At Ancar B I like to keep abreast of some of the trends and buzzwords entering the industry. This latest word – consumerisation – is of particular interest as we have had a number of client’s recently who fit the description.  The phrase – consumerisation – is also of relevance to Cloud Computing, as we have found some of our customers, who purchase software as a service, use their own equipment and purely ‘click’ on a remote desktop icon to gain access to business software like Sage and ACT! to perform their job.

So what is consumerisation in the context of IT? The consumerisation of IT is a trend that has gathered momentum in recent years and refers to ways in which the consumer sector and business sector are converging. It is used as an umbrella term covering many things, including allowing employees to buy or bring to the workplace devices of their choice. This will sometimes replace being given designated computers or other devices, but it can also supplement the traditional model. The IT consumerisation tag can also be used to refer to the way in which some companies (or individuals) use consumer software and services such as Facebook and Twitter to accomplish business tasks.

Indeed, the boundaries between professional and personal lives are being redefined. Users no longer work within their offices (thanks to Cloud Computing/SaaS), but often check email late at night and update personal web pages during the day. Users are demanding freedom and IT needs to figure out ways in which to help them maintain a balance between work and personal time.

Those in favour of consumerisation of IT see it as a way of liberating their employees, increasing creativity and loyalty, and as a tactic for restoring work/life balance and enabling the recruitment of the brightest new talent. Opponents, however believe it leads to inconsistency, manageability issues and information security risks.

Here are some factors to address if you are considering consumerisation for your company/organisation.

• Assess your users – Assess what consumer grade applications and devices your employees are using at work today. It will also be useful to create a profile of your end-users and the typical scenario they encounter. Depending on the individual user’s impact on the business and their needs, you will be able to form an opinion on whether consumerisation is right for them and you.

• Understand content and information security – Some users may deal with confidential legal issues, whereas others may deal with information that is intended for public readership. Similarly, some information, such as sales contracts, is highly sensitive while other data, such as marketing brochures, can be shared using consumer technologies such as Windows Live SkyDrive without risk. Access to areas should be strictly limited by role and credentials.

• Recognise device types and application needs – Individual devices are not good for all tasks and one size does not fit all. Devices without keyboards may be inadequate for data creation and PCs generally provide the best environment for data creation and manipulation tasks. The challenge is to match work profiles with the right device.

• Define the criteria for a successful solution – Consider what benefits there will be and how these benefits will be measured. Plan to protect sensitive data, allow data access and sharing, provide tools for application delivery and access, and deliver a centrally managed environment through technologies such as cloud-based applications and services and desktop virtualisation.

• Update your organisational policies – Your policies should reflect your solution, requiring collaboration beyond IT. Areas such as data classification will require legal counsel and finance departments will need to tackle the tax issues of benefits in kind and issuing cash allowances when users select their own devices or bring their own devices to work. Occasionally, consumerisation is driven by the HR department which has an interest in providing a modern, dynamic environment to attract the best talent in the industry.

• Provide implementation and development resources – Ensure you provide sufficient assistance to support and develop the delivery of applications and data across multiple platforms. This will affect the likely cost and timescales for the successful implementation of a consumerisation project. Be aware that adopting a consumerisation strategy or implementing a ‘bring your own’ device model will not cost the enterprise less. Invariably it will cost more and increase complexity and risk. If the only driver is cost reduction, you are almost certainly making a bad move.

• Pilot your solution and plan for continuous improvements – Use highly motivated volunteers who are keen to create a consumerisation strategy. Do not pilot just a single device because it is unlikely to suit all users. The programme should not be a way for particular users to get ‘cool stuff’. Roll out the programme to all employees or to those you have identified as most likely to benefit.

The consumerisation of IT is a very real trend that is being adopted by many organisations, particularly those going through a period of change. Positive outcomes may include employees who are more engaged, productive and creative and a powerful aid to recruitment. However it should not be viewed as a cost saving exercise and like any change management programme, strict governance and measurements must be put in place to gauge success.

Thanks

Richard