Understanding the specific challenges of mobility in a High-Intensity Mobile Worker Environment, and how to address them.

The use of mobile technologies in supply chain process execution has delivered substantial business value over the past 30 years. Recently, due to technological and cost evolution, we have seen the numbers of mobile initiatives increase, often occurring as a simple extension of traditional information systems. Whilst we regard this increased attention as encouraging, there are risks. When used by High Intensity Mobile Workers, mobile technologies present a very specific set of challenges and opportunities and underestimating them is a mistake. To compare a mobile project with a desktop project, or regard it as an extension of an existing information system and apply the same approach and tools, can create serious problems. 

This whitepaper addresses the key challenges that arise from a mobile, as opposed to traditional Information Systems (IS) project, highlighting how a failure to appreciate these differences can lead to excessive project and operational costs, even to project failure. The whitepaper also suggests how to address the challenges of mobility, and what to look for when selecting the right tools to do so.

The focus of this whitepaper is mobile applications used by mobile workers in a process along the supply chain. We will refer to such users as ‘High Intensity Mobile Workers’, or simply ‘mobile workers’.