Unifying intelligent systems with existing communication infrastructure will pave the way for connected workplaces
Advancements in unified communications (UC) have established the widespread use of both real-time and non-real time collaboration, laying the foundation for the digital office of the future. With the proliferation of sensor-linked devices at work, enterprises are increasingly seeking to integrate all systems to institute a connected workplace. However, the complexity of this integration in terms of security and cost remain a challenge.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, The Office of the Future, finds that futuristic tools and technologies like augmented reality, virtual holography, and the Internet of Everything will shape the office of the future. The interplay of social and cloud systems with these technologies will drive greater collaboration at enterprises.
"The changing communication patterns of users and the need to collaborate anytime and anywhere has led to the evolution of next-generation technologies," said Frost & Sullivan Information & Communication Technologies Senior Research Analyst Vaishno Devi Srinivasan. "Mega trends such as urbanisation, smart cities, the growing dominance of Gen Y, and increasing network convergence demand the infusion of next-gen technologies into the UC framework."
Since the required back-end infrastructure that will enable this transition to a smart workplace is expected to be complex, the traditional UC ecosystem must embrace next-generation technology vendors. Market participants will have to partner with or acquire firms that are specialists in emerging technologies to accelerate the delivery of integrated services.
"The adoption of augmented reality, Internet of Things, and social networks has caught on in the retail, manufacturing, defence, education, healthcare and automotive sectors, offering a multitude of opportunities for integration with UC," observed Srinivasan. "The vendor ecosystem must replicate this success story across enterprises, developing strong application-specific use-cases to build a robust value-proposition for a digital workplace."
As people, processes and things get connected, stringent protocols need to be put in place for object recognition, tracking and rendering mechanisms. Parameters to both guard and manage devices must be fully context-aware for a relevant connected environment.
