Info-Tech Research Group1 1 Info-Tech Research Group, Inc. is a global leader in providing IT research and advice. Info-Tech’s products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns. © Info-Tech Research Group Inc. Make a Data-Driven Decision on Unified Communications Quantify the real value and need for UC to make the business case and build a realistic roadmap. Info-Tech's products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns.© Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group2 2 This Research Is Designed For:This Research Will Help You: Our Understanding of the Problem Infrastructure managers who are approaching a unified communications (UC) or telephony project and need to define requirements. Infrastructure managers who want to assess the value of UC features and functions. Infrastructure managers who want to maximize end-user adoption of the next UC solution. Validate assumptions about business and user needs for UC features and functions. Build a business case for UC features and functions based on hard data. Engage stakeholders and users early in the UC project to maximize project buy-in and support.

Info-Tech Research Group3 3 Resolution Situation ! Complication ? Info-Tech Insight Executive Summary The organization’s phone system is due for replacement soon. The alternatives aren’t just phone systems, they are unified communications suites and an array of point solutions for communicating and collaborating. Users increasingly have access to consumer tools for communication and collaboration, many of which are “free” to them but could have high costs to secure and support in an enterprise environment, may be difficult to integrate with enterprise systems, and have unclear product roadmaps. The case for UC is unclear: should IT invest in UC or take a point solution or best-of-breed approach that leverages low-cost consumer- grade tools (such as Google Hangouts, Skype, etc.)? Survey stakeholders and users to validate IT’s assumptions about what users really want and need. Build a business case on hard data in order to establish buy-in to UC decisions and gain approval. Align the UC roadmap with the end-user computing strategy (as well as networking), especially mobility, to ensure UC functionality is compatible with devices and platforms used in the foreseeable future. 1.The most critical challenge of your UC project is maximizing user adoption. The more readily users adopt UC, the more business value it will create. 2.User adoption isn’t just a risk, it’s a set of risks ranging from lack of need to poor user experience (caused by poor reliability, interoperability, etc.).

Info-Tech Research Group4 Create a high-level UC project timeline Phase 1: Develop an End-User Survey for UCPhase 2: Analyze and Apply the UC Survey Results Make the CaseConduct a Preliminary Needs Assessment Develop and Distribute the Survey Review and Analyze Survey Results Incorporate Data into the UC Strategy Update the UC Roadmap Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6  UC End- User Survey  Telephony / UC End-User Diagnostic  IPT and UC Business Value Assessment  UC Roadmap  Preliminary UC Needs Assessment  UC Project Mini-Charter 1-3 weeks3-6 weeks4-8 weeks1-3 months2-6 months3-8 months These deliverables are tie-ins to: Develop a Telephony and UC Strategy

Info-Tech Research Group5 5 Phase 1: Develop an End-User Survey for UC Analyze and Apply UC Survey Results Phase 2 Develop an End-User Survey for UC Phase 1

Info-Tech Research Group6 6 Step 1: Make the Case for Conducting a UC End-User Survey Immediate deliverables & outputsKey benefits After completing this section, you will have: UC Project Mini-Charter UC Project Timeline Estimated value assessment for conducting a UC end-user survey Go/no-go decision on whether to conduct a UC end-user survey This step will enable you to: Clarify scope and goals of the UC project. Make a business case for conducting a UC end-user survey. Build buy-in and momentum for the UC end- user survey. Info-Tech Insight Take a lean approach to data gathering and analysis. Define scope early and right- size the user survey process to the size and complexity of the UC project.

Info-Tech Research Group7 7 IT wants UC but the business case is unclear Survey data from InformationWeek shows that out of their 488 respondents, “44% have UC systems deployed and in use, with an additional 13% planning to be up and running within 12 months,” with an additional 13% planning to deploy in months. What Info-Tech hears from members: Our phone system is due for replacement soon. The alternatives aren’t just phone systems, they are Unified Communications suites and an array of point solutions for communicating and collaborating. Users increasingly have access to consumer tools for communication and collaboration, many of which are “free” to them but could have high costs to secure and support in an enterprise environment, may be difficult to integrate with enterprise systems, and have unclear product roadmaps. The case for UC is unclear: should we invest in UC or take a point solution or best-of-breed approach that leverages low-cost consumer- grade tools (such as Google Hangouts, Skype, etc.)? This blueprint will help you: Validate UC Use Case AssumptionsSupport the UC Business Case

Info-Tech Research Group8 8 UC’s real value comes through user adoption UC projects are often instigated by the need to replace, consolidate, or standardize technology assets, but the strongest justification for investing in UC is driven by adoption by business units and users. Approval and success of the project hinges on the end user. UC project success will depend on accurate identification of collaboration “hot spots” and other use cases. The most critical challenge of your UC project is maximizing user adoption. The more readily users adopt UC, the more business value it will create. Source: InformationWeek 2014 Unified Communications Survey, N=343 Note: Three responses allowed

Info-Tech Research Group9 9 Adoption isn’t just a risk, it’s a whole set of risks Some of the risk factors that reduce the ROI of UC by inhibiting user adoption: Lack or perceived lack of critical features and functions Excessive or unnecessary features and functions Poor performance and reliability Poor interoperability with other tools and platforms Difficulty or perceived difficulty of use (especially compared to existing tools) This blueprint will help you proactively improve the chances of UC project success by quantifying user needs, preferences, and risks.

Info-Tech Research Group10Info-Tech Research Group10 Device and platform evolution Communications tools need to interoperate across a growing variety of devices and platforms. The UC roadmap needs to be aligned with the end-user computing and network roadmaps to ensure UC functionality is compatible with devices and platforms users will use in the future. Over half a billion (526 million) mobile devices and connections were added in Global mobile devices and connections in 2013 grew to 7 billion, up from 6.5 billion in Smartphones accounted for 77 percent of that growth, with 406 million net additions in Average smartphone usage grew 50 percent in The average amount of traffic per smartphone in 2013 was 529 MB per month, up from 353 MB per month in Source: “Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, ” Cisco, 2014.Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, Corporate mobility continues to migrate away from corporate-owned BlackBerry toward iOS, Android, Microsoft, Nokia, or a mixture of platforms -- both corporate- and personally-owned.

Info-Tech Research Group11Info-Tech Research Group11 The challenge is moving it from the IT language and the fun and nice-to-have aspects to the business language... - Dennis Roberts, Blue Waters Products Limited Case study: Distributor is moving toward standardizing on Nokia handsets to leverage Lync The company is in the midst of a culture shift, from having users in the office to being able to take their laptop home. They have roughly 270 people on Lync (almost half of employees); most managers, sales people, and IT staff have the ability to forward their calls to mobile. IT is exploring the possibility of rolling Lync out to mobile devices, with the goal of creating a more unified collaborative network. Demand for new technologies can change quickly as users learn what is possible. For example, in the last two years with BBM and Skype on mobile phones, people have begun to appreciate the value of the Microsoft platform to the company. The future shape and size of the company is uncertain, as it continues to grow through small acquisitions and mergers. IT wants to roll out the ability to make Lync available on mobile phones and tablets, starting with Nokia/Windows Mobile devices field staff. Their next step is to conduct a study whether to upgrade to the latest Microsoft version (with Lync 2015), and decide whether to leverage and integrate with both on-premise and online. Decisions will be based on analysis of the true telecom costs and benefits of UC for the company. SituationComplicationResolution

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