Mobile technology has been ingrained in our personal lives for a while now and is gearing up to do the same in business. User demand for smartphone technology, along with rapid mobile device innovation, is driving the future of this end-user computing platform.
When used in business, mobile device mangement provides endless opportunities in the form of agility, innovation, and flexibility. Governments and agencies have already realized the benefits of a mobile workforce. Those that are mobile-ready report amazing results. In one study conducted, employees reported an additional three hours of productivity per week, which led to an overall increase of 61%. Remote communication increased by 49%, business continuity rose by 43%, and collaboration saw a 43% rise.
Making Mobility Work
There are several challenges that can impact a government’s ability to integrate mobile technology to meet mission requirements. Barriers can be both operational and technical in form that inhibit the ability to provide government information anytime, anywhere, on any device.
One crucial challenge of deploying a mobile government workforce is the technical limitations of smartphone and other brand devices. The phones and enterprise mobility solutions presently on the market can’t do everything that you require of them, and they can hinder a government’s ability to develop and enforce security and access policies that are necessary to implement mobile capabilities that fit their unique needs.
Legacy applications can also hinder a mobile workforce, making their jobs harder. These applications are often so old and outdated that they aren’t compatible with new mobile technology. Because of this incompatibility, many mobile platforms are not able to access legacy applications, which hinders employee access to data and the overall transition to mobility.
Network connectivity can be an issue, too. When a government goes mobile, it needs to have enough wireless data, along with wireless infrastructure, for mobile to work. A lack of adequate wireless data through Wi-Fi or cellular will cause problems for employees relying on mobile applications.
Related: 7 Day Assessment: Free Insight into Your Network and IT Security
Improper Security Limits Mobility
When it provides strong user authentication, encryption protection for sensitive application and data, and access control, security can enable mobile computing. With that being said, government bodies must determine which information is of a sensitive nature and then align it with appropriate security controls that will safeguard it from unauthorized access.
Security can also be a short-term barrier, though, to efficient enterprise mobility management. There are sometimes limited options for strong authentication and data encryption, which a government body must have. Security must also adapt to evolving mobile technology. As this advancement continues with new iPhones and other devices, standards and processes must evolve alongside them, giving government users access to premium mobile devices that meet their mission needs without sacrificing security and privacy. Secure services are a must for mobile.
Mobile is great when governments do it right, but when it’s not, employees and missions suffer. For a mobile government body to work properly, technical limitations must be overcome, data needs to be abundant, and security needs to be tight.
