Today’s work environment – yours, mine, and everyone else’s — is becoming more mobile, social, visual, and virtual. And there is no one magical tool that covers every situation. We need choice and flexibility for the way we each work.
Any-to-Any collaboration with an easy-to-use consistent experience is the reality of today’s user requirements. However, many solutions available today are brought together with the use of band aids and chewing gum, making it a nightmare to troubleshoot across the various stitched-together call-control systems.
Because of our collaboration architecture, Cisco can connect iPads, Macs, and PCs with Cisco Jabber to our multipurpose Telepresence systems, our immersive, and even third-party standards-based video endpoints. Let’s be clear: It is not about choosing one or the other, it is about using any or all. The great news is that at Cisco, standards-based interoperability is key and we make the pieces all work together—whether they were made by Cisco or not. Architecture matters.
Another point I’d like to make, is that I don’t believe in “one-size-fits all” or that any one device will rule over others and take the world. I do believe in the flexibility of Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD. I believe in mobility with a choice of using my iPhone and my PC. And I believe in high-immersive Telepresence. But I also believe that there is a time and place for each.
When I am traveling, I depend on my PC and my iPhone to stay connected. If I need to attend a staff meeting while travelling, a mobile device from a hotel room does the job. But if I need to meet with the operating committee remotely, I will use an immersive Telepresence system so that they can see and feel my presence in the room. An immersive TelePresence experience is the next best thing than being there in-person.
At Cisco we have an extensive portfolio to enable collaboration. It’s purpose-built for human engagement and to fit the task at hand, all with the flexibility of choice – and better yet, all integrated and working together.
Most important, we must understand that it is not about the device. It is about the people. It’s how people make use of these technologies, how people can use technology to improve their own performance, and how they can use technology to make their companies more productive.
By OJ Winge
