Local Governments Going Mobile

Adaptation of mobile technology to distribute information and collect citizen feedback is a well-documented trend for state and local government in the last several years. Based on mobile industry reports, such as Rachael King in the CIO Journal who recently said, “The breadth of mobile usage is soaring,” and based on government agency future spending plans, the trend will likely continue for the next several years.

Do You Have the Right Mobile Mindset

Mobile has become a key ingredient in the integration of business and technology. If designed and delivered effectively, it provides unparalleled convenience, speed, and ease of use. However, having the right mobile mindset is a prerequisite if you’re going to drive growth and profitability through the use of mobile solutions.

In its simplest and purest form, I define it this way:

A Bucket of Wings: A Case Study of Better-Informed Decisions

Since my family likes to take a day off from cooking on Fridays, we recently visited the deli of our favorite organic grocery store. At the take-out bar, I noticed an unusually long line of people under a large sign reading, “In-House Made Wing Buckets. All You Can Fill. On Sale for $4.99, Regular $9.99.” Well, I love wings and couldn’t resist the temptation to get a few.

The opportunity was to add wings (one of my favorite appetizers) to my dinner. But instead of using the special wings bucket, I chose the regular salad bar container, which was priced at $8.99 per pound regardless of the contents. I reasoned that the regular container was an easier-to-use option (shaped like a plate) and a cheaper option (since I was buying only a few wings). My assumptions about the best container to use led to a split-second decision—I “blinked” instead of “thinking twice.”

Mobile BI Design Framework: Design Thinking

When we design for mobile business intelligence (BI), we need to apply the mobile mindset to all facets of user interactions, not just what we do when we are online but also what we do offline. In my first blog of the series, I discussed the importance of embracing a mobile design philosophy that will be unique to each of us and the environments we work in.

This is important because our design philosophy will be the guiding light when best practices alone may not be enough to help us navigate in uncharted waters.

Mobile BI Design Framework: Introduction

Successful mobile business intelligence (BI) solutions demand a mobile mindset. When we design for mobile BI, we aren’t just building a report or a dashboard. We’re designing to deliver a superior mobile user experience each and every time. This means we need to consider all facets of user interactions and take a holistic approach when dealing with all aspects of the “mobile user life cycle”. This life cycle starts before installation and does not end after the mobile asset is downloaded and consumed.

Top Ten Signs Your Users Are Mobile Ready

Whether you’re planning a project for a mobile business app or developing a mobile business intelligence (BI) strategy, it’s critical to gauge your users’ overall mobile readiness. Even though sales of mobile devices continue to increase, some mobile users show chronic use of PC-era habits.

Yes, the mobile savvy Millennial Generation is taking the workforce by storm, but they don’t necessarily represent the largest portion of business users. Mobile-ready users, on the other hand, will display at least some of the following characteristics.

Ten Mobile BI Strategy Questions: Technology Infrastructure

When an organization is considering implementing a mobile BI strategy, it needs to ask/consider if its current information technology (IT) and business intelligence (BI) infrastructure can support mobile BI. It must determine if there are any gaps that need to be addressed prior to going live.

When we think of an end-to-end mobile BI solution, there are several areas that can impact the user experience. I refer to them as choke points. Some of the risks associated with these choke points can be eliminated; others will have to be mitigated. Depending on the business model and how the IT organization is set up, these choke points may be dependent on the configuration of technology or they may hinge on processes that are embedded into business or IT operations. Evaluating both infrastructures for mobile BI readiness is the first step.

Leveraging Rapid Deployment Solutions For Analytics And Beyond

Today, organizations face multifaceted problems and need to quickly realize the value of their technology solutions whether it’s for business intelligence(BI) or other technology implementations. Business challenges have become more complex and are often riddled with ambiguity that makes it harder to address using traditional methodologies in analytics and beyond.

As a result, to answer the most pressing business questions, we’re still left with an age—old problem—balancing functionality against scarce time and resources. Rapid deployment solutions (RDS) can provide an alternative method by providing an accelerated timetable and the right foundation to scale up as needed.