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Community of Practice: Mobile Deployment in the Enterprise
Thursday, 10th January 2013

By Robin Neidorf

Abstract:

FreePint's Director of Research announces the launch of our first Community of Practice, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of mobile deployment of content in the enterprise. Using a blend of learning materials, distance learning principles and peer-to-peer education, this first CoP can be a valuable tool for your 2013 strategic initiatives.

Article:

"There's going to come a day when my organisation is going to issue everyone iPads. When that day comes, I'm going to need to have been preparing for 10 months."

This comment came from an interview I conducted in mid-2011 with a participant in FreePint's research on the Enterprise Market for Mobile Content. Within 6 months, this respondent was actively involved in a pilot project to make a wide range of mobile content available to users in her organisation… not on company-issued tablets but through a "bring your own device" model.

This kind of rapid change in requirements, expectations and timeline is all too typical of what information managers face with regard to supporting transition to mobile usage of internal and external content.

The challenges we at FreePint first identified in 2010 – security, authentication, definition of business requirements and interdisciplinary collaboration – have not lessened. But the urgency many information managers feel around mobile content has increased.

If mobile content comes up more frequently in planning meetings and even casual conversations in your organisation, consider joining FreePint's Community of Practice: Mobile Content Deployment.

Throughout 2013, members of this CoP will:

• Work through a loosely structured learning programme based on original and secondary research
• Participate in facilitated meetings (teleconference/web-based) to discuss emerging issues, case studies and best practices for tackling the complexities of mobile content deployment
• Have exclusive access to regular practical assignments, which they can adapt and use within their organisations to support specific elements of solving the mobile deployment puzzle.

Facilitated Learning Experience

I love communities of practice for the peer-to-peer learning they offer participants. At the same time, the ones I see being most successful and valuable over time are those that have some element of faciltiation and curriculum to give them focus and direction.

I'm very excited to facilitate the FreePint CoP: Mobile Content Deployment. In my role as FreePint's Director of Research, I enjoy investigating the emerging issues of our industry, including the complex layers of mobile deployment in the enterprise. But what's even more rewarding is getting to discuss these issues in a practical setting with the people who are working hard make emerging ideas a reality.

Facilitating this CoP also gives me a chance to combine FreePint's research with my expertise in distance learning. I'm structuring the initial process and curriculum based on the ideas presented in my recently published book, Teach Beyond Your Reach (Information Today, 2nd edition).

What Are the Components?

Participants have exclusive access to teleconference meetings for the CoP, conducted approximately every 6 to 8 weeks. Each meeting includes presentation and discussion.

Between meetings, participants have practical assignments and exercises to use within their organisations to support mobile projects.

All discussion within the CoP is fully confidential.

Learning Objectives for 2013:

• Define and describe the internal lines of communication required to deploy content securely within the enterprise
• Develop and apply tools to support cross-departmental collaboration to support mobile deployment
• Describe and qualify criteria for successful mobile deployment, based on industry practices and stakeholder input
• Establish priorities for mobile deployment
• Identify potential technology or content partners to support mobile initiatives, based on unique requirements of organisation

Who Can -- and Should -- Participate?

This CoP is designed for information managers responsible for content selection and delivery within their organisations.

Whilst there are no direct costs for joining the CoP, your organisation must have an active FreePint Subscription at the "Team" level or higher to join.

Learn more, and then get started by emailing me (robin.neidorf@freepint.com). I will send additional information, including registration materials. 

A limited number of seats are available, and the first session will take place in February 2013.

If you don't yet have a FreePint Subscription, start the conversation by completing our online form, "How Can FreePint Help?" And if you are unsure if your organisation has a subscription, contact us for assistance.

By Robin Neidorf

Robin has been working with FreePint since 2004, and, since joining full time in 2006, is responsible for strategic planning, product development, relationship management, research and communications. She currently heads the FreePint Research division.

Robin Neidorf ran a research and communications consulting business for 10 years, prior to joining Free Pint Limited. As a consultant, she focused on strategic planning, using information to make better decisions, and creating effective audience-focused communications across different media.

Robin has worked with a wide range of organisations in the for-profit and non-profit sector. She has developed online communities, publications and distance learning modules for a range of business purposes. She is the author of Teach Beyond Your Reach: An instructor's guide to developing and running successful distance learning classes, workshops, training sessions and more (second edition, Cyber Age, 2012) and the co-author of E-Merchant: Retail Strategies for e-Commerce (Addison-Wesley, 2001).

Robin can be reached at robin.neidorf@freepint.com

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