I just read a fantastic little article by the brilliant Kevin Benedict on “Misusing Mobile Apps in the Enterprise.” (Note: If you are interested in enterprise mobility, I suggest you add him to your reading list.) As an advocate for broader adoption of mobility solutions within the enterprise, I stopped to read this article even though I was a bit taken back by the title. I’m glad I did but Benedict has a point.
People are misusing mobile apps.
However, my counter argument is: mobile apps are not the problem. The problem is that mobile apps are being paired with the wrong use case. Companies need to identify the best-fit mobile solution(s) as well as direct their employees on how to utilize them. Matching the function and/or process to the enablement technology is a crucial step. A company can deploy an innovative and beautiful mobile solution, but without guidance and corresponding process on how to best integrate it into an end user’s workflow, that mobile solution will lose some—if not most—of its value. The key to an effective mobile strategy is a clear vision and full understanding of how business users should leverage the tool to supplement their role.
The takeaway for moving enterprise mobility forward is to not just create innovative apps but to map out the applicability and usability of that innovation. Also, my own two cents tells me that if someone is drowning in an ever-increasing digital stack, they might not just be misusing their enterprise mobility app—they may be misusing their time as well. Employees can gain back an entire day by leveraging a mobile solution the right way, but if they cannot manage their time, it’s unlikely they will reap its full benefits. In the end, both time management and process management are what will make or break the effectiveness of a mobile solution.
How are mobile apps affecting your work? How have you (or your management) changed processes since adapting a mobile solution?
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