Mobile Devices and Apps Are Inherently People Centric

Yesterday a colleague and I were chatting about mobile devices and how these have changed her work life. This colleague has two children and was very concerned about work creeping into her time with her children and family. She started using a smart phone a few months back after gentle nudging from all her colleagues. I asked her how the smart phone is working out for her.

To my surprise, she said that the smart phone has made her family life a lot richer. She said she does not open her laptop at home anymore. She is able to access things in her smart phone and get stuff done without waiting for her laptop to boot up. Contrary to her fear, she is now able to spend more time taking care of her children and family when she is not in the office.

I came away wondering why we don't built most of the tools we use on mobile devices which are inherently personal and people-centric. We owe it to working moms who are incredibly busy and have rigid schedules around children's school and healthcare appointments.