SOCITM (Society of Information Technology Management)
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Pros and cons of ‘bring your own device’ set out in latest Socitm briefing

Do ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) schemes offer a ‘one-hit’ solution to falling budgets, out-of-date technology and the inefficiencies of managing different devices for home and work use?

Or do public service organisations need to step back and ask some searching questions before going down this currently fashionable route, asks the latest briefing from Socitm, Bring your own device: keeping people happy and saving money?,

An early finding from Socitm's IT Trends 2012/13 research, cited in the briefing, suggests that nationally, some 20% of local authorities are either investigating or running a pilot BYOD implementation. Pioneers include Surrey CC and the Essex Online Partnership, with a number of other councils having implemented BYOD formally, and many more allowing casual use.

The briefing points out that BYOD is not just about employees using devices such as their smartphone, tablet or laptop, but extends to use of their favourite applications in the workplace, including third party collaborative working applications, 'cloud' apps that might be used for storage and sharing, and social media.

'With demands from senior managers and politicians to connect their newly acquired smartphone or tablet, or in response to the need to provide up-to-date equipment to run supported versions of office software despite budget cuts, ICT managers are under pressure to embrace BYOD' says briefing author Chris Head. 'We highlight a number of key issues that organisations need to consider so that BYOD adoption - or even trialling - becomes part of a clear organisational strategy and not part of a knee-jerk response to people's demands.'

Bring your own device: keeping people happy and saving money? is available free of charge to Socitm Insight subscribers at: http://www.socitm.net/info/214/socitm_insight/53/briefings

BYOD will be covered in a session at Socitm 2012 delivered by Surrey County Council. Mark Edridge will describe the experience of introducing BYOD to underpin Surrey's 'Modern Worker' programme, which aims to introduce a more agile, collaborative and engaged workforce. For further information see http://www.socitm.net/info/20103/socitm_2012/172/programme

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