Businesses scared of consumer technologies

Stan Beer
Monday, 08 May 2006 19:18

IT Industry - Market

Businesses should embrace consumer-oriented technology rather than shun it or risk losing competitive advantage. This is the view arising out of new research from Gartner.

Between 2007 and 2012, the majority of new information technologies that enterprises adopt will have their roots in the consumer market, according to Gartner. Today, a growing number of important technologies are trickling up from consumer markets to enterprises as part of a trend Gartner calls the “consumerisation of IT.” Many technologies that were initially introduced and accepted in consumer markets include examples such as instant messaging (IM), “free” applications such as desktop search, and the Internet itself. 

The consumersation of IT refers to the impact that technologies, products and approaches adopted by consumers, or designed for consumer use, have on the rest of the IT world (developers, technology providers and enterprises).

"An example of this trend is that more and more businesses are starting to use Apple's iTunes and the iPod as a distribution method for video and audio information, training or entertainment for customers and staff," said Robin Simpson, research director, mobile & wireless, Gartner Australia.

“For example, (Melbourne-based) Deakin University announced last week that it is using these technologies for making lecture recordings available to both off-campus and on-campus students. Salesforce.com is using similar methods for training and promotional information, and the Macquarie Radio Network is now producing a range of video podcasts to broaden their audience beyond the traditional radio listener - and as a way of gaining experience, preparing for the launch of digital radio in Australia."

According to David Smith, vice president and Gartner fellow, consumer-oriented technology will continue to pave the way for the most-significant IT tools. “A primary agent of this phenomenon is the second Internet revolution in which the Internet serves as a proving ground for new technologies. The Internet’s ease of use has made people view technology differently, with less hesitancy.

“This trend is heightened by the convergence of computing and the Internet with traditional areas of consumer technology for entertainment, such as TV and music,” Mr Smith said. “All these shifts mean that consumers are more techno-literate and demanding and even less willing to be limited by what IT provides.”

Gartner believes businesses should accept consumer-oriented technologies by:

·                     Assuming it will find its way into your enterprise, whether you want it to or not. You shouldn’t ban it, and you can’t pretend it’s not there. Just as you wouldn’t ban telephones as a business tool from your organisation based on employees making a few personal calls, you shouldn’t eliminate a potentially productive tool such as IM out of fear that your employees will abuse it by occasionally sending out personal messages.

·                     Experimenting with the latest consumer technologies to determine ways your enterprise can take advantage of them. Create experimentation zones where IT staff and other users can become familiar with consumer technology and identify applications where the technology can improve collaboration, communication and efficiency or other aspects of enterprise performance. Look for ways in which consumer IT can save money in technology investment and provide benefits in unexpected areas, such as employee productivity, creativity and satisfaction.

·                     Making sure you secure pathways opened by consumer technology by architecting your enterprise network system for more than internal needs alone. Assume that malicious intentions exist in this wider realm and treat all access as if it were potentially hostile.

“Businesses need to recognise that the consumerisation of IT trend will continue to gain momentum. It isn’t a fad that’s going to go away next year,” Mr Smith said. “Exploit, manage and benefit from the consumerisation of IT with education and a realistic and pragmatic approach. Don’t try to stop it — you will fail.”