As 2011 has been termed by some in the media as "The Year of the Tablet," (Fox, CIO & NYT) this is the first part in a series of articles meant to articulate the role Tablet PC's could potentially take in the Public Sector and how our NIEM community might react to this trend.
While not directly related to Schematron or XSLT, we would be remiss in ignoring modern trends in our application of these technologies. The fact is, that unless our tools and technologies are adapted to support these trends, they risk being left behind.
This first article will focus on the Tablet and the various roles it can potentially take in the Public Sector. Some in the media have simply divided the device's role into two oversimplified categories of Content Creation and Content Consumption. While it is true, devices of any type can do these two things to differing degrees, it is probably easier to understand Tablet technologies in terms of actual public sector environment use cases.
In the Boardroom
In meetings the Tablet most often replaces the paper meeting handouts. In one large city they estimated that over $1m per year could be saved in paper and printing costs by simply eliminating meeting handouts in favor of electronic meeting materials. An electronic medium also makes it easy to store, preserve and reexamine materials presented at a later date or by those not who were unable to physically attend the meeting.
An example of where this use case is already becoming a reality is in the NLETS board, where each of the board members is issued a tablet upon which they are provided meeting materials and access to any other critical information prior to and during each meeting.
It is also possible for the Tablet to take the role of the "notebook" or the medium where one takes notes about the meeting, however more often than not, the lack of a stylus or even keyboard (barring separate accessories) for rapid data entry makes this impractical at this point in time.
| Current Advantages | Current Disadvantages |
| - Size & Weight - Paper Cost Savings - Ease of Later Referencing - Ease of Real-Time Update | - Poor Annotation Capabilities |
In the Courtroom
There are a number of situations where paper was the predominant medium for hundreds of years only to very recently be replaced with more electronic options. In the late 1990's, attorney's began to adopt Notebook PC's yet they have never been fully accepted in that environment. Many courtrooms were never built with a PC in mind therefore the lack of power outlets, desk space and network connectivity quickly became impediments.
With the advent of Tablet technology, there is a renewed interest in this technology by defense and prosecution alike. An example trial was recently documented by the Mac Litigator where it highlighted the use of an Tablet in a four day Jury Trial. Many of the issues with a laptop are overcome by the use of an unobtrusive, always connected, long-lasting Tablet.
| Current Advantages | Current Disadvantages |
| - Size & Desk Footprint - Paper Cost Savings - Battery Life - Real-Time Updates - Real-Time Reference | - Poor Data Input Capabilities - Possible Courtroom Distraction - Enterprise Security Risk |
In the Field
The public sector employs a large number of individuals involved in on-site investigations of various kinds. Whether it is the city building inspector, a fire marshal or a police detective, they all have similar needs to gather and process data in the field. For years now, investigators of this kind have been using laptop computers to address this need, however this technology has always been relegated to the car or the office as it would get in the way of the investigator at the work site. Tablets seem to fit this niche well as their size, weight and connectivity is better suited to the job.
Some agencies are already beginning to investigate and adopt Tablet technology in this manner. The Knox County Sheriff replaced a number of their detectives' laptops with Tablets as described by an article on the NLETS website.
Wireless Tablet technology coupled with GPS, maps and satellite imagery makes Tablets extremely relevant to those public sector employees working in the construction field. With a Tablet, a building inspector or DOT foreman can walk onto a job site and determine where there may be troubles quickly and easily. These can also give real-time access to building codes and municipal ordnances as well as architectural images, plans and blueprints.
| Current Advantages | Current Disadvantages |
| - Size & Weight - Real-Time Reference - Real-Time Transmission - Hardware Price Point | - Poor Data Input Capabilities - Lack of "Rugged" Models - Enterprise Security Risks |
In the Classroom
It seems like whenever the topic of Tablets or eBooks is brought up, a spotlight is placed on the classroom and the typical college student hefting around hundreds of pounds worth of textbooks. While on the surface and in 10 second sound bites, this makes sense; the classroom setting has experienced significant struggles making Tablets and eBooks a reality in the classroom. A recent article by the Chronicle for Higher Learning points out a number of the difficulties experienced across several different institutions.
Regardless of the problems currently being experienced, as the they are addressed, the classroom is a very likely place for Tablet technology to take a strong future foothold. As a Melbourne Trinity College study points out, even with the disadvantages, the usage of Tablets are still expected to increase at the University level in the upcoming years.
| Current Advantages | Current Disadvantages |
| - Real-Time Learning Feedback - Size & Weight - Battery Life - Hardware Price Point | - eTextbook Prices Still High - Poor Annotation Capabilities - Potential Classroom Distraction |
In summary, Tablets can be seen and used in a number of environments within the public sector and one should not be surprised as they begin to become less of a consumer toy and more of an industry tool.
Please bear in mind that we fully acknowledge that the editorial opinions stated in the article above are based on industry generalizations and we fully understand that for every generalization or rule there is an exception.
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