The bring-your-own-device movement is combining with the consumerization of IT and the rise of telework to create an environment in which many core business tasks are done on smartphones, tablets and other personal computing devices. This move away from company-owned end-user hardware is changing the way employees access data and applications. Business process management software is emerging as a key unifying technology that provides the integration and automation necessary to create a better mobile experience for a more flexible workforce.
BPM solutions gaining prevalence for mobile
According to a recent EnterpriseAppsTodayreport, the move toward using mobile for more advanced business functions, not just email operations, is becoming substantial enough that organizations have to respond. This is creating an environment in which more companies are showing an interest in business process management solutions that are capable of meeting their mobile needs.
Janelle Hill, vice president and distinguished analyst of business process management research at Gartner, told the news source that there is currently a gap in the mobile BPM industry because many business leaders only have broad ideas of what needs to get done and cannot provide clear guidance on how technology can better meet their needs. At the same time, most basic mobile BPM functionality is fairly simple.
The report said only a few leading vendors, such as Appian, are charging ahead to better mobile functionality with much of the BPM sector falling behind. Hill explained that positive momentum in mobile BPM is essential moving forward because a wider range of employee types are going mobile.
"Mobile is going way beyond so-called field workers or mobile workers," Hill told EnterpriseAppsToday. "Business professionals are all mobile workers now. On-call professionals - doctors, IT professionals, dispatchers, emergency personnel, lawyers, insurance claims personnel, utility workers, et cetera - are a big opportunity."
Understanding the benefits of mobile BPM services
BPM solutions designed specifically to support mobile device use can provide a powerful interface that aligns cloud and social data and applications to make them more interoperable with mobile systems. This is especially important because screen-size limitations and mobile operating systems provide a different architecture for running apps. This creates an environment in which integrating the data between cloud, desktop and mobile instances of an application is vital because the same interface cannot be commonly used across the board. BPM provides this kind of integration, ensuring thatmobile employees can access the information they need and use it effectively.
Cindy Cheng
Director of Product Marketing
