Gartner predicts that advances in networks, mobile hardware
capabilities, social computing, service-oriented architecture
(SOA), and unified communication will make it easier to build and
use context-enriched services. This will present a significant
business opportunity for service providers, mobile device
manufacturers and suppliers of communication
infrastructure.
Context-aware computing focuses on making use of information
about the end-user to improve the quality of the interaction.
Emerging context-enriched services will use location, presence,
social attributes, and other environmental information to
anticipate an end user's immediate needs, offering
more-sophisticated, situation-aware and usable functions.
Why is context-aware computing worth my time?
Gartner research has shown that context-aware computing has a
high correlation to business expectations and therefore is a
natural place to invest time and effort as business leadership
responds to turbulent economic conditions and positions the
business for future growth.
Context-aware computing can help by improving business
processes, reducing enterprise costs, attracting and retaining new
customers, improving workforce effectiveness, creating new products
and services, expanding into new markets and geographies, and
expanding current customer relationships.
Many organisations are beginning to experiment with social
networking, which can also provide significant context information
as well as use context information to achieve better results. By
2011, organisations at the cutting edge of technology adoption will
begin to integrate multiple contextual components to provide a
richer user experience that enables top-line growth as well as
workplace efficiencies.
How do I make a business case?
Particularly in the current economic climate, where resources
are scarce and businesses are hesitant to invest in new areas,
Gartner recommends focusing management on how context-rich
information can improve compelling business opportunities. For
example, context-aware computing might be used to help improve the
quality of call centre interactions, improve marketing efforts or
increase the efficiency of collaboration.
Why is it important to get started early?
The real promise of context-aware computing will be realised
when context information can be federated across multiple sources
and applications and when trust and privacy issues are addressed.
These are not trivial challenges, and those organisations that
begin to explore solutions now will be better placed to exploit the
"game changing" potential as context information and
context-enriched services become increasingly ubiquitous. Gartner
maintains that experimentation will be critical to success.
How do I introduce context-aware computing?
The introduction of any new technology can be tricky, and
Gartner recommends a five-point plan when adopting context-aware
computing:
• Choose a current strategic initiative that can be improved
through the use of context information.
• Don't make the application too complex or too simple. The
conventional wisdom is to make the implementation as simple as
possible, but this will not allow for the demonstration of full
benefits.
• Weigh the costs of acquiring context information
carefully.
• Be sure to address privacy concerns.
• Be sure to measure the business benefits.