Are You Hyperconnected?

If you’re reading this there is a strong likelihood that you are – right now you’re in a minority but that is changing fast according to an new IDC report in conjunction with Nortel. Here is what they found:

 

enterprises around the world are facing an exploding “culture of connectivity.” Not only is 16% of the global information workforce already “Hyperconnected,” more significantly, another 36% will be joining them soon!

 

You can get the full report for free from Nortel. I’m normally skeptical of sponsored reports (I know, I know)…but I found it via Steve Rubel so that alone adds some cred. Anyway, back to the report and what it made me think about. First off this statement got a big tick from me

 

The hyperconnected depend on the devices and applications that make them hyperconnected – 47% said a network outage at work would have an extreme impact on them. Technology supporting the hyperconnected has become mission critical!

 

Yep – recently I moved house and only had 3G connectivity. Still, it was connectivity but it was painful being off broadband. Very painful. Next up

 

The boundary between work and personal connectivity for the hyperconnected is almost nonexistent. Two-thirds use text or instant messaging for both work and personal use. More than a third use social networking for both.
The freedom to conduct work during personal time will force changes to personal use policies, business practices, training curricula, and IT support policies.

 

Check. Fortunately I work for an organisation that supports this approach. Frankly I think if it ever changes I’d leave so I count myself lucky but the organisations who don’t embrace this way of working will wither IMHO.

It’s a pretty interesting report and only 16 pages so quick to digest. I’ll write another post shortly about what I think this means in relation to Live Mesh and devices being connected as that’s where it really got me thinking.

Comments

• Anonymous
  May 19, 2008
  "The hyperconnected depend on the devices and applications that make them hyperconnected – 47% said a network outage at work would have an extreme impact on them. Technology supporting the hyperconnected has become mission critical!" No kidding? I would never have guessed ;)

• Anonymous
  May 19, 2008
  Is 3G really that slow though?  I found EDGE to be absurdly slow now, but the only problem I have with 3G is occasional latency issues.

• Anonymous
  May 20, 2008
  The comment has been removed