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Tablet computers are finding their way into
the enterprise, often by the back door. It is
assumed that IT managers oppose this trend
due to concerns about data and network
security. But what do they really think?
To find out Cisco surveyed 1,500 IT managers
and executives in the US, Canada, UK, France,
Germany and Spain. Here are some of their
findings.
Tablet Demand
Tablets vs. smartphones?
Globally, IT
departments report that employees are placing
one tablet request for every three
smartphone requests. Of the
countries surveyed, demand is
greatest in the US and France where
a tablet is requested by 21% of the
workforce. Senior executives are most
likely to be issued with a tablet in the
US (38%) and least likely to be issued
with one in the UK (27%).
Who’s most excited?
Spain tops
the list, with 90% of IT managers
believing the tablet will become more
popular in the next two years.
“Uber-connected sales guys”
Tablets
are significantly more prevalent
among salespeople in Germany (31%)
than in other countries (21% on
average).
Fears And Desires
Who’s most fearful?
The U.S., the country with
the most experience managing tablets, is also
most concerned about security: 75% of US IT
managers said new rules must be established
around security and device usage.
What apps should be available?
IT managers
agree that custom tablet applications would
benefit their business. But nearly half (48%)
say that access to company applications should
be restricted for all employees. Canada and the
UK were most eager to restrict access on tablet
form-factor devices (55% and 56%, respectively).
What are the essential features?
Three-
quarters of IT managers indicated email and
document sharing are ‘must haves’. About
half agreed or strongly agreed that the
following are desirable: video conferencing, IM,
access to company databases and seamless
synchronisation with other business devices.
BYOD
Turning a blind eye.
Globally, 48% said their
company would never authorise employees
to bring their own devices (BYOD), yet 57%
agreed that some employees use personal
devices without consent. Half
of respondents (51%) said the
number of employees bringing
their own devices to work is on
the rise. Using personal devices
without consent was highest
in the US (64%) and lowest in
Germany (49%).
Why does this matter?
Access to company servers was
highlighted as a ‘huge problem’
with the ‘bring your own device’
to work phenomena, as was
lost/stolen devices (cited by
64%). Globally, 44% say that
handling BYOD issues diverts IT
attention from other important
projects.
www.cisco.com
Aviva Risk Management Solutions
hopes to improve efficiency through
an ‘industry first’ digitisation trial
Aviva Risk Management Solutions is piloting
a new digitisation programme to streamline
its risk assessment processes. The SOLAR
PlayBook project – the first of its kind in the
industry – will see Aviva’s risk assessment
teams replace pen and paper assessment
processes with Blackberry PlayBooks pre-
loaded with a bespoke risk assessment
application.
Developed by Formicary Collaboration Group,
a leading provider of real-time team collaboration
solutions, and Float, a digital ideas company, the
programme aims to bring new efficiencies to
Aviva’s risk assessment teams, improve reporting
to underwriters and reduce customer resolution
times.
The SOLAR PlayBook App enables Aviva’s 120
risk advisers, who make technical risk assessments
of commercial premises across the UK, to process
the information on site, removing the need for
them to return to their desks before assessments
can be processed and leaving them free to move
on to the next customer.
In its specification, Aviva stipulated
that the app must be able to
operate on Aviva’s tablet of
choice, the Blackberry
PlayBook; work off-line
in commercial properties
where online connectivity
is not always available;
accommodate the entire assessment
process end-to-end and allow images to be
embedded in the report. It also needed to be easy
to use and attractive to risk assessors accustomed
to using paper-based reporting methods.
Aviva reviewed a number of solution providers
before selecting Formicary Collaboration Group
and Float to provide the content processing and
user interface elements of the app. Together they
created an intuitive app that makes it easy to
record survey data using forms consisting of text
entry, selectable options and sliders. Additional
options allow users to make free-form notes and
take photos that can be embedded in the final
report to underwriters.
Paul Heybourne, senior project manager with
Aviva, said: “By taking the time to understand how
our assessors operate, Formicary and Float have
created an app that will positively impact the
bottom line of Aviva’s risk assessment business.
It brings improved workload management to our
advisers, faster resolution times to our customers
and higher calibre reporting for our underwriters.”
The app is being piloted by a select number of
Aviva risk advisers ahead of a probable full roll-out
this year.
www.formicary.net
Tablets in the enterprise: A good thing or bad thing?
Aviva assesses risks of replacing pen and paper with tablets