The majority of those surveyed (78%) consider touchscreen devices to be easier to use than more traditional models, signalling a clear convergence between consumer and business technologies that is prompting widespread adoption of the technology across organisations worldwide.
Nine out of ten respondents believe personal use of IT devices has changed their expectations of the type of technology they expect to use in the workplace, with 69 per cent expecting to see an increase in the number of touchscreen devices available to use within their organisation in the near future.
When questioned about the business benefits of touchscreen technology, respondents favoured its general ease of use (51%),professional appearance (20%) and modern design (12%). Simple navigation and ‘finger-friendly’ design were also stated as important factors when purchasing a device for business.
”Thanks to the widespread adoption of Apple devices, the touchscreen has captured the consumer’s attention and as such influenced what employees want to see in the workplace. We're seeing higher expectation from organisations of all sizes for intuitive design that mirrors what devices their staff are used to using in the home,” comments Michael Stephens, General Manager at LifeSize, UK and Ireland.
In February this year, the company launched LifeSize® Phone, the industry’s first touchscreen phone enabled for HD video conferencing. It listened to business users who were reporting many employees felt intimidated due to the complexities of remote-control based systems, and as such introduced a simplified touchscreen device.
“Touchscreens elevate the overall user experience for most tasks, but audio and video conference calling in particular,” adds Stephens. “Their interfaces are so designed to best enable the sharing of content and the completion of multiple tasks. The touchscreen’s intuitive design will help to drive its mass adoption throughout enterprises worldwide, leading to a moreefficient and collaborative workforce.”
Main uses of touchscreen devices by respondents were: completion of operational tasks (45%), playing games (20%), collaboration and sharing content (16%) and simple data entry (13%).
The most common forms of touchscreen technology used by respondents were smartphones (92%), tablet devices (60%) and travel kiosks (28%).