Tag: End user computing

• Device Selection.  Move beyond the old “one device per persona” approach. Build a flexible device ecosystem that supports a range of employee types, from frontline workers to power users, while allowing for broader device choices based on real usage patterns. Evaluate form factors like desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and thin/zero clients. With the rise of Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), thin clients are becoming more viable, offering cost savings and better security without compromising user experience.
• Flexibility of Choice. High-end features – lightweight design, long battery life, sleek aesthetics – are no longer limited to exec devices. I am currently writing this on a loan device – a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition – a freakishly light, powerful and slim device with LONG battery life – a device typically targeted towards the top tier of business leaders. But today, many of the features of this device run through the entire Lenovo laptop ecosystem – the “Aura” tag appears in many of the device SKUs and ranges. Hopefully the days of senior management getting the great looking devices and everyone else getting ugly bricks are behind us!
• Operating Systems and Compatibility. Ensure compatibility with current and planned business applications, cloud services, and collaboration tools. Consider ease of management and integration into existing IT ecosystems (such as Windows, macOS, Android, Chrome OS, Linux environments).
• Cloud Integration. Evaluate cloud-readiness and seamless integration capabilities with popular productivity suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace), hybrid cloud, and SaaS applications. Leverage VDI, DaaS or application virtualisation solutions to reduce hardware dependency and streamline maintenance.

User Experience

• Employee Productivity and Engagement. Even as EX slips down the priority list – and the budget – EUC leaders must still champion intuitive, user-friendly devices to boost productivity and reduce training and support demands. Seamless collaboration is critical across physical, remote, and hybrid teams. In-office collaboration is back in focus, but its value depends on digitising outcomes: laptops, smartphones, and tablets must enable AI-driven transcription, task assignment, and follow-up tracking from physical or hybrid meetings.
• Personalisation and Mobility. Where practical, offer device personalisation through flexible BYOD or CYOD models. Even in industries or geographies where this isn’t feasible, small touches like device colour or accessories, can improve engagement. UEM tools are essential to enforce security while enabling flexibility.
• Performance and Reliability. Choose devices that deliver the right performance for the task, especially for users handling video, design, or AI workloads. Prioritise long battery life and reliable connectivity, including Wi-Fi 6/7 and 5G where available. While 5G laptops are still rare across many Asia Pacific markets, that’s likely to change as networks expand and manufacturers respond to demand.
• Localised Strategy. Given the distributed nature of many organisations in the region, support and warranty strategies should reflect local realities. Tiered service agreements may provide better value than one-size-fits-all premium coverage that’s difficult to deliver consistently.

Security and Compliance

• Cybersecurity Posture. EUC teams typically work hand-in-hand with their cyber teams in the development of a secure EUC strategy and the deployment of the preferred devices. Cybersecurity teams will likely provide specific guidance and require compliance with local and regional regulations and laws. They will likely require that EUC teams prioritise integrated security capabilities (such as zero-trust architectures, endpoint detection and response – EDR solutions, biometrics, hardware-based security features like TPM). Consider deploying AI-driven endpoint threat detection and response tools for proactive threat mitigation.
• Data Privacy and Regulatory Compliance. Assess devices and management systems to ensure adherence to local regulatory frameworks (such as Australia’s Privacy Act, Singapore’s PDPA, or the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act). Deploy robust policies and platforms for data encryption, remote wiping, and identity and access management (IAM).

Management, Sustainability and Operational Efficiency

• Unified Endpoint Management (UEM). Centralise device management through UEM platforms to streamline provisioning, policy enforcement, patching, updates, and troubleshooting. Boost efficiency further with automation and self-service tools to lower IT overhead and support costs.
• Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM). While many organisations have made progress in optimising ALM – from procurement to retirement – gaps remain, especially in geographies outside core operations. Use device analytics to monitor health, utilisation, and performance, enabling smarter refresh cycles and reduced downtime.
• Sustainable IT and CSR Alignment. Choose vendors with strong sustainability credentials such as energy-efficient devices, ethical manufacturing, and robust recycling programs. Apply circular economy principles to extend device lifespan, reduce e-waste, and lower your carbon footprint. Align EUC strategies with broader CSR and ESG goals, using device refresh cycles as opportunities to advance sustainability targets and reinforce your organisation’s values.

Cost and Investment Planning

• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Evaluate TCO holistically, factoring in purchase price, operations, software licensing, security, support, warranties, and end-of-life costs. TCO frameworks are widely available, but if you need help tailoring one to your business, feel free to reach out. Balance CapEx and OpEx across different deployment models – owned vs leased, cloud-managed vs on-premises.
• Budgeting & Financial Modelling. Clearly define ROI and benefit realisation timelines to support internal approvals. Explore vendor financing or consumption-based models to enhance flexibility. These often align with sustainability goals, with many vendors offering equipment recycling and resale programs that reduce overall costs and support circular IT practices.

Vendor and Partner Selection

• Vendor Support & Regional Coverage. Select vendors with strong regional support across Asia Pacific to ensure consistent service delivery across diverse markets. Many organisations rely on distributors and resellers for their extended reach into remote geographies. Others prefer working directly with manufacturers. While this can reduce procurement costs, it may increase servicing complexity and response times. Assess vendors not just on cost, but on local presence, partner network strength, and critically, their supply chain resilience.
• Innovation & Ecosystem Alignment. Partner with vendors whose roadmaps align with future technology priorities – AI, IoT, edge computing – and who continue to invest in advancing EUC capabilities. Long-term innovation alignment is just as important as short-term performance.

Building a modern, future-ready EUC strategy isn’t just about devices – it’s about aligning people, technology, security, sustainability, and business outcomes in a way that’s cost-effective and forward-looking. But we know investment planning can be tricky. At Ecosystm, we’ve helped organisations build ROI models that make a strong case for EUC investments. If you’d like guidance, feel free to reach out – we’re here to help you get it right.

But over the past few years, innovation in this space has tailed off. Outside of the foldable space (which is already four years old), the major benefits of new devices are faster processors, brighter screens, and better cameras. I review a lot of great computers too (like many of the recent Surface devices) – and while they are continuously improving, not much has got my clients or me “excited” over the past few years (outside of some of the very cool accessibility initiatives). 

The Force of AI 

But this is all about to change. Devices are going to get smarter based on their data ecosystem, the cloud, and AI-specific local processing power. To be honest, this has been happening for some time – but most of the “magic” has been invisible to us. It happened when cameras took multiple shots and selected the best one; it happened when pixels were sharpened and images got brighter, better, and more attractive; it happened when digital assistants were called upon to answer questions and provide context.  

Microsoft, among others, are about to make AI smarts more front and centre of the experience – Windows Copilot will add a smart assistant that can not only advise but execute on advice. It will help employees improve their focus and productivity, summarise documents and long chat threads, select music, distribute content to the right audience, and find connections. Added to Microsoft 365 Copilot it will help knowledge workers spend less time searching and reading – and more time doing and improving.  

The greater integration of public and personal data with “intent insights” will also play out on our mobile devices. We are likely to see the emergence of the much-promised “integrated app”– one that can take on many of the tasks that we currently undertake across multiple applications, mobile websites, and sometimes even multiple devices. This will initially be through the use of public LLMs like Bard and ChatGPT, but as more custom, private models emerge they will serve very specific functions. 

Focused AI Chips will Drive New Device Wars 

In parallel to these developments, we expect the emergence of very specific AI processors that are paired to very specific AI capabilities. As local processing power becomes a necessity for some AI algorithms, the broad CPUs – and even the AI-focused ones (like Google’s Tensor Processor) – will need to be complemented by specific chips that serve specific AI functions. These chips will perform the processing more efficiently – preserving the battery and improving the user experience.  

While this will be a longer-term trend, it is likely to significantly change the game for what can be achieved locally on a device – enabling capabilities that are not in the realm of imagination today. They will also spur a new wave of device competition and innovation – with a greater desire to be on the “latest and greatest” devices than we see today! 

So, while the levels of device innovation have flattened, AI-driven software and chipset innovation will see current and future devices enable new levels of employee productivity and consumer capability. The focus in 2023 and beyond needs to be less on the hardware announcements and more on the platforms and tools. End-user computing strategies need to be refreshed with a new perspective around intent and intelligence. The persona-based strategies of the past have to be changed in a world where form factors and processing power are less relevant than outcomes and insights. 

5/5 (8) Today Samsung announced their new “Samsung Galaxy Fold” device – and while it won’t be available until at least April 26. This foldable hybrid phone/tablet device is not the first foldable phone – but it will likely be the first one to have mass market availability and will be the first that businesses consider deploying.

But what is the business opportunity for the Samsung Galaxy Fold? It is not a slim, sexy phone, and it is not a large screen tablet like an iPad or Galaxy Tab S4 (although the screen is actually bigger than the smaller screen Tab A 7” tablet). It will be an expensive device (US$1,980) – but depending on the configuration will likely be cheaper than a high-end phone plus a high-end tablet. It doesn’t come with a stylus, but has the ability to help users multi-task (supporting up to three apps at the same time) and also supports DeX – Samsung’s under-rated ability to turn the phone into a PC-like experience. It also supports Samsung Knox, so the security capabilities that Samsung is becoming well known for will be supported by the Galaxy Fold.

Initially, it looks like a device that could replace the “phone and tablet” combination, but the reality is that many of the types of role that have both devices (engineers, repair people etc) typically require ruggedized devices – even a white goods repair person is working in wet and dirty environments and would at least have some type of case on their device. The unique nature of the Galaxy Fold likely prohibits a ruggedized case – and possibly any case at all (as the fingerprint sensor is on the side of the device).

A “Shareable” Device

One factor that strikes me about the Fold is the fact that large screens not only make content easier to consume – but also easier to share. Travelling salespeople – who typically do meetings in cafes or offsite meeting rooms often pull out their tablet or laptop to demonstrate a product or show a presentation or video. Laptops are not great for this – as the interface is designed for one user – not multiple, and many don’t have 4G connections.

You often see software salespeople pull out their tablet to demonstrate their SaaS platform – so this is one of the use cases for the Galaxy Fold – it is a pocketable tablet that has 4G (or 5G) connectivity. Any situation where a white collar executive is sharing information is a potential opportunity for the Galaxy Fold. Only time will tell whether such executives are willing to accept the compromises (thicker device, smaller front screen).

The Ultra-Portable Laptop

The Fold could be the device that shows the real benefit of Samsung DeX – the extra memory and processing power might convince some businesses or end-user computing teams to dump the laptop for some of their employees – and give them a device that can be a phone, tablet and PC. Carrying your laptop between work and home in your pocket might be an attractive option for some users.

An Executive Status Symbol

The Fold will make its way into the senior management ranks too. The device will draw attention and interest – so those who seek such attention will be drawn to it. But if you look around the senior executive community you see those who don’t mind having a larger device in their pocket normally do so because they have covered the phone in a massive “Otter Box” case – they are looking to protect their asset – again the lack of protection may be an inhibitor for this buyer. And the other execs who like a slim, sexy device may be put off by the size. It is hard to know exactly where the Galaxy Fold will land.

Whatever happens, it is great to see the rate of innovation in the smartphone market start to accelerate again after 3-4 years of stagnation. From an engineering and design perspective, the Fold looks incredible. What role it takes in the end-user computing strategy of businesses across the globe isn’t yet clear – but the idea of a device that helps your business users better share content could certainly be an opportunity.

If you’d like to discuss your End User Computing strategy feel free to reach out to me at: tim.sheedy@ecosystm360.com – or if you have any thoughts of other use cases for the Samsung Galaxy Fold please post them in the comments below – let’s keep the conversation going!

But the winds are changing. Employee Experience (EX) is taking off as a serious business initiative. For example:

• Edmunds.com wrapped the traditional Facilities and Human Resources functions into a combined WEE Team which represents Workplace and Employment Experience. They engaged in a campaign to rid the company of the term “Human Resources”
• Airbnb has a dedicated team to “drive the company’s health and happiness”
• Nitro has “turned old-school HR on its head and instead created Employee Experience (EX)

In our upcoming CX research, the early data is showing that EX is the number two initiative for businesses across the globe in 2019. And for information workers, the technology that sits in front of them is a HUGE component of their experience – and their ability to get and stay productive.

Productivity Should Be The Focus Of Our EUC Strategies

Smart businesses understand that. They allow employees to choose (or bring) the devices that they need to remain productive. While desktop PCs might not be making a comeback, they are increasingly being adopted as an alternative to the “laptop as one device” strategy that many businesses embrace. Sometimes a powerful computer with a big screen (or multiple screens) is what people need to get the job done. Other times a small form factor desktop is perfect. Employees may need tablets or smartphones. And other times they need regular laptops, convertibles, or 4G connected laptops. Smart businesses also focus on seamless security – knowing that security is a key enabler of productivity. We are seeing that “The best, most secure device for the job” is taking off as a EUC hardware strategy in businesses that are striving to build a productive and enjoyable employee experience. This helps them to keep employees productive and will help them attract and retain the best talent.

And EUC goes beyond the device to the entire user experience

Collaboration initiatives often disappoint. Limited adoption, and limited interoperability between applications limits effectiveness. There is often a disconnection between the collaboration system and how it helps employees hit their goals. Microsoft is currently rebooting its collaboration strategy – and has created a more modern system that more closely mimics the processes of a typical information worker (Teams).  Slack is also taking the world by storm – as it is a collaboration tool that helps people the way they work today – it doesn’t require any training.

IT Operations professionals need to take a fresh look at EUC – but this time within the context of the other initiatives in your business. Do you already have a team focusing on EX? Are there initiatives you can help with – or piggyback on? There is real academic research proving the link between happiness and productivity – or the “state of flow”.  IT holds the key to productivity – and therefore happiness – for information workers in particular – it’s time to step up and put employee experience and productivity – not costs – at the centre of our IT end-user computing strategies.