Faced with numerous mobility issues (proliferation of smartphones and tablets, multiplication of mobile OSes, development of internal applications, etc.), the associated emerging technologies, as well as the other strategic challenges to be addressed (cloud, virtualisation, big data, etc.), the IT Department must find ways of optimally conducting its mobile terminal and application deployment projects, while anticipating the impacts of its choices in the short and long term.
The integration of smartphones and tablets in the company meets major strategic and operational objectives of the company, such as: productivity gains, improved business responsiveness and brand image, increased revenues... It is therefore important to think carefully about the mobility strategy that you want to implement within your company by respecting the usual project management methodologies, while involving the various players, including users, who must be satisfied with the solutions deployed.
The ISD must be able to guarantee the same level of reliability of the IT tool in the broadest sense and over the long term to nomadic users, while integrating the problems inherent to mobile terminals.
Methodology :
The steps to follow to successfully complete your mobility project
1. Determine the objectives of the Directorate in conjunction with the wishes of the end users
Beyond the purely security and technological aspects, the integration of these new tools within the company has impacts at the HR, legal and financial levels, due to the structural changes it implies: new boundaries between the private and professional spheres, possible extension of working hours, use of personal terminals for professional purposes (BYOD :Bring Your Own Device)... Each of these themes requires arbitration between the different departments of the company. At the same time, end users must also be able to submit their opinions and functional requirements to their management. Indeed, the mobility project must meet the management's needs, particularly in terms of data security, while satisfying the expectations of employees who are very focused on the quality of the experience. All departments, business lines and users must therefore be solicited and involved in this mobility project.
2. List the topics and sub-topics to be addressed in the mobility project
The project's master plan is divided into multiple interlocking sub-projects, each with an impact and each choice with structuring consequences. In order to be able to take into consideration all the subjects and sub-subjects of this master plan, it is essential to appoint a project manager, with cross-cutting steering resources, who will be able to identify the referents on each theme. This project manager will then be in a position to schedule and manage this mobility project and to draw up its specifications: a summary of expectations, based on the needs analysis carried out in the first phase of the project. He will have to extend his thinking to the operating mode: should all or part of the project be internalized or externalized (application development, administration of solutions, etc.)?
3. Choosing the right Mobile OS, manufacturer and model, the right EMM solution and how to install it
Today, we count about ten mobile OSes, hundreds of Android terminals for about thirty manufacturers... Faced with these numerous proposals, the scope of the reflection is wide, since some possibilities or, on the contrary, some restrictions will result from these choices of mobile OSes, manufacturers or models. It is therefore important to find out about the possibilities offered by each model.
The project manager will have to choose:
- A Mobile OS, a manufacturer, one or more terminal models,
- An EMM (Enterprise Mobility,Management) solution compatible with these terminals.
- An installation mode (SaaS or dedicated) corresponding to its needs.
4. Test all components of the solution
POCs (Proof Of Concept) and pilots allow to test all the components of the global solution: applications, terminals, EMM solution (functionalities, deployment profiles, enrollment, application catalogue update...). These components have to be tested over the duration and on all phases of the project: during deployment, during current use and at each new modification (for example: update of a mobile OS). The objective is to test the real behaviour of the solutions: the impact of the security policy on daily use, mobile terminals in use conditions (e.g. autonomy tests, wifi), applications and their operation. They also allow to enrich the list of prerequisites, and to validate processes according to needs and constraints.
5. Deploy the solution
Following the verification phase of the chosen solution, and any adjustments that may have been made, the solution can now be deployed. In parallel with the deployment, it is advisable to raise awareness and support users by organizing training sessions. It is also strongly recommended to provide a personalized practical guide to get started in order to get to know and master all the functionalities. Finally, it is advisable to provide all practical information to users concerning the various scenarios that may arise after deployment: theft, breakage, risk of OS updates performed by the employee, etc.
