FMYI | For My Innovation

So after over two months of using an iPad for work, what are my conclusions about the future of the iPad in the workplace? To recap, I decided to get an iPad, set it up, and left the laptop at the office, and then used the iPad exclusively for a week to see if it could be a laptop replacement.

My conclusions? For now, I’ve enjoyed leaving my laptop behind and essentially turning it into a desktop computer. The few times it leaves my desk usually involves working on Keynotes since the iPad version is too simplistic right now. But mostly, the iPad has been a laptop replacement, joining me on trips, while working at home, and when I’m out and about with clients. As long as you already make use of web-based services for file sharing, calendars, contacts, projects, etc, and you don’t miss the occasional flash video or site, the iPad is a great companion when out of the office.

So what does the future hold for the iPad? Beyond the hype about the iPad’s intuitive content consumption features as an entertainment device, I’ve been interested since day one in its potential as a work tool. And it’s been surprising how fast it’s being adopted by large companies, including deployments and pilots at 50% of the Fortune 100. From what I’ve heard from our clients, corporate boardrooms seem to be buzzing about the iPad’s potential to revolutionize how their teams work.

To me, the iPad and other intuitive tablets have a chance to help make these three things happen in the workplace:

1. Work anywhere.

This is already happening more and more. As of May 2010, 59% of all adult Americans go online wirelessly. And that by 2015, the mobile web will rule. It’s clear people are starting to do things like check emails, read documents, and surf the web while out of the office. But fully realizing the dream of working anywhere requires a device that can easily do most of what they work on in the office, and the evolution of workplace culture to more fully embracing flex schedules, telecommuting, and virtual teams. The iPad isn’t fully there yet, but Apple is on the right track.

Drew Bernard of ShareZen put it this way: “The iPad provides me a nice way to monitor work related items when I don’t really want to really clock in. It’s great for reading email, checking Google Analytics, monitoring Twitter, etc. Interestingly, my wife also seems to me more slack to check in on work during down time much more than she does when I pick up my laptop. It’s funny, but when I am on vacation and I pick up my laptop, my wife gives me a little look that says ‘your kids are getting older by the minute and you are wasting precious time checking email’ but for some reason she does’t give me that same look when I use the iPad. I think the fact that I can’t really do any deep work on it might explain why this is the case. I find composing email on the iPad to be pretty unpleasant and thus tend to only send short (iPhone level) email on it.“

2. Have fun.

People seem to react with joy when using an iPad. To me, it’s not so much about the hardware form factor or the music, books, and videos you can consume. It’s about the simple and intuitive iOS interface, and the ability to use the touch screen to get things done without a mouse coming between you and the screen. You feel more involved, and it’s simple to touch the icons to run an app. Using it is so much more enjoyable than a desktop or laptop with a more complicated operating system. Computing is becoming more intuitive to the mainstream, and other tablet makers who previously focused on the hardware are trying to catch up with better software.

3. Collaborate naturally.

Ultimately, the web and computing is not just about personal productivity. It’s also about bringing people together. And in the workplace, it’s about achieving goals together. The iPad and tablets in general can make this easier by making collaboration more natural. iPads could have an impact by improving collaboration during big meetings. Or by having always connected devices wherever we are, and workplaces that store all their information digitally (no need for desks full of paper), people will be able to collaborate anywhere. Workplaces have gotten more transparent with sharing of information as opposed to the past when people hoarded info and didn’t share as freely. We’ve noticed at FMYI that clients have enjoyed our pioneering work with a homepage “Latest activity” feed more these days than when we first launched it years ago when people wanted to keep projects more of a secret from other project teams. It’s truly A New Day. Here at FMYI, we’re evolving our mobile version and working on an iPad app that will blend personal productivity with team collaboration in a fun way so people can innovate anywhere. Stay tuned for more!

-Justin

*Oh, and you’re probably wondering what the connection is between llamas and the future of the iPad in the workplace? Llamas are useful for carrying your stuff around (“Work anywhere”), llamas are fun (“Have fun”), and llamas are social (“Collaborate naturally”). We have llamas on our brain after an FMYI outing to a llama farm — thanks Courtney!