There has definitely been a major shift in the workforce with the acceptance of technology. People are finding technology at home to enable them to communicate, catch up, and collaborate (gossip). This consumerism concept coupled with the ability for IT directors to move to a consumption model has made it easier to drive technology adoption in the workplace. IT executives finally have sponsorship as well as a less risky proposition to provide the technology to their constituents.
So I ask my relatively small sample audience of why they are finally embracing technology and are so often to refresh it. I commonly get two answers “it’s so cool” and “it’s easy to use”. Sounds like a teenage answer, however show your CXO that he can receive phone calls on his iPad2, let him telepresence with a colleague across the globe, and let him drive his car without a key and you’ll start to see the simple pleasures that lead to purchases. Everything you buy these days has some extra technology whiz bang. It doesn’t matter if it’s your lawn mower, refrigerator, grill, car, etc. The McDonalds sales model of, “would you like a widget with that” is starting to pay off. You are more apt to buy the widget. You might every supersize your widget.
As I start to talk to more directors about their technology enablement programs for 2011 I’m interested to see a shift in their initiatives. I’m still seeing a strong push towards virtualization, desktop / OS refresh, and DR planning. The two that have quickly risen to the forefront in pilots and proof of concepts are VDI and Video. Of interest to me is that while VDI has been reviewed as a potential option for desktop/OS refresh the tablet innovation and BYoP (bring your own PC) is really pushing this further.
What’s interesting to note is how these technologies are filtering into corporate America. Take a look at the tablet. It started with an anti-establishment movement of I’m PC and I’m a MAC. Translated into you are boring and monolithic, I’m jazzy and very easy to use. The grass roots movement of the everyday man became the largest advocates for this technology and we saw the expansion of our use of these technologies. First to revitalize how we consume audio, next to revolutionize the way we communicate and collaborate, and now as an alternative access method to critical data in a more convenient and accessible format. Today while reading email, leveraging VDI, and checking sports scores on my iPad2 I also use it as my remote control. How is that for empowerment and ways to impress your three year old. If you don’t have something as “cool” as an iPad2 you need one. If someone at work tells you it’s not supported and can’t have one you’ll get executive sponsorship to displace things that are “boring and monolithic”.
As far as video goes….is it truly transformative, breaking down borders, heightening the experience, reducing carbon footprints, and making us more productive? Absolutely! You should be able to demonstrate the benefits, highlight the experience, and develop ROI's to make the case compelling. These sales cycles can be months. When do we get a PO in a week? Typically when this happens:
Your CXO is asked by another CXO “let’s setup a telepresence”. They reply “Sure, I’ll have my admin coordinate with yours.” Then they ask their admin, “what’s a telepresence, we do that right? Oh we don’t have that? Why don’t we have that? How come Jimmy has that?”
Quickly turns into if Jimmy has that I need to have that. Get IT on the phone and get me that.
P.S.
If IT needs to “get that”, whether it be tablet empowerment through VDI, collaboration tool sets, or telepresence, ask them to kindly call Alliant Technologies =)
Thanks,
CTO
