Mobility Matters

In a recent blog post, General Services Administration Chief Information Officer Casey Coleman highlighted the proliferation of smartphone use across government and the mobility that comes with them. Sure, smartphones enable users to check e-mail, but mobile apps also provide the capability to track packages, access databases and submit expense reports. But like any technology, smartphones present certain challenges for government users, she writes.

These activities in themselves are not new ideas. What is new is having all these capabilities on a platform that is mobile and convenient. The possibilities are endless . . . but the challenges are huge. For instance, security is paramount. We will need secure communications, possibly encrypted data. If a user loses a smartphone or, worse, it is stolen, we must ensure that the data is not vulnerable. Also, IT staffs and application owners may need to build interfaces to legacy systems, or develop new architectures to support mobility requirements.

The much-hyped iPad, released on Saturday, could raise similar concerns. Will we see federal employees shifting towards these devices for professional purposes, or will the iPad even catch on in government?