Editor’s Note: Welcome to our weekly Reality Check column. We’ve gathered a group of visionaries and veterans in the mobile industry to give their insights into the marketplace.
Can I bring my own device? That is the question that we, IT professionals and company board members, should answer. But before answering, we must be sure that our environment is correctly organized to support this new way of working.
It is not easy or possible to manage all of the many devices that hardware and software providers deliver every day. We can manage the way our information is used and accessed, but this could incur a lot of support and training costs.
What about security? Security is a big issue in this case, but the market already has many tools available that can help us manage security, and with strong mobility governance procedures, it is possible to guarantee almost 100% security. Obviously, we have some situations with social engineering, but we can handle this through increasing awareness.
There is no way back. It is really important to open our minds to the bring your own device (BYOD) trend. We must be technically prepared and open to this new way of working.
According to Gartner, Inc. the rise of BYOD programs is the single most radical shift in the economics of client computing for business since PCs invaded the workplace. Every business needs a clearly articulated position on BYOD, even when choosing not to allow it.
Providers, IT professionals and company boards must have open minds to drive business using this new concept, and IT Professionals must know how support it.
Can I bring my own device? The answer is yes.
Cibele Andrea de Godoy Fonseca is CIO at the Brazilian construction company Andrade Gutierrez.
