Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

13 Key Steps to a Successful Mobile Application Development Project

Companies now days are looking for ways to do more with less. Many recognize that their mobile workforce is being managed inefficiently and extending business process automation to mobile field workers is becoming a priority. Saving fuel, reducing paper, reducing administration work load, more efficient dispatches are all important.

The following 13 points identify how you can get started automating and mobilizing these business processes.

Step 1 – Understand the ROI/Scope of the Project and Plan Ahead

“What’s the number one reason a mobile project fails?” is a common question we get asked. The answers are that many companies don’t put enough upfront thought into defining the requirements, scheduling testing resources and planning a deployment strategy. The results of these deficiencies are project scope creep, cost overruns, missed deadlines, poor user acceptance and sometimes even complete project failure.

Step 2 – Build a Team of Stakeholders

Make sure the members of your team have the right roles and responsibilities to help the project succeed. Mobile solutions usually tie into other corporate IT assets and business processes, therefore impacted members of your IT department and business units need to be on the project team.

In addition, a representative mobile field worker(s) should be included on the project team to provide valuable “real-world” insight. Don't forget the folks running the IT helpdesk. They are likely to get called when the mobile handheld PDA runs out of battery, memory or needs repaired or replaced.

Step 3 – Select a Partner That Specializes in Mobility Solutions

Performing successful data synchronization from mobile computing devices can be a challenging and complex task. There are many variables that can affect the results of synchronization. To insure you get your solution done correctly the first time, you need experienced experts in mobile technology. You need technologists who specialize in the design, development, deployment and support of enterprise mobile solutions.

Step 4 – Know Your Target Users

During the planning and scoping phase of your mobile project, take time to experience the working environment of your mobile workers and observe the business processes in action. Pay specific attention to how information is collected and exchanged between the office and the mobile workers. These observations can significantly impact the design, development and deployment of a successful project!

Step 5 - Evaluate the user environment

How do moist, cold and dirty environments impact the mobile devices? How does low light or bright sunlight affect visibility of the screen? Can workers read the small text on the PDA screen, or does the text need to be larger?

Step 6 – Don’t Underestimate the Complexity of Synchronizing Field Data

Step 7- Understand the technical challenges and issues

One of the biggest mistakes a project planner or IT department can make is to underestimate how complex data synchronization can be. Part of designing a solid and reliable mobile solution is to select robust synchronization middleware and to spend time designing and testing the data synchronization. Without the right middleware and design your end users could encounter issues such as extra long sync times (hours, not minutes), duplicate records, incomplete data, lost data and even database corruption. Every one of these issues will trickle down to your support department, so designing it right the first time is very important.

Step 8 – Build in Phases

Most successful projects involve a series of phased implementations. Each phase can be developed, tested and implemented in an orderly manner. Once a phase is deployed and proven, additional phases can be layered on top that include more features and added complexity. Remember, the more data requirements that you add the more data you must synchronize, and the longer each synchronization session will take. Only synchronize data that your remote users require in the field. In addition, most mobile devices don’t have the same CPU power or memory as a PC/laptop, so be aware of how the performance of your solution will be affected by a smaller, lower powered device.

Step 9 – Evaluate Your Hardware and Connectivity Needs

The term “mobile devices” can have many different interpretations. Today, laptops, Tablet PC’s, UMPCs, PDAs and Smart phones are all identified with this term. When determining the best mobile device for your project you will want to consider screen size, data storage capacity, security, physical working environment, required hardware accessories such as barcode scanners, GPS, digital cameras, RFID, and the ability to upgrade the device with updated hardware and software components.How do you connect your mobile device to your enterprise database applications? You have many options including cradle, WiFi, satellite, Bluetooth, wireless, dial-up modems and satellite uplinks to name a few. The method(s) you choose will be affected by how often your mobile workers need to send/receive data. How much data will be transmitted and will they always have connectivity. Study each option, your working environment and consult your mobility partner to make the best selections.

Step 10 – Deploy to a Limited Focus Group, Evaluate and Improve

Once you have completed version 1 of your mobile solution and you are ready to deploy in the real world, roll out your solution to a small group of trusted and motivated users. Define a specific period of time to evaluate the solution, document the results and identify any required changes and improvements. The result of this evaluation should be an improved mobile solution that is ready for wide deployment.

Step 11 – Set and Enforce Hardware and Security Policies

Mobile devices are small computers with the ability to store sensitive corporate data, communicate this data over the Internet and even catch viruses. You must clearly communicate how mobile devices are to be used and for what purpose. Establish and publish guidelines for using mobile devices.

Step 12 – Provide Full Support for Mobile Users

Mobile devices are guaranteed to break. What is your plan for keeping a mobile worker productive and communicating business critical information when their mobile device ceases to function or gets misplaced? These are inevitable issues that are best planned for in advance. Have a plan and a documented back up process.

Step 13 - Select a technology partner that understands your business applications and ERP

I f you use SAP, make sure that the mobile technology partner you select is also an expert in SAP mobile.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com
***********************************************

Mobile Applications and 69 Enterprise Support Questions

Often the focus of a mobile software project is on gathering the functional requirements, designing, developing and deploying the mobile solution, but little or no advanced planning is given to the question of how to support it once it is deployed. The following list contains many of the questions your IT helpdesk and support department will want and need to know:

Who does the field worker call if there is a mobile device problem?
Who does the field worker call if their mobile application is not synchronizing correctly?
Who trains new employees on how to use the mobile device and application?
If there is a mobile software problem, who fixes it - IT, consultant, contractor, your systems integrator or VAR? How do you get in contact with them?
Who does the field worker call if the mobile application needs edited or upgraded?
If the user downloads a new version of the mobile operating system and the mobile application doesn't work, who will fix it?
How do you prevent mobile users from downloading new software applications that might break the system?
How do you back-up mobile devices so the information is centralized?
Who owns and defines the business process you have mobilized? They may need to approve any changes to the business process.
Who controls the security of the device?
How do you set-up a new user to securely access the enterprise database?
What kinds of security rules must the field user follow?
Do different users have different security profiles?
Is there a standard set of security rules for mobile devices across the enterprise?
Who controls access to the enterprise database application (a DBA)?
Will the Database Administrator allow you to synchronize data directly to their enterprise database application, or do they want a "staging database" or API layer to review all data before it is loaded to the enteprise database application. They will likely be involved in any future changes to the mobile application.
Are synchronizations done in real-time, near-real-time, or batch on a schedule?
Does one mobile device have multiple synchronizing applications? Are they on different schedules or do they synchronize at the same time?
How many different enterprise database applications are synchronizing with a mobile device? If there is a sync problem, how do you know what database applications may be impacted?
If you hire an additional field worker, how do you order an additional mobile device? Whose budget covers this? Who is the vendor? What support plan or insurance plan should be included?
Who decides if the new mobile device needs to be ruggedized or a consumer grade? What level of ruggedness is required for the specific user?
Do different job functions require different devices, carriers and wireless data service plans?
Who decides what brand of mobile devices are going to be the company standard?
Where do you purchase your mobile devices if one breaks or you need to add one to your inventory? Do you have a corporate discount or volume discount agreement?
How do you manage and control the variable costs of using a data plan from a local wireless carrier? What happens if the costs of the data services gets out of control? Who pays for it?
Are the mobile devices or the mobile software solutions under warranty? Where are these contracts stored? Who owns them?
Is there a yearly support contract IT needs to know about? How much? Whose budget?
What is the account number the warranty is under?
How do you set-up a new data plan for a new user with your wireless carrier? Who does that in the company? What is the account number so you can add subscribers? Whose budget pays for it?
What happens when Microsoft releases a new Windows Mobile operating system and you can only purchase mobile devices with the new OS on them? Who is going to upgrade your mobile software solutions so they work with the new OS?
What happens when the field engineer treks across 2 miles of muddy field to work at a construction site, but the battery on his handheld computer dies about 10 minutes after he gets there? What is the backup battery plan?
What happens when text messages, photos, videos, music, and games claim all the memory on the rugged PDA and the Construction application becomes either too slow or unreliable because of low memory?
How do you know when your mobile workers are synchronizing the latest information? You don't want mobile workers going days without synchronizing their device.
When you send an updated software application to your mobile workers, how do you know who is using the new application and who is still on the old?
How do you disable synchronization on a lost or stolen mobile device?
How do you kill and/or protect your data on the mobile device if it is lost or stolen?
How do you keep track of which workers are using which mobile devices? If there is an operating system update, or firmware update, how do you know who needs it?
What is the process for bringing mobile handhelds into the IT department for repairs and upgrades? Is there a central location, or should various locations be scheduled on specific dates.
If you are taking care of many different mobile field workers and many different mobile devices with a variety of operating systems, wireless carriers and screen sizes, how do you track who gets what?
If you have a project manager that requires visibility to more data than other workers, how do you manage different views on the handheld computer?
Some mobile projects require different levels of security, for different levels of data visibility. How would you manage and track that?
Will your company standardize on 1 mobile operating systems or several (Blackberry, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Palm, Android, iPhone, etc)
Some applications require barcode, RFID, GPS, digital camera and other specialized data collection accessories, while others don't. How does the IT Helpdesk track the brand, version and other details of these accessories?
If a dump truck backs over your supervisor's $1800 ruggedized computer and crushes it into hundreds of unidentifiable pieces, how do you get a replacement out to the supervisor with the exact application and data that is required as quickly as possible?
If a mobile device needs repaired - what is the process for keeping your field workers operating without it? Do you have a stock of spare mobile devices?
Does your mobile device reseller have a replacement program?
How do you deploy new mobile applications to your 1,300 mobile device users? Must they bring all their devices back to the IT department, or can you publish new applications directly to the handheld computer?
How do you support the mobile device, when the user has limited computer knowledge and is sitting on the top of a utility pole? What tools can the IT Helpdesk use to remotely help and diagnose problems?
How do you recognize a defective mobile device that is being shared by 12 different mobile workers? Do you have a method of identifying which problems are being reported on a particular device or are you logging support calls only by users?
What is your process for dispatching work orders to service technicians when they are disconnected or out of range of cellular and wireless networks? A process needs to be defined.
What is your synchronization plan for each mobile worker? Can they sync in the morning and evening at their office desk, or do they need to sync every 5 minutes or in real-time?
What is the synchronization plan for a service technician that rarely has wireless network access? Does it justify a satellite up-link? (Sears Service Technicians use both)
How do you know when information was successfully synchronized with a mobile device in the field? Can you see and determine the success of the synchronization from the IT Helpdesk?
What is an acceptable synchronization time? Is it 20 seconds, 2 minutes, 20 minutes? Does the IT Helpdesk know what times are acceptable so they can consider this when configuring a new user?
Does all data need to be synchronized in real-time, or only some. Product catalogs are an example of updates that may only be needed weekly or monthly?
How much data can be synchronized in a given period of time on the chosen connectivity option? Is that an acceptable speed for the task at hand?
Who determines the hardware requirements that support the mobile application and desired synchronization speeds?
When a new mobile software application is developed, who tests its operating speed on different devices, processors, memory levels and connectivity options to determine what is acceptable and what is not?
When you are updating or reconfiguring an enterprise database, how do you know what mobile applications and mobile users will be impacted by these changes? How do you manage this update process?
How does the IT Helpdesk know which one of the 17 mobile applications on the handheld computer is having a synchronization problem?
If you are supporting 174 work crews and their mobile devices around the globe, how do you know where they are located, and who is responsible for them?
How does the IT Helpdesk know if a mobile device is using a cradle, modem, bluetooth, wireless, USB, satellite or Cellular connection to synchronize? The IT Helpdesk really wants to know before they begin working on the issue.
What wireless carrier, technology and through-put speed is the mobile device using? Is it GPRS, GSM, CDMA, Edge or some other network configuration?
Do you need to stagger the synchronization times? One of my clients had a problem with 300 mobile workers downloading large product catalogs all at the same time each month -the first Monday of the month. This caused a bottleneck and slow downloading times.
What do you do with old and retired mobile handheld devices? Companies like Ryzex buy back old handheld mobile devices and recycle them.
What rugged or semi-rugged cases are required to protect the mobile device?
What add on assessories are supported on the mobile device? Ear pieces, GPS, add-on RFID, barcode scanners? Who supports these and where do you order replacements?
Does the same mobile software application work on rugged mobile handhelds and on mobile consumer devices?
What employees and roles get the different levels of rugged devices?
Do you have a corporate account with a mobile device reseller that will repair all of the different mobile devices or do you work with many different vendors with different support and warranty plans.

All of these questions are very important and need to be answered upfront. If you would like to discuss this subject in more detail please email me.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com
***********************************************

Advice for Mobile Start-ups and Mobile Developers

There are a lot of business and technical issues to consider and points to ponder if you are developing a mobile software application to use internally or to sell, or are creating a start-up mobile software company. I have a lot of personal experience in this area and have documented much of it in over 475 blog articles on this site.

To save the reader time searching through the entire blog library, I have collected a few of the articles especially relevant to those starting new mobile application projects and new mobile start-ups.

The following link goes to a another blog article that lists many additional resources for mobile start-ups - Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software Application Resources

If you would like to discuss any of these subjects in more detail, please email me.

***Note, readers can search on specific mobile subjects within these 450 plus articles by using the Blog Search function at the top of the page.
***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Mobile Software Application ROIs for Mobile Service Businesses

The ROI (return on investment), in this context, is the term used to describe the value of a mobile software solution relative to the expense of designing, developing and deploying it. If a mobile solution cost $145,000, how do you justify the investment? Management needs to see that their investment will provide a quick and positive return. The following list contains some of the most common justifications for mobilizing business processes:

Eliminate time spent in the office re-typing data collected in the field: Enable field service technicians to synchronize information directly with the office database.
Eliminate time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets or work orders. Both the time of the dispatcher and the time of the service technician: Dispatch electronic service tickets direct from your work order management system in the office with the mobile device of your service technician.
Save time finding each work location: Send driving directions, or links, in the electronic work order that work with the GPS and mapping software in the mobile device.
Avoid the high fuel costs incurred delivering paperwork to the office and picking it up: Synchronize the data direct from the field to the central database application.
Avoid the time cost transporting paperwork from the field to the office: Synchronize the data collected from the field with the push of a button.
Save time and provide better customer service by providing real-time access to enterprise parts, orders, and inventory data while in the field: Enable mobile access to customer history, product documentation, warranty information, inventory information, time sheets, work schedules and much more.
Save time with field data collection by using barcode scanners and barcode labels, or RFID readers and RFID tags on assets: A quick scan with a handheld computer can automatically display all stored information related to the asset for quick review, edits and additions.
Save time and reduce admin costs by creating and scheduling new service tickets direct from the field:
Provide immediate invoicing for faster collections and better cash management: Allow field tech to print the invoice on a mobile printer at the job site.
Save time and postage costs: Print the invoice and leave it with the customer at the job site, rather than wait and bill later from the office.
Document proof of work completed to reduce invoice disputes: Leave a GPS audit trail of where work was performed and include a time and date stamp. Digital photo evidence of before and after work is also useful.
Reduce the introduction of errors: Paper based systems are inherently slow and error prone due to human interaction, copying and re-typing. The more human hands that touch a paper form and add or edit data, the more chances that errors can be introduced to the data which will cause invoice disputes, inaccurate records and confusion.
Reduce administrative costs by ensuring complete data is sent from the field, as incomplete or inaccurate field data can take hours of work to track down and correct: Send data from the field and ensure it is complete with data integrity features on the mobile handheld computers and rugged PDAs.
Reduce administrative costs by avoiding errors and misinterpretations due to poor or misread handwriting: Create electronic forms with pre-made options, check boxes and lists, and by using onscreen digital keyboards.
Reduce administrative costs by ensuring the accuracy of data: Validate answers in the mobile software application on the handheld PDA.
Reduce time on the phone and dangerous note taking while driving: Push documents directly from the office to the handheld.
Save time and fuel by providing electronic dispatch and least cost routing: Use vehicle and/or handheld GPS tracking to view your workforce locations. Handheld computers with GPS functionality can integrate with GIS and display the location of the field worker to help managers better organize service responses.
Save time by developing computation and analysis features on the rugged handheld in the field: Programmed analytics can help field users make quicker and more accurate decisions and job estimates.
Save time in the field by automating business processes in the mobile software: Mobile application can be configured to perform all kinds of automated business functions, queries, computations and analytics.
Enforce quality work habits: Automate “best practices” into your mobile software application and provide visibility to managers.
Automate quality and best practices - Activate the appropriate business process based upon the data entered: A specific answer can trigger the required business process.
Reduce inventory loss - Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time: Enforce real time data entry before clock out or work order completion.
Improve job estimates: Require clock in and clock out on work to document and analyze the accuracy of work estimates.
Improve technician training: Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips in the handheld computer application.
Reduce disputes by documenting deliveries and work with digital signatures, date and time stamps and barcode scanners on the handheld computer.
Save travel time and fuel cost: Query available inventory in nearby company vehicles.
Increase profit per customer: Use information on handheld computers to up-sell more products and services while onsite with the customer.
Provider quicker and more accurate estimates: Query latest shipping status, schedules or inventory levels via handheld computers while onsite with customer.
Increase warranty revenues: Include updated customer information on the handheld computer so the service technician can sell warranty and maintenance plans, new products and upgrades.

These are just some of the common areas where enterprise mobile applications have been found to provide significant value. The issues and costs of designing, developing and deploying the mobile software applications and handheld computers are discussed more in this article.

If you would like to discuss this subject in more detail please email me.
***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Mobile Software SDKs and Toolkits for Handheld PDAs and Smart Phones

In the recent article by Peter Wayner of InfoWorld called iPhone development tools that work the way you do, he describes the value of using a mobile application SDK or framework. He lists 4 new toolkits to help mobile application developers develop applications faster for use on handheld PDAs and Smart phones. This is a market in which I am intimately familiar.

The challenge with the market for mobile application frameworks and SDKs is that very few developers want to spend money on an SDK from a small vendor, and even fewer companies want SDKs or are willing to fund long term custom development and support projects internally. Companies want a finished product that works with their ERPs, database and accounting applications. They don't want to invest in a non-standard mobile framework. They want mobile extensions to their enterprise applications. SAP is addressing this with their NetWeaver based mobile infrastructure. This provides SAP users with a standardized method for extending their applications out to mobile devices, but it does not address how to develop the mobile application code. This theoretically creates an opportunity for mobile SDK vendors.

Appforge and Dexterra are two very BIG examples of how challenging it is to be a successful vendor of mobile application frameworks and SDKs. It is yet to be proven that there can be a successful business model as the author of these mobile application frameworks, unless you are a giant like Microsoft or Apple. Dexterra bet the house that Microsoft would acquire them and they lost.

Now, it is true that to make these finished mobile software applications, there is a need for powerful mobile SDKs, but these SDKs are very costly to development and there is yet to be a good and proven business model for small independent vendors of such.

Some vendors of mobile application frameworks want to sell you a toolkit and then charge you a license fee for every mobile device you deploy on. This is not a good model, unless the application is an off-the-shelf mobile application. It makes sense to pay for syncing technology and mobile databases, but a per deployment model for code that you create is hard to swallow.

The biggest challenge vendors of mobile application frameworks and mobile SDKs face is getting the economies of scale that all software companies seek. Who is the real market? Developers? They seek to work in the sexy high profile technologies from the big name companies so they can pad their resumes. They do not want to take a chance on learning an SDK from a very small company that no one knows and they are unlikely able to leverage in the future. They may use an SDK to deliver their cool mobile application, but there is simply not enough of these developers willing to buy your SDK for significant amounts of money to be profitable.

Does the IT department in a company want to buy your SDK, a few but not enough to build a profitable long term software business as an SDK vendor. Again, companies will always seek a finished mobile application that extends their internal IT investment. If SAP has a mobile framework, they want that. If SAP didn't have the mobile extension, then the company would want a finished mobile application that is already integrated with SAP.

In summary, there are many examples of companies developing very cool mobile SDKs and mobile frameworks, but very few with successful business models. Companies want to extend internal applications with mobile extensions developed by the owner of their internal applications. In the event there are no mobile extensions from their key vendor, then they want a finished mobile application that is pre-integrated with their ERP or back-office applications. SDKs are cool, but a successful business model remains elusive.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Hosted or Non-hosted Mobile Software Applications for Handheld PDAs and Smart Phones

Many companies have asked whether a hosted or non-hosted enterprise mobile software application would be best for them. The answer may be best determined by the following questions:

Is the enterprise software application in the office that you want to communicate with, via mobile handhelds, an off-the-shelf application like SAP, SAGE, MS Dynamics or Quickbooks?
Is the mobile software application simply a mobile front end (GUI) to the back-office application? Does it do basically the same thing you would do on the office application, but in a mobile environment?

If the answer is NO to any of the above, then you are into a custom development environment that is difficult to support in a hosted model. Companies that host applications need volume and reusability. Custom projects may be uploaded to a hosted data center, but there is no business case for the software vendor/developer to pursue this as a business model. However, if the mobile software application is custom, but the database application that it synchronizes with is sold as an off-the-shelf application, then there may be a business case.

Here is a real life scenario. SAP ERP does not handle work orders or service tickets well if they are not associated with a pre-approved purchase order. This is a problem in the oil fields as contractors and service technicians are often called to perform unanticipated work to fix or repair items. Since SAP does not like to receive unexpected invoices, Field Service software vendors have responded to this need by developing applications that convert these unexpected invoices into acceptable SAP formats that are integrated with SAP using standard integrations. These same vendors have created mobile work order applications that synchronize with their work order management systems. They have a standardized model that can be sold in a hosted environment.

Since the work order management application was an off-the-shelf software package, with a standardized integration to SAP, it could be offered in a hosted environment with a good business model.

If the work order management system was custom, and the back-office application or ERP was custom, then the mobile software application would need to be custom and there is no efficiencies in this scenario for a hosted solution.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Technology Blogger Kevin Benedict Receives Top Contributor Award from SAP

Boise, ID (OPENPRESS) August 21, 2009 -- It was announced today that prolific technology blogger, Kevin Benedict was awarded the rank of Top Contributor by SAP SCN. This award was for the "contest year" which ran from August 1st to July 31st and was based on the participants rank within one of the specific categories on the SAP Community Network (forums, blogs, wikis, eLearning, downloads, etc.).

As a result of this award, Benedict joins a select group of alumnus in the greatest contributors "Community Hall of Fame" which includes a dedicated "wiki profile" on SAP's SCN. In addition, Benedict is invited to join the "Top Contributor" forum, a place for alumni to provide feedback and suggestions for making SCN a better and stronger community.

Benedict will also be receiving the "Top Contributor Quarterly" a newsletter reserved for Top Contributors that will provide advanced notices of new technologies and programs.

As a Top Contributor, Benedict has also been invited to SAP TechEd Phoenix and Vienna, and to attend an invitation-only get-together for SAP TechEd Speakers, SAP Mentors, SAP Community Top Contributors, Bloggers, SAP Executives and ASUG Leadership.

Benedict has also been invited, as a member of a select group of technical gurus and business process thought leaders at SAP TechEd, to host a meeting at the Experts Networking Lounge in Phoenix & Vienna. He will also be awarded preferred seating in the Keynote Theater and recognition onstage during the popular Demo Jam.

Benedict is an industry thought leader in the areas of EDI, B2B, mobile computing and business process automation and maintains a popular enterprise technology blog at http://b2b-bpo.blogspot.com. He is the Business Development and SAP Relationship Manager at Crossgate, an SAP-centric and SAP co-owned EDI and B2B exchange. Benedict works closely with SAP customers and SAP sales teams to architect world class EDI and B2B strategies.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Rugged iPhone Cases for Mobile Workers

The iPhone is a beautiful mobile device. The recent software announcement by TomTom turns the iPhone into a turn-by-turn navigational device. Barcode software that utilizes the camera in the iPhone converts it into a barcode reader. Mobile software applications are being uploaded to iTunes weekly for the iPhone that provide companies with an increasing number of business applications. However, none of these cool software applications help the iPhone survive in the rugged outdoor working environment.

Last week I went into a store that specializes in Apple products. It is the closest thing to an Apple store that we have in downtown Boise. On the rack I saw a ruggedized case for an iPhone from Otterbox. I got excited!

I have been working with Otterbox cases for years in the context of PDAs and mobile handhelds and have always very impressed with how they can engineer rugged cases so precisely. Most are water resistance, padded and dust proof. These are all great steps in the right direction. The Otterbox case provides a flexible soft plastic screen to protect the iPhone but still allows the touch screen to work well.

If you can't leave home without your iPhone, but you either work in rugged locations or enjoy rugged outdoor activities, you may want to make the investment to protect your precious.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

TomTom and the iPhone Turn by Turn Navigation Application

Today, TomTom announced the released, to Apple's iTunes online mobile application store, of a $100 iPhone software application that provides turn by turn voice navigation for iPhones using OS 3.0.

The car kit will be available to order later this month and will include a charger and add hands-free calling to the iPhone.

This is significant. The iPhone operating system and the iPhone itself are powerful enough to run applications which in the past were reserved for specialized GPS devices. This is one of those Tipping Point moments where entire industries (dedicated GPS devices) can be impacted.

In the past I have written about the convergence of different applications and mobile devices. This is another giant leap forward in this area.

It is also very interesting to me that a company, TomTom, that manufacturers dedicated GPS devices had the courage to release a software application to a convergent device like the iPhone that is bound to take business away from their dedicated GPS device area. This shows courage and I commend the executive team willing to make this bold step to face the inevitable.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com
***********************************************

SAP and Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service

The following press release was issued today concerning Redwood Software's announcement of a mobile application for IT staff to receive and respond to real time alert notifications on their mobile devices. This software application works with SAP and other ERP systems. This announcement follows an earlier one that is stated to be the first iPhone business application for enterprise process automation. I am a strong believer that the future of enterprise mobile applications must include a business process automation component as discussed in this article.

MORRISVILLE, NC -- 08/17/09 -- Redwood Software, an industry leader in delivering enterprise and mobile software, today announced immediate availability of the Cronacle Mobile(TM) Alerting Service for the iPhone(TM) and iPod® touch. The Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service enables IT staff to receive and respond to alert notifications in real time on their mobile device. With Redwood's new service, customers' IT departments using SAP® solutions gain unprecedented portability, visibility and control of business processes and the enterprise systems that underlie them.

Today's announcement of the Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service follows Redwood's recent launch of Cronacle Mobile, the first iPhone business application for enterprise process automation and job scheduling. The Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service extends the capabilities of Cronacle Mobile by taking advantage of the new Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) to deliver time-critical system information immediately to the iPhone or iPod touch.

"We are very excited to deliver a solution to our customers that is as mobile as they want or need to be," says Tijl Vuyk, CEO and president of Redwood Software. "With our new alerting service we extend our mobile platform so customers can monitor their systems, and receive real-time notifications wherever they are and whenever issues require their attention."

Cronacle Mobile Alerting extends the benefits of mobility and remote management to any back-end systems which run Redwood's industry leading process automation and job scheduling solutions, including Redwood Cronacle® and the SAP Central Process Scheduling application by Redwood. All SAP and Redwood customers can use Cronacle Mobile Alerting to manage their entire enterprise landscape, including both SAP and non-SAP applications.
***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com
***********************************************

Mobile Workflows in the Field, SAP and Other ERPs

The way business processes are designed, implemented and standardized within a company can often mean the difference between success and failure. If often takes years of trial and error, and sometimes flashes of brilliance to come up with just the right business process that will mean success and competitive advantages.

Once the perfect business process is proven it needs to be implemented and automated. Why automated? Because humans are forgetful and have even been known to be from time to time lazy. They want to cut corners and avoid that which is tiresome. Automation enforces and manages the perfect business process.

For years software vendors and ERP developers like SAP have developed applications that help design workflows and workflow engines to run them. These provide the technology infrastructure within the enterprise to automate these business processes and to ensure they are followed, however, once an employee exits the building and drives away in a company van to perform a task remotely, the automated business process breaks down. Suddenly, the business processes that you have spent years perfecting are useless. The employee has broken the "connection" and walked out the door to freedom.

Even today, most mobile field service workers leave the building with a clipboard and a stack of paper service tickets or work orders. How they perform their work, in what order and the processes they utilize in the field are now unsupervised and up for interpretation. The field service technicians often don't much care for the business processes designed by the teams of MBAs in suits at the office. They have their own preferences and opinions about how things should be done, and in remote jobsites who is going to argue?

Many large companies have up to 40% of their employees working remotely and/or in the field on jobsites. How can the SAP or other ERP Business Process Expert design and implement business processes that can be utilized and enforced in mobile and remote locations? This is a challenge worth resolving.

Think about it, a company pays tens of millions of dollars implementing SAP internally and designing business processes and workflows to operate their enterprise. Yet for many services based businesses the money is earned outside the office at remote locations. The location where the customer interaction takes place and where the money is made is often devoid of best in class business process automation.

Mobile applications that need to synchronize with ERPs, should implement mobile workflow support. This requires a client server architecture whereby the mobile client software understands that a workflow or event manager is associated with a particular process and the server also understands that it is both producing and consuming data with the mobile device that is part of an event or workflow. Let me provide a scenario.

A service technician has a ruggded PDA or other mobile device on his belt. He receives an alert that he needs to be dispatched to a jobsite. This initiates a business process with a workflow associated with it. A series of tasks that make up the dispatch and completion of a service ticket are now initiated. The tasks may include:

Dispatch receives a service call

This initiates a series of tasks including estimating the availability and analyzing the location of all service technicians in the area.

Once the nearest available service technician is identified a service dispatch can be sent

Service technician confirms availability and accepts the job

Least cost and fastest routing information is sent

Service technician arrives at the jobsite and pushes a button on his mobile device annoucing his arrival.

Arrival message synchronizes with the server workflow or event manager notifying dispatch of his location on site.

The workflow may include an inspection, detailed findings, proposed solution, repair and collection of the fee

Any parts needed will be automatically deducted from the service vehicle's inventory

The workflow can also include sales and marketing activities such as promoting an Annual Service plan or equipment upgrade to the customer

The repair is complete, dispatch is notified

The service technician is available for another job

In this scenario, the mobile client application using a workflow engine that interacts with the server side application steps the service technician through the various tasks included in the business process. These steps can be directions in the form of alerts, messages, next steps, data fields that require input, and feedback from the dispatch office. Each step of the workflow required input from the service technician to confirm that the step had been completed and this information was in turn synchronized with the server side workflow engine. This enables the best practices supported by the company to be practiced and supervised in the field.

SAP has a solution called Event Manager. It is designed to manage activities happening across a geographically dispersed supply chain. It requires data input via B2B and EDI data communications. Similarly, mobile applications can feed data into a centralized workflow or event management solution that helps support and ensure best practices across remote jobsites.

A workflow engine and a mobile client version of a mobile workflow engine is required by companies that want to standardize business processes in the field where interactions with customers take place and where revenue is earned.

If you would like to discuss this concept in more detail please email me.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/ /
***********************************************

Mobile Software Applications, Supply Chains and Medicine Delivery

When a person typically associates mobile devices, iPhones, Smart Phones, PDAs and other hand held computers with medicine they envision a medical clinic or a hospital environment. However, mobile handheld computers and medicine are also used in remote locations and in medicine supply chains that you may not have thought about. Let me first share an article I read this week that describes some of the challenges incurred while delivering medicine in Brazil.

Armed raiders attack medicine shipments in Brazil

Author - Phil Taylor 27-Jul-2009

A delivery truck carrying medicines was attacked by bandits in Sao Paulo, Brazil on July 19, resulting in a heavy exchange of gunfire with armed escorts. There were no fatalities and the raiders failed to make off with the shipment, which was valued at around $530,000 and contained products from several different companies, according to information received from pharmaceutical industry sources.

The bandits, in two vehicles, forced the driver to open the truck door at gunpoint. That triggered an alarm which informed the transport firm that there was a problem with the shipment. The escorting vehicle’s guards pushed the panic button and responded to the criminal’s opening fire, while other escorting vehicles patrolling the same route joined the fray and eventually drove the thieves off.

A similar attack, involving the same transport firm, took place in Brazil in June, and in this case one of the security guards was injured in the exchange of gunfire.
~~~
Note the mobile device that monitored the doors and automatically reported a breech of security.

Talk about a supply chain and logistics challenges! YIKES!

I had the good fortune of working on a mobile software project where we developed a mobile solution that helped track, monitor and report the location and inventory levels of medicine being delivered around the world. The donor organizations, needed to have visibility and accountability that the medicine they donated actually reached the intended destinations and patients.

This mobile software application used consumer grade Smart phones with bar code scanners and wireless connectivity so the boxes of medicine could be scanned and their location and inventories in Africa could be reported to the organization's headquarters in Washington DC. At headquarters all the donor organizations could access the database and generate reports on the delivery and use of the medicine.

Here is another interesting article you may want to read about mobile applications in the Coffee and Espresso product supply chains.

If you would like more details on these mobile applications email me.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

SAP and Mobile Applications for Field Services

These are challenging economic times. Companies of all sizes and shapes are seeking to reduce costs and to improve efficiencies. This often translates into more work with fewer resources which can often negatively impact service levels. How does a company reduce costs, improve service levels and become more efficient all at the same time? The improvement and automation of business processes is often the answer. Accomplishing this does not always require a lot of money. Sometimes it is simply focusing on improvement and understanding what your exisiting technology is capable of doing. This article will focus on cost reductions and efficiencies that can be recognized by improving business processes in remote and mobile locations.

Many large companies use ERPs from vendors such as SAP, Oracle, SAGE, MS Dynamics and others. These ERPs are designed to organize a business and to make business processes automated and standardized. However, companies have often over-looked the huge amounts of paper documents that are used in the field, collected and at a later date re-typed into these ERPs. Many ERP users have simply not attempted to automate business processes that happen outside the four walls. These business processes can have huge inefficiencies that can be fixed and savings recognized.

SAP has developed some very interesting mobile application interfaces that utilize Netweaver PI (Process Integration) and enable third party mobile software companies to tightly align their mobile device applications with the standard SAP business processes.

Field services are most often provided away from the office. The process of ensuring quality services outside of the visibility of supervisors and business managers is critical to the success of the business.

The use of industrial handhelds and rugged PDAs and other mobile software technologies, in the context of field services automation, is most often driven by the following 12 business motivations:

Efficiencies in communicating information between the office and the remote service technician or jobsite
Efficiencies in planning and scheduling work based upon location, parts and expertise needed
Reducing fuel costs
Reducing travel time
Reducing time consuming and error prone data entry activities in the office
Increasing productivity – more average service calls per service technician in a day
Increasing service contract sales
Increasing equipment upgrade sales
Increasing collections with mobile invoicing, mobile printing of invoices and onsite collections
Improving inventory control and management - visibility to parts needed, the location of inventory and parts used on each job or service ticket
Reduced risks by reminding service technicians of safety hazards and safety procedures on the job
Improving management visibility into work done in the field to ensure quality services

These 12 business motivations become increasingly important during slow economic times when times are tough, and every penny must be saved and maximized. In rapid growth periods inefficiencies are often overlooked in a rush to keep up with the market and business growth, and hidden under the onslaught of new sales and revenues. However, when the economy slows down, it is time for companies to re-evaluate business processes in order to eliminate the inefficiencies and bad habits that have developed. Let’s now review some common and costly inefficiencies:

Wasted time and fuel driving back and forth to the office to pick-up and deliver new work orders, tools and parts. With the high cost of fuel, reducing driving distances is a necessity. Can you dispatch a service technician directly from their home to a nearby jobsite? Can you make sure your service technician has the most common parts in the van before they travel to the jobsite?
Wasted time and fuel by being unprepared for the job and driving around looking for parts. Can you reduce travel time and fuel costs by being better prepared for the job before traveling? Can you ask customers for more information on the equipment such as brand, serial number, year, location, problem etc? Can you ask the customer for a digital photo of the equipment, serial number, etc., and email it before dispatching the service technician?
Wasted time sitting outside of a locked and vacant location waiting for the owner to arrive. Can you set up an automated phone call to let the customer know you are on the way? This avoids showing up at a vacant house or closed business and wasting time.
Inefficient dispatching and routing - dispatching service technicians to a distant location, when another service technician is closer and wasting time and fuel. Can you use GPS tracking on the vans to better know the location of all service technicians so you can dispatch the closest and best service technician for the job?
Missed opportunities to sell more services, parts and equipment to the customer at the time of work. Can you automatically remind the service technician to promote service contracts by using a mobile handheld work order system? This will help increase service contract sales.
Poor scheduling and routing -can you schedule service contract visits based on geographic location to reduce fuel costs and wasted travel time? Can a service technician complete more service calls in a day if they are routed more efficiently?
Driving large, heavy vehicles when not required. If you have a better understanding of the parts required for today’s service calls, can you take a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle to the jobsite?
Poor cash management and collection processes. Can you collect money, swipe credit cards and print receipts from a mobile handheld device to improve collections at the jobsite? Are you wasting time, paper and postage sending out invoices weeks after the work was completed?
Too high administrative costs. Can you reduce the costs of data entry and administrative staff by automating the dispatch process by using wireless work order dispatch that is integrated directly with your work order management and accounting systems?Every company, upon self-evaluation, will be able to identify additional inefficiencies that can be corrected and reduced. Many of the costly inefficiencies can be resolved by automating and mobilizing field services business processes.

Mobilized Work Orders

What does an automated and "mobilized" work order system or service request dispatch and management system look like? Let's walk through a scenario -

A customer calls in to report a broken heating system. The office staff takes the phone call, enters the relevant information into the work order application on the desktop computer which then creates a unique work order and number.
The work order database application, with GIS integration, can compare the location of each service technician to determine which service technician is closest to the work location. The dispatch system can also look at the estimated time the nearby service technicians are committed to completing their existing assignments.
Once the appropriate service technician is identified, the work order is dispatched to the handheld computer used by the service technician.
Included in the electronic work order is driving directions from his/her current location to the next job location.
In addition to the work order information, warranty, repair, users manual, maintenance history and product information on file can also be dispatched to the handheld computer for reference and parts inventory management.
Once the service technician arrives at the location, he opens the work order on the handheld computer. Opening the work order automatically captures the service technician's name, the date/time stamp and the GPS coordinates of the jobsite and enters them into the mobile application’s work order.
Next the service technician examines the broken heating system and determines which parts need replaced.
He can pull out his handheld computer and check whether he has the needed parts in his vehicle inventory, if not, it can automatically search for nearby service vehicles that may contain the part (GPS tracking enables this). If another nearby service vehicle is determined to have the required part, then driving directions can be sent.
When the service technician arrives at the service vehicle with the needed part, then the part is scanned using a bar code scanner in the handheld computer to log its removal from the vehicle's inventory and assigns it to the appropriate work order number.
Back at the work site, the service technician runs into a challenge. He has never worked on this model before and needs advice. He snaps a digital photo of the equipment and synchronizes it back to the office. His supervisor reviews the photo and calls him with advice which saves possibly hours of time and mistakes.
Once the work is completed, the service technician signs his name on the handheld computer screen, and has the customer sign the work order screen as well. The service technician prints an invoice on a mobile printer and collects the payment or swipes the customer’s credit or debit card. The collection is noted on the mobile work order and synchronized back to the office.
A customer survey can pop-up asking the service technician to let the customer answer a series of questions that will impact the service technicians monthly bonus plan
As soon as the work order is completed and synchronized, the mobile application reminds the service technician to promote a 2 year service contract. The service technician reviews the details with the customer and signs them up for a 2 year service contract. Next, the work order system reviews job locations and priorities and assigns the next optimized work order to the field service technician.

These business processes are all criticial to the success of a field services business. These processes are sometimes complicated, and with the service technician remote and without direct supervisor management can often be done wrong or incomplete if paper based. The ability to standardize and automate these processes allow service based businesses to accomplish more business with less resources and with better quality.

SAP users are often large companies. Their field service operations can involve hundreds and even thousands of mobile workers. The possible savings from improving mobile operations can be enormous. If you would like to brainstorm about some or all of these mobile business applications for field services companies send an email.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Motorola's MC55 Handheld PDA

Motorola recently announced a very intriguing new handheld PDA called the MC55. Here is what Motorola says about it:

MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA)

The MC55 EDA brings a new level of flexibility, functionality and rugged design to size-optimized mobile devices, providing mobile workers with the power to streamline business processes, increase productivity and improve customer service. The smallest and lightest Motorola rugged EDA with a 3.5-inch display, the MC55 packs the power of a cell phone, two-way radio, bar code scanner, digital camera and mobile computer — all into a single device. Designed to meet mobile worker, business application and IT requirements, this easy-to-use and easy-to-carry business-class device offers true consumer styling as well as enterprise manageability, security and scalability.

Note the emphasis on extending business processes, business applications and its rugged design. I like it!

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

More Information on the SAP and Sybase Mobile Software Partnership

Last week I wrote about the recent partnership announcement between SAP and Sybase. This week more pieces of information are coming out. This is a good article with more details:

http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3809851/SAP+Sybase+Team+on+Mobilizing+Enterprise+Apps.htm

Here are the additional pieces of information:

This partnership will enable SAP's applications, based on its integration and application platform NetWeaver, to be delivered to mobile devices using Sybase technologies such as M- Business Anywhere mobile content and application platform.
Sybase will get access to SAP's 40 million licensees worldwide through the arrangement.
Products will begin to appear on the market in the second half of 2009.
The move helps SAP approach the mobile market in a device-agnostic delivery model.
"[SAP] clearly needed a mobile device solution and sought out a qualified partner instead of going it alone," wrote Jack Goldfounder and principal analyst at J.Gold Associates.
"The mobile solution will not be sold or delivered directly by SAP. Rather, this will be a referral sale with the two companies collaborating on the pre-sales efforts, but with Sybase providing all of the products, software, and installation of the solution."
In this article Sybase's iAnywhere is clearly defined as the deliverer of this solution

These additional details make it perfectly clear that existing vendors using iAnywhere's products have an opportunity now with SAP's 40 million users.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Questions about the SAP and Sybase Partnership for Mobile Software Applications

SAP and Sybase this week announced a non-exclusive partnership to deliver mobile software applications for SAP on a wide variety of mobile handhelds, iPhones, Windows Mobile devices and Smartphones.

Bill McDermott, president of global field operations for SAP explained that the collaboration “will lay the foundation to further mobilize SAP’s great content and functionality -- and move that content and functionality into the hands of the mobile workforce."

What do they mean, "laying the foundation." Nobody can use a foundation on an iPhone, someone must build the application. I wonder how this will work?

"The mobile enterprise worker is now the most important worker, because that’s the worker that’s touching the customer, the partner, and the supplier,” McDermott said. “This worker relies on smart devices and uses the power of calendar and email -- in addition to, now, the enterprise application functionality of SAP...there will be 300 million smart devices in the hands of mobile workers by 2013 – that’s nearly 100 percent growth from where we are today – and there will be 1 billion mobile users in the nest few years.” He added that “seventy percent of companies are planning to mobilize [business] applications [and get thim] into the hands of their knowledge workers.”

I do believe this could be a smart move for Sybase, as SAP has millions of enterprise users, but I wonder why it is a non-exclusive relationship. Does SAP really think multiple companies can afford a broad based mobile SAP development effort in this economy? I wonder if this relationship is really only about the mobile synchronization and mobile database technology that Sybase has. I wonder if Sybase will simply integrate their syncing and database technology with SAP Netweaver and leave other software developers to build the actual mobile applications. Is this what they mean by "foundation?" This seems the most likely scenario to me.

At the same time, “we are in a new reality in this economy, and companies are looking to extend the value of their existing core IT investments,” McDermott said. As such, many companies are looking for highly integrated “out of the box” solutions that will save them on integration costs and ongoing maintenance of complex systems.

Who is paying who for the "out-of-the-box" solutions? Is Sybase investing in the development of mobile SAP applications, or is SAP paying the bill? The task they have announced is enormous. Of course the details are vague, so maybe it is just hype. I have worked on many mobile applications and the suite of products that SAP has is large. This would be a monumental task, and then how do you create user interfaces for so many mobile devices with different configurations.

I am very interested in understanding how they will deliver the actual mobile software applications. Supporting all of the mobile devices with device specific features is too hard for Sybase or SAP to do on their own. Even Google said there are too many mobile devices and Smartphones with different configurations and features to support them all. There is a limit to what can be done by any 2 companies. I would guess that Sybase would begin selling a "mobile software tool kit" so that other systems integrators and partners could help build out SAP applications with device specific features that run on the Sybase mobile database and synchronization platform.

Here is another interesting observation. I did not see Sybase's mobile division, iAnywhere mentioned in any of the associated press releases or articles I read on this announcement. They did not role out their iAnywhere Management or the iAnywhere products. Hummm...what does this mean...?

Follow this link for the latest update on the SAP and Sybase partnership.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Microsoft's View of the Mobile World

The following 4 comments this week from Microsoft on where they see the mobile market going were very interesting and revealing:

Microsoft sees Linux being more competitive on the PC desktop going forward because the company believes that Google will port its Android mobile OS to the PC.
Microsoft is strongly positioned in the business world and should remain a RIM contender (however, it seems to be giving up on the consumer market where iPhone and Symbian users are growing at a much faster rate than Windows Mobile users)
Ballmer says that the smart phone market will continue to grow despite the economy and that the low price of some Windows Mobile phone offers will help.
Microsoft does not plan to launch their own phone

Google's Vic Goduntra also shared his thoughts on mobility this week and suggested that Google will win no matter what mobile OS customers choose as their strategy is to keep the computing power of mobile applications in the cloud, rather than on the mobile operating system.

Opinions and Comments:

It is interesting that Microsoft sees Google porting Android over to PCs soon. This will really stir things up. I am a big fan of Google applications already and can see how this could evolve quickly and change the market. Microsoft has a major challenge.

I also see a problem with the comments and positions of Microsoft - they seem to have given up on winning the consumer market, but believe they will continue to sell well to consumers in this tough market. If they are conceding defeat in the consumer market, I wouldn't be betting on increased sales for long. There better be a new strategy soon.

Microsoft says they do not plan to launch a Smartphone. Hummm...Apple and RIM both launched Smartphones and operating systems and they are winning. What part of this is Microsoft missing?

I find myself doing more and more work on my iPhone and Google applications. I can see how even in tough economic times the "personal computing devices" will become increasingly popular.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

With Cloud Computing - Google Doesn't Care Which Mobile Operating System Wins

That was the sentiment expressed by Vic Gundotra, vice president of mobile and developer platforms at Google, who spoke on a panel at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco this week. Applications like gmail live in the world of cloud computing which means they are less impacted by the various mobile operating systems so although they have skin in the game, they can win no matter the users mobile operating system preferences.

Even Google says it cannot afford to develop different versions of the same mobile applications for all the various mobile operating systems. Their strategy is to develop applications for the "cloud-based" platforms and then make them accessible to all the different mobile handheld PDAs and Smartphones via the internet.

There is still a lot of excitement around internet-centric mobile handhelds and Smartphones even in today's economy says Gundotra. Why? He attributes it to the mobile phones' transition to personal computing devices.

Google's strategy has implications for a lot of mobile software companies and should influence where they spend their R&D budgets in the future.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Good Technology, Vendor of Mobile Sync for Handheld PDAs is Sold Yet Again

It is not easy being a mobile synchronization technology vendor. Synchronization is a technology category that is about as sexy as the kitchen drain pipe. Yes, it is needed, but do you want to schedule a board level meeting and use up precious IT budget on it? Obviously not many companies. For the second time in 2 years Good Technology was sold and the price goes down each time.

"Mobile push synchronization platform and service provider Visto acquired Motorola's Good Technology Feb. 24. Motorola acquired Good in 2007 for more than $400 million in hopes of challenging Research In Motion's dominance in the enterprise mobile e-mail market. "

[Opinion Alert] People get excited about cool mobile gadgets, PDAs, Smartphones and manly rugged handhelds with integrated GPS, digital cameras and powerful mobile software applications that make their work and life easier and more enjoyable in an obvious way. The problem with synchronization software is that it is the drain pipe and no one cares about it unless it doesn't work. [/End of Opinion Alert]

"We believe that this transaction is in the best interest of our customers, employees and shareholders," said Gene Delaney, president of Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Solutions. [translation] No one was buying it.

When an individual purchases an iPhone, do they walk around the Apple Store with the hip, pierced and scruffy-faced Apple nerd pondering the merits of various synchronization technologies? Of course not! They want the cool smartphone to work and they want the provider of the device to figure out synchronization. That is Apple's and AT&T's strategy (and most others) and you can see this strategy in Google's recent license agreement with Microsoft for their Activesync. Google, with their growing suite of mobile applications, are hiding synchronization in their cloud computing environment. It is just there and available. The user is not spending a lot of time thinking about it.

Perhaps that was Motorola's original plan. but Good Technology was competing with RIM's world of Blackberrys, Microsoft and Apple. That is not a list of competitors I would want to be facing and betting $400 million against. I must say that the person behind that purchase must have studied Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and took it to heart.

Good luck Visto!
***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Windows Mobile Rugged Handheld PDA the i-Mate 810-F

For those of you involved in the mobile handheld PDA industry you know that there is usually a distinct line between the categories of rugged industrial grade handhelds and the category of consumer grade mobile devices such as Smartphones, PDA Phones, iPhones, etc. It only takes a few questions about the environment the customer is working in to make a recommendation as to the kind of mobile device required. That process is now getting harder as the announcement below demonstrates.

"i-mate, the global specialist in Microsoft Windows Mobile devices and software, today launched the i-mate 810-F, the world’s first complete lifestyle mobile with a lifetime warranty. Designed to meet military specifications, the 810-F combines high-end mobile technology and incredible durability in a single sleek package. Whether you work in the great outdoors or in an office, on the road or on a building site, or you just simply want a tough take-anywhere mobile, the 810-F offers everything you need for work and play. The phone comprises waterproof rubber casing and exposed metal screws to lock in the factory seal, making it impervious to almost anything. A full QWERTY keyboard, and impact resistant touch screen, means you don’t miss a thing while you are out and about... The 810-F is designed around the stringent MIL-STD-810F series of standards. These standards are issued by the U.S. military’s Developmental Test Command, a body whose role is to ensure equipment can withstand the rigours of the most extreme environments. This means the i-mate 810-F can cope with pressure, heat, water, humidity and even extreme shock without missing a beat. The 810-F is equally happy at a chilly -10°C or sweltering 60°C, and can be fully submerged in water."

How do you select the right rugged handheld, Smartphone or PDA? This article on the site called Mobile Software & Handheld PDA Business Strategies has a chapter called Selecting the Right Mobile Computing Device for the Solution.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Questions to Ponder before Starting a Mobile Software Development Project for Handheld PDAs, iPhones and Smartphones

This article identifies some basic questions that should be asked and pondered by the business user and software development teams before starting on a mobile software development project:

Do you anticipate needing one mobile software application, or many? Can you start with a mobile software development platform that supports all of your mobile application needs, or will each mobile application be a separate IT project and use different development technologies and infrastructures (e.g. Windows Mobile, Google Android, RIM Blackberry, Symbian, iPhone, etc.)?
Do you know your exact solution and data requirements in advance? Do you anticipate needing to edit and adjust your mobile application as you learn from your field users and their experiences? Can it be hard coded, or does it need to be flexible and easily edited? The answers to these questions will impact both design and schedules.
Do you have an in-house software development capability, budget and helpdesk infrastructure to enable you to develop and support your own mobile application(s)?
Are you going to outsourcing the development of your mobile software application's design, development and deployment to an experienced mobility company, or build it internally?
Will you be synchronizing your field data with one back-office database, or multiple database applications? How will you do this? Are you using a middleware solution in this process?
Do you know how to integrate field data to your database applications? Do you have your own DBA that can do this? Are they involved in the data synchronization discussions. How can you ensure valid data is synchronized from the field?
How secure does the mobile data synchronization need to be? The more security that is added and layered the slower the data synchronization. Does only a small part need to be secure or all of the data?
Will the user always need and have internet connectivity, or will the application run equally well disconnected? Does you design take this issue into consideration?
Mobile solutions are often used on laptops, Tablet PCs, Smartphones, PDAs, and rugged handhelds. Do you know your hardware requirements and user environmental requirements? Is the user environment hot, cold, dry, wet, dusty, flammable or frozen?
Will you be supporting just one mobile device, or many different kinds and sizes? Is the screen size an issue? What size is the screen on your chosen devices? Is it sufficient for the work done in the field. Does the mobile worker need to read manuals, maps, images, blueprints and drawings, or just click on a few buttons?
What mobile device operating system(s) will you be supporting?
How will the mobile handhelds or mobile devices be carried and stored. Is the user wearing a suit, or wearing overalls in the rain. Does the environment require a rugged case, or a suit pocket? The answers to these questions impact your choice of mobile devices, operating systems and screen sizes.
If your internal IT staff are developing your mobile solution, do they know how to do the following: integrate with and support GPS, Barcode scanners, RFID radios, Digital Signatures, digital cameras and synchronize data bi-directionally across multiple databases?
What mobile database will you use? Does it have its own synchronization technology? If not, what mobile middleware are you going to use? Does the mobile database vendor support the operating systems you have chosen?
Do you have an IT development team that is experienced in designing, developing and deploying mobile applications, or is this their very first mobility project. Can you afford the steep learning curve, time and money developing a mobile application in-house with no experience?
Have you considered the implementation, training and support effort required to manage large mobile software deployments? Do you have project management and helpdesk software in place to manage it?
Have you made sure that your mobile software application's database and screen design will include the data fields required by the office database application you will sync with?
Does the mobile software application need to support a specific business process in SAP or other ERP? Have you designed the mobile software application to do so?
One of the most challenging and complex parts of mobile application development is to create the right data model for your mobile application before you start development. Often an appropriate data model for a simple mobile application, is not the appropriate data model once you start adding features and additional modules in future versions. Is your database model designed to easily support additional components?

These are a few of the questions you will want to discuss with both the business and the technical team before you begin this effort. For more questions and possibly some answers you may want to visit this Google Knol called Mobile Software & Handheld PDA Business Strategies.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Google Latitude for Handheld PDAs, Smartphones and Work Orders

Google recently announced a new application in the world of cloud computing called Google Latitude. This is a very interesting application in that it allows friends to see where friends are located, or managers to see where his or her work teams, vehicles and job sites are located.

In the past, this functionality has only been available to companies for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars (or name your currency). You could find these features on enterprise quality work order management solutions or proof-of-delivery solutions for handheld PDAs and Smartphones. Google has a way of shaking the industry up by making mobile applications free.

Today, for free, a manager can implement Google Latitude on his company issued handheld PDAs and Smartphones and see where his workers are at all times. The manager, from his desktop, can view a map of the location of all of these mobile handhelds.

In a previous article I wrote about the inefficiencies caused by a lack of management visibility and knowledge on the location of their employees, job sites and inventory. Here is an excerpt on how to waste time and money:

Waste time and fuel driving back and forth to the office to pick-up and deliver new work orders, tools and parts. With the high cost of fuel, reducing driving distances is a necessity. Can you dispatch a service technician directly from their home to a nearby jobsite? Can you make sure your service technician has the most common parts in the van before they travel to the jobsite?
Waste time and fuel by being unprepared for the job and driving around looking for parts. Can you reduce travel time and fuel costs by being better prepared for the job before traveling? Can you ask customers for more information on the equipment such as brand, serial number, year, location, problem etc? Can you ask the customer for a digital photo of the equipment, serial number, etc., and email it before dispatching the service technician?
Sit outside of a locked and vacant location wasting time waiting for the owner to arrive. Can you set up an automated phone call to let the customer know you are on the way? This avoids showing up at a vacant house or closed business and wasting time.
Send service technicians to a distant location, when another service technician is closer and available. Can you use GPS tracking on the vans to better know the location of all service technicians so you can dispatch the closest and best service technician for the job?
Miss opportunities to sell more services, parts and equipment to the customer at the time of work and at the point-of-work. Can you automatically remind the service technician to promote service contracts by using a mobile handheld work order system? This will help increase service contract sales.
Poor scheduling and routing. Can you schedule service contract visits based on geographic location to reduce fuel costs and wasted travel time? Can a service technician complete more service calls in a day if they are routed more efficiently?
Drive large and heavy vehicles when not required. If you have a better understanding of the parts required for today’s service calls, can you take a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle to the jobsite?
Implement poor cash management and collection processes. Can you collect money, swipe credit cards and print receipts from a mobile handheld device to improve collections at the jobsite? Are you wasting time, paper and postage sending out invoices weeks after the work was completed?
Too much administrative costs. Can you reduce the costs of data entry and administrative staff by automating the dispatch process by using wireless work order dispatch that is integrated directly with your work order management and accounting systems?Every company, upon self-evaluation, will be able to identify additional inefficiencies that can be corrected and reduced. Many of the costly inefficiencies can be resolved by automating and mobilizing field services business processes.

Google Latitude would allow an Operations Manager to dispatch and route his service technicians or delivery vans based upon current locations of his employees and vehicles.

***********************************************
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***********************************************

Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

13 Key Steps to a Successful Mobile Application Development Project

Mobile Applications and 69 Enterprise Support Questions

Advice for Mobile Start-ups and Mobile Developers

Mobile Software Application ROIs for Mobile Service Businesses

Mobile Software SDKs and Toolkits for Handheld PDAs and Smart Phones

Hosted or Non-hosted Mobile Software Applications for Handheld PDAs and Smart Phones

Technology Blogger Kevin Benedict Receives Top Contributor Award from SAP

Rugged iPhone Cases for Mobile Workers

TomTom and the iPhone Turn by Turn Navigation Application

SAP and Cronacle Mobile Alerting Service

Mobile Workflows in the Field, SAP and Other ERPs

Mobile Software Applications, Supply Chains and Medicine Delivery

SAP and Mobile Applications for Field Services

Motorola's MC55 Handheld PDA

More Information on the SAP and Sybase Mobile Software Partnership

Questions about the SAP and Sybase Partnership for Mobile Software Applications

Microsoft's View of the Mobile World

With Cloud Computing - Google Doesn't Care Which Mobile Operating System Wins

Good Technology, Vendor of Mobile Sync for Handheld PDAs is Sold Yet Again

Windows Mobile Rugged Handheld PDA the i-Mate 810-F

Questions to Ponder before Starting a Mobile Software Development Project for Handheld PDAs, iPhones and Smartphones

Google Latitude for Handheld PDAs, Smartphones and Work Orders

Interviews with Kevin Benedict

Get new posts by email: