Case Study: Is Business Ready For Wearable Computers?

Case Statement

Wearable computing devices such as Smart watches, smart glasses, smart ID badges and activity trackers are starting to take off by promising to change how we go about each day and the way we do our jobs. Although Apple watch and fitness trackers have been a big hit, but business uses for wearables appear to be advancing more rapidly. Wearable devices are helping businesses learn more about employees and the everyday workplace than ever before.

DHL is implementing vision picking on its warehouse operations through a wearable device. Vision picking gives workers locational information about the items they need to retrieve and allows them to automatically scan retrieved items. Google has developed Glass Enterprise Edition Smart glasses for business use, with its development partners creating applications for specific industries such as manufacturing and health care.

This technology comes with its challenges too. Privacy is a big hurdle so far. Locking down data with these smart Google glasses is essential as with any other mobile device. Security is not kept in mind while making these wearable computing devices. Smart glasses are like smart phones. Without integration with internal content and the right applications they might not work. Successful adoption of wearable computing devices depends on not only cost effectiveness but on the development of new and better apps and integration with existing IT infrastructure and the organizations tools for managing and securing mobile devices.

1. Wearables have the potential to change the way organizations and workers conduct business. Discuss the implications of this statement

. 2. What management, organization, and technology issues would have to be addressed if a company was thinking of equipping its workers with a wearable computing device?

3. What kinds of businesses are most likely to benefit from wearable computers? Select a business and describe how a wearable computing device could help that business improve operations or decision making.