solution would aid
their bottom line.
What is it you want to accomplish?
The first question that you must answer when investigating mobile
solutions is "What is my business case for going mobile?" In
order for a mobile application to be successful, you need to be specific
about what you want to accomplish. How will the solution improve your
business in a way that is not feasible via more traditional and
inexpensive applications? For example, why roll out a multi-million dollar
mobile solution when a cell phone will do?
As mentioned above, mobile solutions help the mobile workforce share
corporate data. This includes email, contact lists, appointment calendars
and more. But more complex systems can allow workers to perform specific
tasks associated with their particular business, such as checking
inventory, placing orders, and checking account status all while on the
road.
After you determine an area, or areas that will benefit from a mobile
solution, you must determine the specific requirements for that solution.
What types of business processes and tasks will the system include? Who
will be the users of the system? Will there be different roles for users?
Will the system pull data from existing systems? Will the system share its
data with other systems? What is the typical "day in the life" of a user within the system? By answering these and many other questions, you flesh out your requirements. If you've developed enterprise applications previously, there is a very good chance that you already have a development methodology in place to assist with this process.
Choosing a mobile device
Your next task and your first major technical decision will be to
determine the mobile platform and technologies to use. This decision will
be based upon a wide range of factors, including your business
requirements, budget, and the existing skills of your development team.
Books could be written on this topic and everyone has a different opinion.
I, myself, have been involved with development efforts for the PalmOS,
web-enabled phones, and Windows CE devices, all of which have very strong
merits for building enterprise systems.
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