Mobile device management is a burgeoning field, with more vendors--Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) most recently--peddling more tools all the time. Even so, the many different technologies are all much alike, and the real succes of an MDM project lies in your planning, processes, policies and enforcement, writes Michael A. Davis in a post at InformationWeek.

Limiting IT involvement is a good place to start an MDM project, in Davis's view. A mobility council, consisting of "an odd number of people from a bunch of areas of the business, and with only one person representing IT," makes for a better managing entity. The council weighs in on policies, processes and applications, and the members inform the employees in their own areas of the organization. IT takes on the roles of translating technology terms into ones the business understands and figuring out how to minimize risks while promoting opportunity.

Next you will want to determine who pays for the MDM technology, and make sure business units understand the logic behind a chargeback system if you implement one. Charging business units a per-year cost of the user licenses can reduce overall expense, as the units will be more inclined to carefully consider the need for the devices.

One area where MDM vendors differ is in the registration options they offer. Some have a self-service feature, while others require IT involvement. The less time and effort it takes to register devices, the more likely the management tools will be effective. "An enrollment process that is slow, complex, or otherwise painful will cause users to push back against loading the MDM client on their devices. This step is so important that failing at it could literally make or break your mobility plans," Davis cautions.

Make sure you have a documented process for repairing or replacing mobile devices. If employees are using personal devices, they should get authorization before dropping it off at a supplier for a replacement. "This is a major issue for many organizations, as most users are accustomed to just stopping by an AT&T store and replacing a phone. Without a process, your sensitive corporate data just went into a bin in the carrier's back room," he writes.

Finally, make sure that your encryption policy is consistent with compliance requirements and that the MDM system's capability aligns with it.  

For more:
- see Michael A. Davis's post at InformationWeek

Related Articles:
A road map for mobility through 2020
Shopping for mobile apps for business
Ten-year forecast for enterprise mobility: Complicated