5 Predictions for the Future of Collaboration - #2

 

Yesterday I shared my  first prediction regarding the future of collaboration.  Here’s my  second prediction:

 

Prediction #2:
It is not about “on-premise” versus “on-demand”,  it will be all about the User Experience

 

In the technology industry we tend to focus a lot on the underlying computing  model and how best to deliver functionality and value.  That makes sense,  because it’s core to what we do.  But as an industry need to move beyond  this conversation. Ultimately User Experience is what matters.

 

We need to provide an experience that’s consistent and seamless, with easy  access to the services you care about, regardless of your location or device.  

 

To enable this seamless experience, applications must be hosted and delivered  through a combination of on-premise and on-demand networks working  together.  Bottom line, there will always be a combination of different  types of applications – some that are local and others that are in the cloud.  

 

There are a few factors driving this:

 

First, a multi-generational work force demands multiple modes of  collaboration.  The Millennial generation – those born after 1980 – has a  natural affinity for real time, synchronous social communication, enabled by  tools such as chat, SMS, new forms of video, and interactive decision-support  systems.  While others will still prefer asynchronous modes such as  email.

 

Second, individual preference for collaboration tools will vary.  For  instance, my boss John Chambers uses video blogs as his preferred collaboration  tool. I, on the other hand, use blogs, micro-blogging and social networks quite  extensively. We need to architecturally combine video, voice and data on a  unified platform –– and allow for the personalization of collaboration  tools.

 

Third, mobility will be a major factor – going forward the “where” in  collaboration will become less relevant. What if we can access applications from  any where on any device? In the palm of your hand or a 50” screen – with the  same HD experience.  And while you might think that “the cloud” can  actually address a lot of this on its own, there will always be a need for the  security, reliability, scalability, and control of the on-prem enterprise  network.

 

So a key focus for technology innovation is to enable an organization’s  on-prem network to seamlessly interoperate with the Cloud.  And going  forward, collaboration will be about technology adapting to people’s needs  rather than the other way around.

Weaving a Web Around Information

 

Semantic Web technology allows companies to provide context for data,  helping them distinguish or connect info from disparate sources

 

No question the Internet makes it easier to unearth information, but it’s  still a work in progress when it comes to finding the relationships between data  squirreled away in one corner of the Web and online facts and figures  elsewhere.

That’s where Semantic Web works its magic. The emerging  technology makes it possible to tag, describe, and provide context for countless  bits of online information. For instance, Semantic Web tools can help search  engines distinguish between various meanings of a word, such as “mercury”—be it  the chemical, the planet, the Roman god, or the Ford Motor  vehicle.

Proponents say Semantic Web tools hold great potential for  changing how companies correlate information scattered across disparate  databases and software programs. Eli Lilly, Citigroup, and Kodak are among the  companies dipping a toe in Semantic Web waters. To see how, read on.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

The TAO of Topic Maps

 

Finding the Way in the Age of Infoglut

Metadata? Thesauri? Taxonomies? Topic Maps!

 

Making sense of it all

 About OASIS  

Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information  Standards

Ontopia has a comprehensive suite of topic map solutions, both software products  and consultancy and training services.

Imagining the Internet: A History and Forecast is a multi-section  resource containing thousands of pages. It exposes future possibilities  while simultaneously providing a peek back at the past.