Guest Author: Daniel Dunne

In my last post I detailed how the inability for mobile computer (laptop) users to quickly and painlessly access SharePoint content is a real deterrent to getting users to make use of SharePoint resources. It came down to the death grip that end-users have on the usage of email (over all other forms of communication) for relevant information, and how the robustness of the Outlook client reinforces that dependence.

Consider what other physical resources in your environment reinforce the dependence on email?

How many jokes and references in pop culture can you recall, referring to the ubiquity of the “Crackberry?” They’re everywhere, and some senior managers are obsessive about keeping them close at hand. Ever consider why? These seemingly indispensible devices emerged in relevance and sustain their centrality based on their ability to do what? RETRIEVE AND REVIEW EMAIL!!! For business users, everything else that these devices have subsequently grown up to do (i.e. “Apps”,) is a mere accessory to this primary role. Ask yourself some questions:

• Can the mobile devices in your environment effortlessly and seamlessly navigate to URLs and links that are provided in email messages?
• Can those URLs and links be presented in form factors that are usable on mobile devices?

If the answer to either of these questions is no, then these devices will reinforce the community’s dependence on email for collaboration, and deter the use of SharePoint.

The cache of Relevant Information that you’re accumulating in your SharePoint environment must be able to be used by the variety of team members in a myriad of forms – starting with a desktop browser and printed on a piece of paper. That’s square one: the entry level of creating a resource that people will use. Now consider the future of how people use relevant information, and that this information should be accessible for decision making – anywhere and everywhere decisions can be made.

Mobile devices might not be part of your implementation scheme right now – but pay considerable attention to your current sites and structures: as to how mobile devices may be used to access them in a future state. If mobile devices are pervasive in your current environment, ensure seamless connection between email client and browser (on the handheld,) as well as network architecture that allows the mobile device to reach the SharePoint server.

Guest Author: Daniel Dunne

Dan is a Mechanical Engineer who has a 20 year career in product development, including product design, (US Patent holder,) program management and consulting Mechanical CAD, PDM and PLM-related software implementations. Dan has lead SharePoint implementation teams (as a direct employee) in several different corporate environments, including his first which emerged from a server he setup under his desk in engineering. Dan has consistently championed and evangelized the user-driven SharePoint implementation as most aligned to Lean Methodologies and does everything he can to promote the Spirit of Continuous Improvement. Dan can be reached at [email protected]