Developing an Enterprise Wireless/Palm Computing Strategy

Developing an Enterprise Wireless/Palm Computing Strategy

Developing an Enterprise Wireless/Palm Computing

StrategyWilliam Shepard

Cleveland State University


Proud to be from Cleveland…we’re tough!!!

• 1969 The Cuyahoga River caught on fire!!!….we survived

• 1995 The Browns were moved out of town…..we survived

• 1997 CSU Plans to Install ERP……

• Well, two out of three ain’t bad!!!


The Assignment

• Develop a Strategy which will prepare us for the Palm Computing Explosion

• Position our department strategically

• Ken Dulaney from Gartner recently reported the following


“Most companies aren’t yet ready to embrace handheld devices. It’s something they’re being pushed to do by their own employees. It’s like the revolution we had with the PC. They had mainframes, they had thin clients – terminals—out there, and life was good. Then they saw this invasion of PC’s that wasn’t planned, and it took them a number of years to get a handle on it”.

– Source Informationweek.com


Today’s Presentation

• Mechanics of What We Did

• The results: The Strategy, Training Plan, The Support Plan and Web Site

• Added Value Technical Apps


The Mechanics

How we organized and proceeded


Our Challenge

• Palm Technology is inexpensive• Palm Technology is still emerging• This technology will quietly enter your

organization from the “Controlled Top” or “Uncontrolled Bottom”, you choose

• No matter which way, where will employees go for help or to solve problems?

• Will you be prepared?


Vision

– To prepare ourselves to provide technical support, end user training and client based information delivery so we may take fullest advantage of Palmtop wireless technology as it grows from its infancy to become ubiquitous technology.


Starting Point

• Little or no knowledge of technology in central IS

• No user demand presently• Transitional Market• History of building initial Web Site—Learn

from past mistakes• Require a cyclical evolutionary approach• Required building a Critical Mass, Marketing


Team Creation

• Looked for Key support and development experts– Help Desk/Training Manager– Desktop Support Manager– Developers– Security Administrator– Salespeople/promoters/innovators


Team Leader

• Someone with vision to drive technology• Someone who loves technology• Someone who can organize, delegate and

promote• Someone who knows the business

environment• Someone not bright enough to know he is

being kept away from the “really important’ projects


Building the Excitement

• Purchased Handspring Visors for Team• Initial Training for Team, Unnecessary • Team Was Told, Results were Expected• Information was Shared at Meetings• Training Apps Developed for Team

– Time/Material Tracking– Mail Synchronization– Avantgo Browsing


Approach to Learning and Developing

• Three Phased Cyclical Approach– Investigate/Learn/Evaluate (October-

December)– Develop Products (December-March)– Deploy Products (March-)


Project Goals Established

– Develop Training Program for Faculty and Staff– Develop Support Program for Faculty and Staff– Develop Some Products for the Palm Platform

(Teaser Apps) (Training Apps)• Class Rosters T/M• Web Access Mail/Web

– Develop a Strategy for Guidance• Standards• Recommended Products• Web Site


Marketing• Senior Level One on One

– Dean of Continuing Education– AVP of Intuitional Research– Budget Officer– Library Director– Purchasing Director– Outreach Meetings

• Palms’ ordered for all new Senior Staff• IS&T Newsletter• Web Site (www.csuohio.edu/ist)


The Results

Training, support, strategy, web site, excitement


The Strategy

• Hardware– All Palm OS Devices, All Models

• Software– Operating Systems:– Palm OS (All versions)


The Strategy

• Palm Products: – Address Book– Date Book– Date Book+– Mail– Memo Pad– To Do List– Avantgo (Internet Browser)


The Strategy

• Synchronization Software – Hot Sync Manager

• Desktop Personal Information Managers or Mail Clients (used with Palm Computers)– Eudora– Outlook– Lotus Notes– Palm Desktop


The Strategy

• Conduits – Easy Sync (Lotus Notes) Freeware Version. Used

to support Notes Mail only– Easy Sync (Lotus Notes) License Version. Used

to support Notes PIM functions– Intellisync (Puma Technologies). Used to support

Notes PIM, Outlook, Eudora, and others product– Pocket Mirror (Included with Palm Software)


Training Plan

• Material used is ISI Presenter Series• Courses offered during lunch hour, 1 hour

segments• All participants given complete copy of course

material• Participants may take any number of classes

desired• Will introduce new products/services via

classes


Training Offered

• What are they? • In Sync • Calendars • To Do Lists• Email• Memos • Ask the Experts • Downloads • Internet Access


Support Provided

• Help Desk Queues• Desktop Communication

– Software Installation– Handheld Setup

• Synchronization– HotSync Software Installation – Handheld Setup– Installation of IntelliSync or Easy Sync for

Email


Support Provided

• Resetting Handheld

• Purchasing Assistance

• Web Site (www.csuohio.edu/ist)– Click on Palm Computing


Palm Web Site

• Scope and Goals• Recommended and Supported Hardware • Recommended and Supported Software • Structure of PDA's• Technical Support Services• Training Offered by IS&T • Purchasing Assistance• Directory of Related Links • Current Palm Uses and Products at CSU


Technical Applications

• Web Browsing

• Modem Synchronization

• Lotus Notes Disaster Recovery

• Executive Dashboard

• Class Rosters from Web

• Access to multiple file types


Web Browsing

• Avangto (www.avantgo.com)

• Handheld Friendly Sites

• Any Web Site


Example of Handheld Friendly Site via Avangto


Example of non Handheld Friendly site via Avantgo


Benefits of Web Browsing

• Increases excitement and usage

• Little or no re-tooling required

• Using Handheld Friendly “Channel” Provider can reduce redevelopment effort

• Existing content can be provided to new platform


Modem Synchronization

• Modem acts like Hotsync cradle

• Dial into Lan without need for PC modem

• Palm can now be used as laptop for mail and calendar updating remotely


Lotus Notes Disaster Recovery

• Notes Journal created on shared disk

• DR Team has read/write access via Notes

• All documents are sync’ed to the Palm Computers

• Requires Intellisync Conduits


Benefits to Palm DR

• Where’s your DR Book?

• All DR Team members have this with them always

• Syncs refreshes new information

• Can be used in any application where network data must be shared


Access to multiple file types

• Use InstallBuddy from BlueNomad.com

• Converts files to PDA readable format

• Provides free PDA Readers

• Can sync one time or always

• Users “Send To”, Drag/Drop, Toolbars to move files


Executive Dashboard

• Key spreadsheets and documents will be stored on network drive

• Individual Executives will have sync set up for all files on dashboard

• Updates will be dropped into network drive

• Hotsync will keep PDA’s current


Class Rosters from Web

• Viewable rosters have CSV option

• CSV files are stored on C drive

• Send To options moves them to Install Directory

• Read on Palm with CSV Lite


Where do we go from here?

• Launching industry specific CE Instruction

• Establish User Group on campus

• Provide units in training lab

• Web agreement with Avantgo

• Student Kiosk duplication


Summary

• Where we were/where we are

• Training Plan in place

• Marketing ongoing

• Base Strategy in place with standards

• Web Site in place

• Futures list developed

• We are prepared to continue


Questions?

Thank You


Information Page

• William Shepard

• Phone: (216) 687-2110

• Fax: (216) 687-9200

• Email: [email protected]

• URL: www.csuohio.edu/ist

• FTP: 133.148.200.33 cumrec2001

Developing an Enterprise Wireless/Palm Computing Strategy

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