Blogs

26th January 2011: Keeping your head in the cloud

Cloud computing hit the top of Gartner's list for strategic technologies of 2011, a sure sign of it's importance to the business world, but what is it that makes the cloud such a valuable resource to business in the modern world?

Once upon a time a phrase like "keeping your head in the cloud" would indicate a total lack of awareness of the world around you; its quite ironic then that this phrase now infers something quite the opposite in the world of technology.

In the world before cloud computing there was administrative chaos: countless numbers of the same document flew around offices, cc emails became vast tangled spider web of communication and getting different groups together for meetings…well we'd rather not think about those dark days. Cloud computing is fast becoming the way forward for businesses to keep up to date with work and staff without being bombarded by information, most of which by the time its been read is outdated. Cloud computing allows for user collaboration in document management with minimum hassle.

Increasing amounts of businesses have started turning to the online world for their communication solutions and document sharing is a key part of this. In large geographically diverse conglomerates it can be difficult to share information across offices. The implementation of a cloud helps bridge the gap between different departments and different branches no matter how far away they are. Unity and effective communication in any size company is an essential to good business; and if we think about it like this then cloud computing is just plain common sense.

A recent announcement from retail giants M & S (source: Marketing Week) claimed that sustainability isn't just good for the environment, it's also good for business: In a world where businesses are becoming increasing aware of their carbon footprint, to save the planet and their wallets cloud computing cuts out unnecessary printing, giving companies good green karma.

Most people are familiar with Google docs, an extremely useful tool for sharing files of all types in the cloud, but for companies wanting to keep their documents secure and within their control a different type of cloud is needed- one with a security to rival Fort Knox whilst delivering a user friendly interface to ensure easy and swift adoption. With these kinds of demands cloud computing is indeed a business moving forward, to cater to both the private and public sphere.

The aim for technology and cloud suppliers is to get workers communicating through a central platform to become second nature: so that staff are well informed and up to date through a unified online communications area no matter what their physical location. To drive adoption a specially devised strategy is needed, in a recent survey by Distracted Enterprise (a site for the discussion and analysis of practical collaboration strategies) was revealed that of over 300 business e-mail users, 80% of respondents with SharePoint still continued to email documents (source: CIO). Workers need to start using the cloud for document management and nothing will do this better than good old fashioned exposure, after all how do you get to Carnegie hall?

If we look at the countless benefits of the cloud it's not hard to see why Gartner placed it in its top 10; if every cloud has a silver lining then these must be sterling.

12th November 2010: Collaboration brief overview:

Whether you're an entrepreneurial start up looking to compete with the big names in your industry, or a large globally dispersed conglomerate looking to connect with your staff, and clients, across the globe and maintain growth and agility in the market, collaborative technologies can help.

The proliferation of business documents and the contacting of colleagues through email take up a large proportion of employee's time. Getting the most out of your staff is vital for business development; technology can help leverage your most valuable resource: your employees and can showcase the talent and skills available within your organisation. The need to create a culture of shared information and knowledge is also an increasing necessity in order to improve business decision making. However, this all needs to take place in the right context. Without proper guidance and governance the sharing of content could turn into an even bigger problem. Content has to be surfaced with the right people, being alerted when someone (that you either follow or like) publishes a document could be an absolute waste of time, equivalent to the long email trails people are cc'd in on which are by and large empty noise. However, being alerted when a document is published that directly relates to a project you are working on or a client you are managing is both highly valuable and relevant to your work load.

However, these two facts do not need to be at odds with each other. Enterprise level social software allows for file sharing to develop and efficient communications whilst allowing a level of control to counteract the messy anarchy that can ensue from inappropriate collaborative technology.

Social technologies in the business world allow for a greater wealth of information that drives performance in work, decisions and strategies, resulting in real benefits and solutions.

The IDC (International Data Corporation) estimates that an enterprise employing 1,000 knowledge workers wastes up to $3.5 million per year failing to find and potentially recreating existing information (source: IDC publication). The data surfacing from surveys across the world indicates that scouring emails for documents and information, and the problems that ensue from this, wastes a huge amount of time and therefore money. In an unstable economic climate, when competition and survival is at it's most critical, can businesses really afford to be losing money over inefficient communications and collaboration tools?

There is hope on the horizon however; recently The CEBR (Centre for Economics and Business Research) has reported that widespread adoption of cloud computing could give the top five EU economies a 763bn-euro (£645bn; $1tn) boost over five years, and could also create 2.4m jobs (source: BBC business news). Cloud computing hand in hand with collaborative social technologies will give business a more effective and efficient way to operate day to day, putting people back at the heart of business process by utilising technology to allow relationship to be built and businesses to grow.