Café Innovation – Analytics plus Mobility equals The “Real” Big Thing

Here are some observations arising out of some very rich experiences at two SAP (and related) events in recent days.

Tech Ed 2010 in Las Vegas was immensely successful as we were able to learn, confirm, and share things that are uppermost in the minds of SAP customers. There was a lot of good information that I hope many of you have been able to take advantage of – those attending Tech Ed in Bangalore and Shanghai can look forward to some very enriching sessions. The SAP Premier Customer Network hosted an exclusive event for attendees from its member companies; the spotlight was squarely on the SAP focus of our times – “On Device” and “On Demand”. Video highlights from this event will be made available in the coming weeks for all. In the meantime, here is a quick blurb on the mobility (aka “on device”) topic via a YouTube video shot by SAP Mentor, Kevin Benedict, shortly after that event!

The following week I was speaking at SAP Insider’s Reporting, Planning and Analysis Conference in Orlando where it became increasingly clear that SAP customers everywhere are seeking to launch their own Enterprise Mobility initiatives – and quickly! This conference was all about Analytics but the real undercurrent was very mobility-oriented. The excitement generated by the SAP-Sybase combination is hard to contain!

That brings me to the crux of this post. What really helps run a business? Putting aside all the technology talk that we can throw at it, in its most elementary form, it is good information. That has always been the case, and is unlikely to change anytime in the near future. It is clear that good analytics can make a significant difference to an organization’s ability to compete effectively. The more real-time this information is, the greater the likely impact! In-memory computing and the launch of the HANA offering will make this more of a reality for SAP customers! What can take this effect to the next level?

Enterprise Mobility. Running these analytics on-the-go, off live data, is a trifecta of sorts. This is where the excitement is likely to reach dizzying proportions! Monitoring periodic results, or tracking daily/hourly trends, and being able to initiate events that address an emerging trend or issue – all without having to be tethered to a PC; this is what makes for countless exciting possibilities for many organizations.

In speaking with some of SAP’s most significant customers (members of the SAP Premier Customer Network) it is increasingly clear that this is the next summit that must be scaled. This has a bearing on future competitiveness and needs to be front and center in any strategy and roadmap discussion for all SAP customers. As I mentioned in my last post, “enterprise mobility is no longer an “add-on” to your landscape – it must become a fundamental consideration.”