Technology moves fast. Mobility moves ten times faster. To help everyone keep up, we’d like to take a look at some commonly misunderstood enterprise mobility terms. We’ll define them not just by their textbook definition, but by their application in the real world.
Mobile
We know that customers are going through a mobile mind shift and organizations need to start thinking mobile-first; but what is “mobile”? Many people think that being mobile means using your iPad or smartphone on the go. But mobile is so much more than that. Yes, you can still be mobile while using your laptop or tablet on the go, but mobile is also about the use-case and application of technology—not just the type of device you’re using.
Mobile-First
To be “mobile-first” means to be thinking about if and how mobile functionality can enhance your product, service or user experience. It is becoming the norm to want to do everything mobile. To stay up with this shift, meet customer demands, and stay competitive, organizations must adopt a mobile-first approach. These days, it’s just not enough to put a desktop version of an application on a mobile device, or to allow mobile access to a full version of a web application. Instead, think about the 10% of the functionality of the full application that is leveraged by 90% of your target end users and focus on mobilizing that.
Cloud
A cloud isn’t just a fluffy white thing in the sky, “the cloud” is a place where you can work and store data. In a recent post for Inc., John Brandon stated, “It’s also important to realize that the cloud is not an all-encompassing term. It is not a totally generic term that means everything that’s Web- and Internet-related. The classic definition of the cloud is when an application runs on a Web server instead of in your own data center.” To simplify this even further, just remember that all online activity isn’t using the cloud. There are plenty of things you do online, such as instant messaging, that aren’t necessarily done on the cloud.
Mobile Apps
“Mobile apps” come in different forms. You can have mobile apps that are consumer oriented, like LinkedIn or Candy Crush, and you can also have mobile apps that enable business users. More organizations are seeing the value and ROI that comes with investing in transformative mobile solutions that allow their workforce to do their job faster, smarter…better. By enabling a process and not just a task, they are elevating what mobile apps mean for the enterprise. Similarly, in enterprise mobility, leveraging a mobile apps as a service (MAaaS) model allows companies to realize all of the benefits of SaaS on a mobile platform. https://www.mediafly.com/solutions
Content On Mobile
“Content on mobile” is not just the information that you can find via your mobile device. It actually encompasses an array of different elements including contextual content, interactive content and content mobility. To start, we can look at contextual content. Being able to put a design to content gives it more meaning and creates a stronger connection with your audience; hence shifting the reality of your brand into the minds of your audience.
Next, there is interactive content. Being able to interact with content in a way that allows it to enhance your conversation— all while being nimble enough to accommodate the myriad of contextual routes a conversation can take you.
And last but not least, content on mobile wouldn’t be complete without distribution—how you get different forms of content in the hands of the intended user(s) securely, effectively and elegantly. Content needs to be available both online and offline while leveraging enterprise-grade parameters that ensure safe delivery.
End-User
Similar to mobile apps, there is a slight variance between consumer and business “end users”. While both the customer and the employee want an app that is quick and easy to use, employee end-users have slightly different needs than consumer end users. Employee end-users require more than just something that is quick and easy. They need an application that is going to help them do their job better, but doesn’t force them to diverge completely from the way they want to do their job. For example, your sales force, wants a mobile solution that will help them nail their next sales pitch or create the perfect presentation.
The next time you hear these enterprise mobility terms, we hope you understand their real world context a little better.
What other related terms do you think are commonly misunderstood?
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