Hi Stéphane,

Datas are important for IT guys.

Users wants informations, but structured in a way they can easily get them when need it.

Think about a puzzle game : you have the box with all pieces, it’s your datas. Users want to get the informations asap without having to build the whole puzzle to be able to do their job.

So even if datas are important, the way you present them and how users interact with them is almost as important as the datas themselves.
If you think only about datas, then you forget the user experience.

A bad user experience (even with appropriate datas) is a reason for project failure and there are lots of example around the world of such experiences.

Not to mention that a bad user interface could be for business a real loss of productivity …
Regards,

Gents,

it’s all about the user experience. So it’s data combined with the application that turns into services for our users. They don’t (probably) don’t care where the data is and what application they have to use. Of course we have power users like Jason Conger (;)) who choose their own app but that’s just a small part of the user population.

All users seem to want is a reliable access platform to their uniform execution platform so they can start their application in the same way without influence from the access platform.

Although I agree with Pierre that we should adjust our apps depending on the access platform (form factor) there’s a difference in user population in which we have to serve the whole population; the users that can choose their own apps and the users that don’t want to choose as long as they can do their day to day job.

Cheers,

Kees

That’s what I meant with a reliable access platform, UX should be the same from every device but modified to the access platform specification (for example: large/limited resolution or touch/non touch)

VDI wil no longer be the way to go. All that users want is easy access to self-selectable apps. Users do not want another desktop to access apps. So the good old XenApp with published apps that will allow users to put their Xenapp based apps in Metro or on Android devices or iOS devices will be the future. Too bad the Citrix Dazzle/self-service tech-preview with the possibility to add a workflow behind an app to request access if required never made it to production.

This is quite funny 🙂 I’ve recently started blogging again (after small break) and I was going though my notes from the past… I’ve found one draft I wrote 2 years ago that was talking about VDI status and especially about the importance of the data… I’ve even used the same example that you did with PDF and Acrobat Reader…

Finally, I’ve decided to write about CNAMEs (http://blogs.citrix.com/2012/06/02/simplify-your-xenappxendesktop-with-dns-aliases/) instead…

So either you’ve seen my notes, or we were thinking about the same issue (the state of mind) at the same time. I don’t see one part that my article wanted to cover though – the fact that you can easily create touch-friendly applications even today. Simply create new project (VB.NET, C#, WPF, doesn’t matter), but optimize it for fingers (big buttons for example, minimize right-click actions etc.)…

I think that many IT people keeps forgetting that it’s all about data and end users – we are here to support those guys, not other way around – sometimes I see that IT people thinks that core business is here just to get enough money to run IT department 🙂

Martin

I must confess i have not yet read all reply’s, but will do in a minute. Just wanted to post something to think about.

Are tablets really launching an App without the OS to worry about ?

Stephane you said that the user access a application without using the windows desktop, well that is only partially true. A tablet also requires an OS.

At least the windows desktop is more secured most of the time then a Android or IOS tablet.

Why do tablet makers update their firmwares so often you think? -> Security issues is a big reason

So the apps only have moved from an (locked) Windows platform to a (unsecure) IOS or Android platform.

PS; the comment textbox size sux… 😉

Will post another update tonight.

Regards,

Arjan

If we’re now talking about datas, the way we handle them (because data are not only readonly like in the.pdf file example) and the device / user context, then it’s more than 50% ;O)

Hi Martin,

I’m really fine with the .pdf file example but as pointed it is mainly a readonly service.

How do you do when You have to create a Word Document, an Excel SpreadSheet or a Powerpoint Deck. Are You so Application / Device agnostic ?

Regards,

Pierre

@Pierre: WordExcelPowerpoint is not a good example, since it’s tightly integrated with Windows ecosystem. For me personally, I’m happy user of Windows Phone and I plan to move to the Windows 8 and Windows RT soon – that way, I will have three different form factors and have the benefit of sharing same applications sets and common environment.

@Kees: One of the ideas that Citrix is pushing for long time is that different form factors are best suited for different uses:
1.) Smartphone – Alert me
2.) Tablet – Consume
3.) LaptopDesktop – Create

Martin

@Martin: I know the drill but I’m saying it should be possible to deliver this based on the context, like RES Software, AppSense and VUEM do. Based on rules, if the access device is a tablet then we should deliver an app that is optimized for these access devices.

@Arjan: That is old fashion and probably still valid for 90% of the user population, thing is that this is changing and we’re here to facilitate the whole user population and not just that 90% of which we could facilitate for years but also that 10% ‘digital natives’ that won’t take no for an answer.

Users are changing and so should we, IT should come done from their thrown and listen to their users instead of dictating them.

Hi Martin,

The way I read Citrix’s point of view :

1.) Smartphone – Alert me
2.) Tablet – Consume
3.) LaptopDesktop – Create

is that even if I can access my datas how I access them do also matter which involves access layer & apps.

Regards,

Stephane,

It was in Martin’s Comment 🙂

You even said in a previous comment it depends on the task / device so, accessing data is not the only point.

So If that’s like this (and that’s what You said) it also depends of the access layer including the applications.

That’s my vision even if I respect yours 🙂

We’ll agree that we disagree 🙂

I needed to jump in because we had a long brainstorming over this with my colleague last weekend. We were trying to find out the real reasons why we need the VDI desktops, we did not find any because you can publish pretty much all that user needs.

Yes, there is the different scenarios for consuming data and creating data. This pdf example stopped me to thinking my own behavior. When i consume, i need the explorer for double clicking files to open them. Explorer can be published, but it still is a desktop feature. For creating the files i always need to start from inside the application.

The reason why we access files by double clicking, is only because it is much simpler, faster and easier than opening the application first.

But you know, applications can change also. Viewing photos is a good example. With Mac, you actually open the iPhoto rather than click in explorer like with the competitive “user experience provider”. Why would you need the desktop if you could comfortably do everything by accessing the applications only?

User interface will bring the user experience. Webinterface (or dummy devices with receiver) could easily be thought of as a desktop replacement but applications need to go thru the change first.