Emerging technologies are changing the dynamics of project team leadership and communication. And the way people have begun using mobile platforms is presenting some challenges.
Prior to 2006, mobility had a very narrow landscape. Organizations that allowed their work force to have cell phones were usually restricted to one carrier, platform and equipment model. The majority of these phones were used for e-mail and conversations.
Fast-forward to January 9, 2007 and the introduction of the iPhone, which introduced users to a world of new mobile capabilities.
While users immediately wanted to start using the iPhone at work, IT, security and cost issues made it impossible for many to do so. And to compound the problem, additional devices continued to appear with exciting, productive new features.
Over the last few years, many organizations have caught on and begun to take advantage of these mobile work force capabilities. Such resources have introduced many intriguing possibilities for project managers as well.
But this also means that now project teams are working across multiple platforms with unique requirements and configurations, which can cause performance and compatibility issues.
Some organizations are taking such steps as implementing mobile application program interface (API) layers in their infrastructure, referred to as "Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms" (MEAPs). They allow users to run software shells on their devices and overcome platform differences while providing access to disparate tools.
Other organizations have simply decided to continue to limit their work force to one standard device, choosing to take advantage of some new device capabilities and sacrifice others. Because this challenge is in its infancy, we've yet to see a solution.
Can all of your mobile project team members effectively interact with conflicting mobile platforms? If not, do you have a plan to mitigate this? How is this situation affecting your project team?
Prior to 2006, mobility had a very narrow landscape. Organizations that allowed their work force to have cell phones were usually restricted to one carrier, platform and equipment model. The majority of these phones were used for e-mail and conversations.
Fast-forward to January 9, 2007 and the introduction of the iPhone, which introduced users to a world of new mobile capabilities.
While users immediately wanted to start using the iPhone at work, IT, security and cost issues made it impossible for many to do so. And to compound the problem, additional devices continued to appear with exciting, productive new features.
Over the last few years, many organizations have caught on and begun to take advantage of these mobile work force capabilities. Such resources have introduced many intriguing possibilities for project managers as well.
But this also means that now project teams are working across multiple platforms with unique requirements and configurations, which can cause performance and compatibility issues.
Some organizations are taking such steps as implementing mobile application program interface (API) layers in their infrastructure, referred to as "Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms" (MEAPs). They allow users to run software shells on their devices and overcome platform differences while providing access to disparate tools.
Other organizations have simply decided to continue to limit their work force to one standard device, choosing to take advantage of some new device capabilities and sacrifice others. Because this challenge is in its infancy, we've yet to see a solution.
Can all of your mobile project team members effectively interact with conflicting mobile platforms? If not, do you have a plan to mitigate this? How is this situation affecting your project team?
Hi. i'm going to project manage a double height building extension. I have android phone. What app would you recommend for creating and managing a plan?
Regards
Joan
Of late I had been managing projects for an organization that provides a platform to deploy VAS (Virtual Aviation Suite) to mobile industry.
It's a torrent of requirements and change requests from all directions. Requirement management, configuration management, risk Management and traceability are the most pitched areas, where lot of time needs to be invested. All of this with lots of maturity and attention to detail.
Working across platforms is easy if you approach it like Corecon, a web-based suite of software for estimating, project management, job cost control, and scheduling. They are 100 percent in the cloud, so rather than writing apps for every smart phone or mobile device, you just login through the mobile login site.
To see videos on various platforms you can view my blog post: "Project Managers go mobile": http://carolhagen.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/construction-project-managers-go-mobile/