- Pressure to bring consumer devices and applications into the organization has mounted in recent years. Users (some of whom are business executives) continue to bring devices and apps into the workplace despite limited organizational readiness.
- 'Gatekeepers' in IT, and elsewhere in the organization, express reservations about adoption of consumer technology. The CIO must address these legitimate concerns to proceed effectively.
- The business case for consumer technology remains somewhat uncertain, making it difficult for CIOs to access funding for their chosen adoption strategy.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- A ‘limited’ strategy for consumerization adoption allows the CIO to address the demands of most users in an affordable, secure way. This strategy limits the range of functionality to email, calendar, and apps. It is an attractive option for the CIO who wants to make the minimum possible investment in consumerization.
- CIOs should always weigh the benefits of a more open strategy for adoption, which allows for access to business data from consumer devices. The assessment of whether to proceed should look at organizational needs as well as organizational capabilities that can facilitate the adoption.
- Elements of the strategy include policy (for consumer devices and unmanaged apps), budget, and reimbursement. All elements of the strategy must line up for the strategy to succeed.
Impact and Result
- Make sure you don't leave money on the table by having a knee-jerk, defensive reaction.
- Go from reactive to proactive: turn consumerization to your advantage.