IBM has introduced new software that helps employees tap into the broadest range of business information to do their jobs more effectively from their desktops, mobile phones and tablets. The new offering allows traditional and mobile workers to securely access, manage and gain insight from structured and unstructured content such as emails, documents, images, Web data and collaboration tools to improve productivity.
Last year, smart phone shipments beat those of PCs for the first time ever, with 73 million more units being sold. With the proliferation of tablets, smart phones and social business applications, organizations are seeking an enterprise content management (ECM) solution that can help extend their employees' ability to access and share business content to speed workflow. In IBM's 2011 Global CIO Study of more than 3,000 CIOs, 75 percent of respondents identified mobility solutions as one of their top priorities.
IBM is responding to these trends with IBM Content Navigator, new software that gives employees access to a broad range of documents, records, images and other relevant content to do their jobs more effectively.
Built on open standards like HTML5 and CMIS, the new software provides a consistent user experience across a variety of mobile devices, operating systems and content sources, allowing employees across all lines of businesses to access, manage, contribute and share content any time, from any location. Whether they need to conduct everyday business while on the road or in a client's office, IBM is arming them with the access to the right data, anytime, anywhere. For example, a human resources manager who is traveling to meet employees can now access a range of documents such as employee records, compensation, benefits and evaluations without the need for a PC.
Similarly, an insurance claims adjuster who spends her day inspecting damaged property or vehicles can now use her iPad to take a picture, document the incident and automatically upload it in the client's claim file. The document can be found immediately by colleagues in the main office using Content Navigator's integrated search and analytics to speed-up claims processing.
In addition to the collaboration and mobile capabilities IBM Content Navigator delivers, the underlying platform was built for easy customization; employees can set up document collaboration areas themselves with minimal help from the IT department. This self-provisioning capability allows departments such as sales, human resources, finance or legal to customize the solution for their specific business needs.
For example, a government agency could use the software to provide large numbers of employees with access to enterprise content based on an individual's job role without having to devote IT resources to setting up the interface for each user. In the State of North Dakota, 22 agencies and more than 2,000 state employees – including the Departments of Commerce, Taxation, Transportation, Human Services, and Secretary of State – already use IBM's Enterprise Content Management software to manage a wide variety of citizen records and information, ranging from unemployment applications and vehicle registrations to tax filings and flexible benefit records.
