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Issue More Laptops to the Masses
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February 25, 2002 (Computerworld) -- The notebook computer has evolved from being a friend of the road warrior and a business status symbol to a mainstream tool. Yet too many users still find themselves constrained by IT policies that insist that only mobile workers who travel for most of their work are entitled to them. But most IT organizations would do well by allowing more users to work with mobile technology.
One reason for not buying users laptops is their cost. But the price premium for laptops is worth it. For most users who fit the knowledge worker profile, having a laptop instead of a desktop system often increases productivity. On average, companies can expect a return of least one to two hours of additional work time per day per user. This extra productivity makes up for the higher cost of the laptop when measuring the total cost of ownership over its life, which is generally about two years.
But many laptop deployments fail and are rejected by end users. Here are three reasons why this occurs and how IT departments can increase user satisfaction:
• The major reason is users' perception that they can't use a laptop as their sole computer - IT departments are often deluged with requests for both laptops and desktops for individual users. There is rarely a business justification for this. With adequate training, employees can work effectively with a laptop as their sole system. Although there's always a class of high-end users that will require the fastest processor possible (consider for a moment whether any of your users are working on the human genome project or something similar), the vast majority can make do with the performance of today's notebook-class systems. While employees will have to learn some remote computing skills, such as using a virtual private network or switching between home and work printers, those tasks should be included as part of standard IT training.
• Another reason: Some IT department policies make it extremely difficult for users to work effectively with their systems. My favorite example is a company that eschewed desktops for laptops for all employees and purchased top-of-the-line ThinkPad systems from IBM. The company then had the systems bolted to users' desks; they were required to get permission and a key from a supervisor to take a computer home or on a trip. Needless to say, most users didn't see any productivity gains in terms of additional hours worked.
Also, laptops are highly personal items, and users must be consulted about form factor and size. Ideally, IT departments will offer two models: one full-featured system with integrated optical disks and larger screens and keyboards for users who want full desktop functions, and another that's an ultraportable system for users more concerned with size and weight than with the feature set of a larger system.
• IT departments need policies about what's allowed on users' systems. A good rule of thumb: Give users latitude regarding their configurations, but insist that IT will support only standard IT configurations and not end-user modifications.
Today's information and knowledge workers are expected to do more with less, so giving them laptops is a step in the right direction. How many of you work at companies where laptops are used as the primary system? Let me know, and I'll publish the results in a future column.
Michael Gartenberg is research director for the client access and technologies group at Jupiter Media Metrix Inc. in New York. Contact him at michael.gartenberg@mindspring.com.
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