Author: Mike Anderson                        Date: July 20, 2012

Topic: Mobile and Tablets                             Research Note Number: 2012-26

Issue: What are the best practices for harnessing the power of mobile computing?

Summary: Enterprises have a broad range of options to address the use of personal computing devices at work. The BYOD planning framework provides a structured approach to establishing an enterprise strategy.

Mobility and the emergence of the tablet era set in motion a new direction for how individuals use computing tools. The rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, followed by the expanding BYOD trend, leave most IT organizations in need of a new model for supporting users.

IT organizations built their success on standardizing and locking down implementations in order to do as much as possible for end users while minimizing the cost and organizational impact of deployment and support. Users now have significant computer savvy, and not only do they no longer need IT organizations to do everything for them, they are a driving force for new mobile capabilities they choose, and acquire, on their own.

The old model – dictate computing choices and lock out anything outside the limited corporate standards set by IT – is outdated and should be replaced. IT organizations need a new approach that combines effective enterprise management and business integrity with an attitude of enabling and empowering end users.

The practice of “bringing your own device” (BYOD) to work has altered the relationship between users and their computers, and between employees and their companies. This note introduces a five-step planning framework for BYOD to help enterprises get control of the mobile juggernaut (see Figure 1).