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Wearable Technology Par t 2

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Prepare to be amazed—the magic of wearable technology is coming to a theatre near you

By now, if you read part one of the series on wearable technology, http://

info.4imprint.com/blue-paper/wearable-technology-part-1/ you are familiar with

the magical world of wearable technology and know that it’s a trend that is

probably here to stay. The trend is not slowing down either, in fact it’s growing at

exponential speed. In fact, Gartner® claims that in the upcoming year, demand for

wearable technologies will exceed tablet demand. Moreover, it’s estimated that

this year, the wearable devices market will reach approximately 2 million units.1

And that’s only scratching the surface—by 2018, research shows that wearable

device shipments will reach anywhere from 130 to as much as 170 million.2 Even

by the end of 2014, it is predicted that wearable use will increase by 10 times

the initial estimate.3

In case you’re still in the dark, let’s shed some light on wearable technology.

Essentially, wearable technology is the concept of gadgets, worn on the body,

that do everything from monitor personal body performance or help you

complete activities otherwise performed on a computer or laptop. A wearable

can come in the form of many things—from eyeglasses, clothing, watches and

more. It’s like magic, except there’s no hidden illusion—it’s real.

The wearable technology revolution is changing the business landscape, and

companies need to be prepared if they decide to permit wearable use in the

office. Yet estimates show that 85 percent of the public sector is unprepared for

the impact of wearable technology on its IT infrastructure.4 Is your company one

of the 85 percent? Do you know how to manage the implementation of wearable

technologies across your organization? Even more importantly, is it a good idea in

the first place?

Just as you wouldn’t throw a magic show without some practice, you shouldn’t

allow wearables in the office unless you’ve weighed the pros and cons and

thought about how to do it. Too much can go wrong if you don’t, exposing tricks

of the trade to a wider audience. First and foremost, companies need to consider

if there is business value to wearables and whether or not the pros outweigh

1 Rossi, Ben. “Wearable Technology: A Cyber Risk on Your Wrist? | Information Age.” Information Age. N.p., 8 May 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.information-age.com/technology/security/123457968/wearable-technology-cyber-risk-your-wrist>.

2 Green, Chloe. “Wearable Device Shipments to Reach 130 Million by 2018 | Information Age.” Information Age. N.p., 2 Dec. 2013. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.information-age.com/technology/mobile-and-networking/123457481/wearable-device-shipments-to-reach-130-million-by-2018>.

3 Rossi, Ben. “85% of the Public Sector Is Unprepared for the Impact of Wearable Technology on Its IT Infrastructure.” Information Age. N.p., 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.information-age.com/technology/data-centre-and-it-infrastructure/123457858/85-public-sector-unprepared-impact-wearable-technology-its-it-infrastructure>.

4 Ibid.


the cons. This Blue Paper® examines the implications of wearable technology,

particularly what it means to the workplace and how it will affect business

functions like human resources (HR) and technology. As noted, few companies

have policies to manage the growing trend, yet it needs to be addressed. This

paper will identify how to be prepared and provide business leaders with tips on

how to establish guidelines and enforce policies, should you choose to adopt a

wearable policy in the first place. So get ready to take to the stage, because it’s

time for the curtain call.

It’s not all magic and fun behind the scenes: The impact of wearable technology

The thrilling world of wearable technology is enticing and most can’t take their

eyes off the stage. But as fascinating as it might be, the allure comes with a cost.

A lot goes on behind the scenes, and if you aren’t prepared, you might not be

able to afford the show. In other words, wearable technology will challenge

corporations in three key areas, and the implications should be addressed before

unleashing the magic. These include: data protection, privacy protection and

system security and bandwidth.5

Data protection methods will be challenged by wearables, and this will require

you to review current practices to make sure they are sufficient. To protect

corporate data, you might have to take it up a notch and upgrade security

and impose tighter controls. Why? Because all of a sudden, employees have

unprecedented access to sensitive business information, thus presenting more

opportunities for misuse. Just like the Bring Your Own Device trend, companies

need to take measures to protect intellectual capital. You might be able to

leverage some of the data protection measures found in BYOD policies—

companies that have a BYOD policy will be a step ahead. But wearable technology

will be far more complex, leading some to say it will seem like a cakewalk in

comparison to BYOD implementation. There are a host of new issues and risks,

and additional security measures might be required.

Once again, as with BYOD, the data ownership will be called into question.

Companies need to determine who will own the data contained in wearables.

Will data be owned by the individual or the company? If data on a wearable has

personal information, will companies be able to access it? Believe it or not, some

organizations require full access to any data on a wearable—even if it’s personal

information.6 It’s becoming more commonplace to demand full disclosure and

permit corporate access to any information captured in your wearable if they are

used for business functions.

5 Rossi, Ben. “85% of the Public Sector Is Unprepared for the Impact of Wearable Technology on Its IT Infrastructure.” Information Age. N.p., 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.information-age.com/technology/data-centre-and-it-infrastructure/123457858/85-public-sector-unprepared-impact-wearable-technology-its-it-infrastructure>.

6 Ng, Cindy. “5 Privacy Concerns about Wearable Technology.” Varonis Blog The Metadata Era RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 June 2014. <http://blog.varonis.com/5-privacy-concerns-about-wearable-technology/>.


Perhaps the largest impact of wearable technology relates to privacy, particularly

how it is upheld and maintained. Employees will no longer simply be using a

desktop computer to carry out their daily duties, but will be able to interact

and engage with a whole host of computing interfaces, often without your

knowledge. You won’t necessarily know when information is being collected

or recorded, and it could violate privacy rights. Companies must be vigilant in

defining safeguards to ensure employees are not violating the privacy of others

in the organization. As noted in the next section, in the future, privacy rights

may be tightly controlled—at this moment new legislation is pulling in the reins

on the issue. In fact, some states are already lobbying for greater controls and

regulations surrounding the use of wearables.

Along these same lines, wearable technology will present challenges to

confidentiality. Users will have access to confidential information, literally with

the blink of an eye, and it will be hard to know when employees are accessing

valuable information. Your business could be at risk from employees covertly

copying crucial and sensitive information via wearable technology and later

downloading this information onto Cloud-like networks or their own personal

desktop. Data can even be passed directly to a competitor without you ever

knowing it. Accordingly, companies need to be proactive and find ways to protect

confidential business knowledge.

Finally, wearables will impact security and bandwidth. Today, an employee may

have only a few devices accessing the network, but this number could jump to as

much as 15 to 20 devices per employee in the upcoming years.7 Companies need

to make sure they are ready for increased traffic and establish advanced security

measures in order to access servers or other corporate repositories. You’ll also

need to ensure enough security is in place to prevent unauthorized third parties

from deciphering the content. Administrators can employ greater Secure Socket

Layer (SSL) protocols for encryption that safeguard materials in transit from being

snooped or stolen by a third party, but protection will take time and money.

What about network capabilities? Is your current network ready for the

bandwidth required to handle the influx of wearable devices? Companies need

to look at the existing network and reevaluate its capabilities to make sure it can

handle increases in traffic and access. As the adoption of wearable technology

gains momentum, many organizations risk losing control of their network with

device overload.

7 “The Effect of Wearable Technology on the Corporate Network in 2014.” TechRadar. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.techradar.com/us/news/world-of-tech/future-tech/the-effect-of-wearable-technology-on-the-corporate-network-in-2014-1207314#null>.


Si lence cel l phones and turn off cameras before the show—address ing pr ivacy

You’ve probably been in a theater that asks the audience to turn off phones

before a performance or screening and explicitly prohibits the use of video

cameras. This practice isn’t just to limit disruptions for the audience and actors—

there are usually legitimate concerns behind this policy. If you think about it, as a

magician, your biggest asset is the ability to captivate an audience with a slight of

the hand. One video can expose your trick, impacting show profits and sales.

The same principle holds true in a business setting. If you don’t protect your

organization and employees from unwanted (or illegal) exposure, the

effects can impact your business for years to come. Trade secrets, proprietary

information and critical business strategies can be easily captured and dispersed

to competitors or other third parties. You can also be held liable for violating

personal privacy rights if you aren’t careful about documenting the use of

wearable technology. Employees might even use captured data to support

lawsuit claims or other litigation.

Ultimately, the issue is about privacy and protecting it for both the corporation

and the individual. As noted, privacy issues will be at the forefront of the debate

regarding wearable technology. Google Glass has barely hit the market but some

are already advocating for increased regulations. Privacy watchdogs in particular

are concerned about protecting personal privacy—particularly in light of the

recent revelations regarding the National Security Agency (NSA) and what some

viewed as a privacy infringement. Other legislation is in the works to control

when wearables can’t be used. Overall, it’s safe to say that the use of wearables

will face an uphill battle as demands to protect privacy and safety emerge from a

number of different sources.

For example, some restaurants, casinos, bars and theaters have already

banned the use of Google Glass out of fear that patrons or customers could

be photographed or recorded without explicit permission. In fact, in 2013, a

Seattle restaurant made headlines when it banned wearable technology to make

customers feel safe. It is likely that legislation will address where a wearable

device can be used and require full disclosure from users. In the interim, other

companies are asking employees to wear a plastic identification tag, much like a

security card, to alert others that they have a personal device in their possession.

Although Google Glass, for instance, is designed to flash a blinking light when it

is use, some aren’t convinced that wearables, or the person wearing them, will

accurately alert when they are or are not in use. Full disclosure is becoming the

expected norm, but enforcing compliance can be tricky, especially when some

wearables are small and nearly undetectable.


To an extent, the healthcare arena has already tackled the privacy issue. You are

probably familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

(HIPAA). In brief, the legislation aims to safeguard private health information

across any platform. Healthcare organizations are also required to notify users if

there’s been a security breech regarding their personal information.

But despite these protections, HIPPAA policies don’t necessarily extend to regulate

wearables, even if the wearable is designed to collect data related to personal

health. In other words, while HIPPA compliance is mandated in healthcare, it

doesn’t extend to corporations. Few organizations outside of the healthcare

industry apply HIPPA standards—so far there is only one documented case where

a company adopted HIPPA and state security laws across the organization. The

California-based company Lark® which creates wearables that track sleep patterns,

unveiled a stringent privacy policy that weaves HIPPA elements with additional

privacy guidelines. For example, explicit consent is required to provide access to

sleep data and privacy protection policies are clearly outlined and enforced.

As an individual, to maintain personal privacy, read the fine print and pay

attention to measures designed to ensure data safety and security. Most

consumers object to allowing third parties access to personal information,

especially without their knowledge. Yet while some disclaimers say that

privacy is respected, if you read closely there might be disclosures that say

your information may be shared with third parties in certain cases. Read

privacy guidelines with a careful eye to fully understand how personal

information might be used and find out exactly how privacy is protected

from unauthorized access, use or reuse. Again, some apps and websites

promise that information will not be shared and provide opt-out options,

but it’s not always obvious how to do this.

Privacy is just one area that might see increased regulation with the introduction

of wearable technology. Other legislation in the works prevents wearables while

driving. The concern, obviously, is that using wearables while driving will present

a danger to both the individual and others around them. For this reason, some

believe it should be illegal to use wearables while driving or performing other

activities that require your full attention. A few states introduced legislation that

bans all wearables, including Google Glass, while driving. Google is aggressively

fighting those efforts.8 Opponents to the legislation, including Google, claim that

in some cases the wearables are less distracting than cell phones or GPS devices

because they don’t have to be held in your hand.

8 Kline, Daniel. “Google Takes on Laws That Ban Wearable Technology.” N.p., 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/28/google-takes-on-laws-that-ban-wearable-technology.aspx>.


Use of Google Glass may also open up a host of legal issues—in some cases,

wearables use may violate existing laws. Today, anti-wiretapping or privacy laws

in some states prohibit recording private conversations without the consent of all

of the parties involved. In one case, an Ohio man was questioned about wearing

Google Glasses in a movie theater. It is a federal offense and considered piracy

to record movies in a theater, and the individual was detained and questioned

regarding his activities and intent.

Google is being proactive and established policies aimed to protect privacy and

define proper use. The company published a guide for those that use Google

Glass and outlines the dos and don’ts that individuals should practice when

wearing Glass. Google itself used the derogatory term cautioning users not to be

a “glasshole” and the phrase has caught on to describe any inappropriate use of

Glass. The guidelines touch on some obvious times you should avoid use, such as

high impact sports. It also suggests that they are not to be used for an extended

period of time. Overall, Google recommends that users adopt the same policy as

cell phones—if it’s not appropriate for a cell phone camera, it’s not appropriate

for Glass. Consider leveraging some of the guidelines created by Google across

your organization for any and all wearables. If nothing else, it’s a good starting

point to open dialogue and establish boundaries.

Since the rise of wearable technology appears unstoppable, it will face many legal

challenges to come. You can bet that further official guidelines and legislation

will be necessary to ensure that the implications of use are controlled and safe for

everyone. Companies will need to pay close attention to the debate to make sure

their organizations comply with any additional restrictions that are applied.

The dress rehearsal—ironing out the detai ls

With so many challenges and business implications, many companies get cold

feet when they think of taking the show on the road. At this point, you may be

wondering if introducing wearables in your organization is even worth the effort.

Before the show takes to the stage, you might consider whether the theater will

sell out and if the show will be profitable. In other words, ask a fundamental

question: Will your company benefit from wearable technology?

Some say that wearable technology should only be considered acceptable in the

office if it brings value to the company or makes an employee’s life easier so he/

she can perform better.9 It’s a big undertaking, and if you’re only doing it to keep

up with other kids on the block, you might reevaluate its appeal. You will need to

9 “Protecting Data Against Wearable Technology Risks.” Security 500. N.p., 1 June 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/85549-protecting-data-against-wearable-technology-risks>.


invest time and money in the process, and if there’s no business value, you might

consider postponing opening night. The bottom line? Look at the whole picture

before saying yes to wearable technology.

And, in many cases, organizations are saying no, despite the rising popularity.

According to a study from Tech Pro®, only 11 percent said their organizations are

using, implementing or allocating budgets toward wearables. Another 25 percent

said they are planning to implement but haven’t established a budget, and a

whopping 64 percent reported no interest or plans to deploy wearables.10

(Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Use of wearables across organizations

For some, despite the challenges to infrastructure and privacy, some companies

say there are tangible business benefits that outweigh any of the downsides.

Indeed, according to a recent study, wearables may improve productivity as much

as 8.5 percent and increase job satisfaction by 3.5 percent.11 Likewise, research

from Gartner® forecasts that Google Glass and other «smart glasses” alone will

help make employees more efficient, ultimately adding more than $1 billion per

year to company profits by 2017.12 And many employees are ready to embrace

the trend. A study from Cornerstone OnDemand®, a Caliornia-based technology

provider, found that 58 percent of employees would be willing to use wearable

tech if it enabled them to do their jobs better.13

10 Hammond, Teena. “Research: 92 Percent Are Interested in Wearables.” ZDNet. N.p., 2 June 2014. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.zdnet.com/research-92-interested-in-wearables-7000030054/>.

11 “Wearable Technology Can Boost Employee Productivity, Job Satisfaction: Study.” Tech Times RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 June 2014. <http://www.techtimes.com/articles/6396/20140503/wearable-technology-can-boost-employee-productivity-job-satisfaction-study.htm>.

12 Starner, Tom. “Wearable Tech in the Workplace.” www.HREOnline.com. N.p., 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534356618>.

13 Ibid.


Some of the benefits are discussed in part one of this series, but what are some

real world examples on how it can improve your business? In other words, where

will you find true business value that can be gained by wearable technology?

As outlined in part one of the series, experts say wearables can help with simple

business tasks, such as:

• tracking mileage and business expenses more accurately;

• distributing business cards;

• gathering biometric data; and

• providing on-the-fly sales data.14

But wearables may have additional business benefits and show great promise in

the following areas:

• measuring employee productivity;

• monitoring employee activity in the workplace;

• allowing for collaboration and information sharing;

• enhancing workplace safety; and

• enhancing employee training through simulation and virtual

augmented reality.15

You might ask if wearables will improve productivity or help monitor key

business activities in your organization. Perhaps it will help track time more

efficiently and seamlessly log hours for payroll. With more automation,

employees will spend less time on busywork and more time with customers. It

might also have an impact on improving collaboration and information sharing.

Some of the wearable technology will make it seem as though teams are meeting

in-person, thus enabling a greater exchange of information and collaboration.

How will it enhance workplace safety? If your company is one that provides

installation or maintenance services, wearables might be beneficial because they

will allow employees in the field to access technical documentation or procedures

in real-time. Inspectors checking the safety of a fleet of tractor-trailers could

similarly use wearables to generate safety inspection data and regulations. In

addition, those who work in potentially dangerous environments will be able to

access data instantaneously and document information quickly.

14 Purdy, Kevin. “4 Ways Wearable Technology May Soon Benefit Your Business.” Workintelligently. N.p., 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.workintelligent.ly/technology/trends/wearable-technology/>.

15 “Wearable Technology Is Making a Splash in the Workplace.” The Inquisitr News. N.p., 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.inquisitr.com/1106532/wearable-technology-is-making-a-splash-in-the-workplace/>.


Some say that the ability to provide more efficient and realistic training will

shorten onboarding processes, thus freeing up time for human resources and

other business functions. Wearables may guide new employees around the office

to learn the layout and keep track of new names and faces. Plus, providing

realistic simulations and augmented reality could make training a more hands-

on, interactive experience. Overall, experts believe that wearables will have the

potential to become cost-effective enhancements to internal training curriculum.

Are you curious as to what industries are using wearable technology? Figure

2. illustrates the industries that are implementing wearables. Not surprising,

healthcare has the greatest deployment of wearables, with 54 percent

reporting that they’re either using wearable technology or are in the midst

of implementing, or planning to implement wearables. On the flip side, 78

percent of government organizations have no plans to implement wearable

technology whatsoever.16

Figure 2. Industry implementation of wearables17

Opening night—are you ready for the magic show?

If you’ve decided to jump on board and embrace wearable technology, it’s time to

make some magic happen. You need to make sure your company is ready to open

the doors and give the audience a good show. So where do you start?

16 Hammond, Teena. “Research: 92 Percent Are Interested in Wearables.” ZDNet. N.p., 2 June 2014. Web. 23 June 2014. <http://www.zdnet.com/research-92-interested-in-wearables-7000030054/>.

17 Ibid.


After wearable technology passes the test on business value, it’s time to start

asking questions regarding usage and guidelines. You’ll need to explicitly

address when and how wearables can be used and outline a formal policy

that is distributed across the company. To get started, it’s a good idea to ask

and answer a few key questions to help shape your corporate policy. Some of

these questions are:

• Will all employees be allowed to use wearable technology, or will certain

types of employees be barred from doing so?

• Will anyone be required to use it to do their job?

• How will personnel be identified and approved for its use?

• Is it necessary to restrict capabilities, such as by disabling certain features?

• Where will wearable technology will be allowed or prohibited?

Answers to these questions will help build the foundation for a wearable

technology policy—to put it bluntly, giving employees guidelines designed to

protect both data and privacy rights is a “must have.” Within the corporation,

just like the BYOD trend, companies must outline exactly when and where

wearable technologies can be used, along with what is off limits. For example,

you may want to ban wearables in meetings or other key business interactions

to make sure nothing is being recorded without permission. Although Google

Glasses have a blinking light to let others know when they are in use, this won’t

necessarily stop people from using it in inappropriate settings—the same holds

true for other wearables.

Overall, experts suggest that policies and procedures should be driven by the HR

function. Particularly, HR teams should:

• review and update employment contracts and any applicable corresponding

social media or disciplinary policy to expressly prohibit the acquisition and

disclosure of confidential information through wearable technology;

• remind the workforce of confidentiality regulations;

• ensure that any monitoring of communications policy includes wearable

technology; and

• update dress code policies to prevent undetected use or make it easy to see

when someone is using a wearable.18

These are all critical activities that can help protect intellectual capital and

avoid privacy violations. More importantly, employees need to be reminded

of any existing policies related to confidentiality across the organization and

18 Wessing, Taylor. “The Wearable Technology Revolution: Is Your Workplace Prepared?” Global Data Hub. N.p., June 2013. Web. 07 July 2014. <http://www.taylorwessing.com/globaldatahub/article_wearable_technology_revolution.html>.


understand the same regulations apply to wearables. It’s really about enhanced

communication on how and when wearable technology can be used, and then

communicating this policy consistently across the organization.

Enforc ing theater et iquette

You have the policies in place, how do you enforce them? Unfortunately, many

companies do not measure or evaluate compliance—even when it comes to things

like BYOD. In fact, in the area of network management, research shows that

93 percent of companies implemented network management tools to protect

data and unauthorized access, yet a mere 23 percent bother to review whether

networks are jeopardized.19 Research also shows that, despite the security features

offered by network tools, almost 65 percent of companies can’t differentiate

between wired and wireless devices on their network.

Enforcement of wearable technology policies is critical. A company should

conduct regular and frequent reviews to make sure network access guidelines are

obeyed. Human resource teams must be diligent—after all, if you aren’t following

up with wearable guidelines, there’s no point in establishing them at all. There

are activities that HR can do to monitor implementation of corporate policy. Some

of these include:

• checking disciplinary and grievance policies to ensure that employees are

expressly prohibited from bringing such devices into hearings and formal

meetings;

• enforcing policies and verifying compliance in order to avoid covert

recording and harassment allegations;

• regulating the use of wearable technology in the workplace; and

• expressly prohibiting the recording of individuals around the office, and

taking a zero-tolerance approach to such recordings.

What else can human resources do to get ready for the wearable revolution?

Mainly, it’s necessary to make sure everyone in the company is on the same page

when it comes to using wearables. Training sessions should spend time reviewing

guidelines in detail and provide real life examples on what is permitted. Be

clear and concise regarding use, and make sure employees understand the

consequences of misuse.

19 Rossi, Ben.“85% of the Public Sector Is Unprepared for the Impact of Wearable Technology on Its IT Infrastructure.” Information Age. N.p., 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.information-age.com/technology/data-centre-and-it-infrastructure/123457858/85-public-sector-unprepared-impact-wearable-technology-its-it-infrastructure>.


In closing, these recommendations are just a starting point, and as employees

continue to introduce new wearables to the office, policies and procedures

will need to be updated and enforced. It will become a continuous process as

wearables become more commonplace. Just when you think you’ve outlined how

and when to use wearables, a new host of challenges may emerge that require

you to revisit the policy as a whole.

Oops … don’t forget to br ing the magic hat and wand on the stage

You’d be remiss to take to the stage without a magic hat and wand, just as

you’d be remiss if you didn’t address the technology needs that accompany

wearables. Overall, wearable technology will present challenges to the existing

technology infrastructure and may require significant adjustments. Just when

companies finally figured out how to implement BYOD, wearables are added

to the mix, adding yet another dimension of technology challenges. The

technology requirements for wearables could be a paper in itself, but a few

are outlined below.

Some of the technology challenges are the same as those presented by BYOD–it

will require IT teams to revisit big issues such as data security and network access.

You may need to bulk up your technology team and make sure that wearable

technology does not put your organization at risk. Simply, there will be more

opportunity to access corporate data—this will put data protection and security

in the spotlight. Accordingly, you might need to hire more people to manage and

monitor wearable access long term. Think about these costs in advance so you

aren’t caught off guard.

What about the costs of upgrading networks or using more technology to protect

corporate data? This could potentially be yet another investment required

from your organization, although you might be able to leverage mobile device

management (MDM) software that’s already in place. Some experts suggest that

companies should have, at a minimum, a personal firewall, antivirus software and

protection from malware. If you don’t have this type of software in place you

might consider investing in new platforms. Again, factor in the costs early on to

avoid any surprises.

As with BYOD, you should also consider what happens when an employee loses

a device or moves on to another company. You’ll need a way to make sure they

don’t leave with sensitive corporate data and that network access is terminated.

Likewise, if an employee loses the device, there should be remote capabilities to

delete data and access. Consider developing remote-wipe services to protect the

data from falling into the wrong hands.


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Other security services to explore include hard disk or file encryption, strong

authentication, secure communications, ensured integrity and digital signatures.

Security services such as these should be tested and configured for wearables

to make sure you can protect corporate data and access. At the very least,

think about requiring wearable users to protect individual accounts with login

authentication and strong passwords. This can help verify their identity and

prevent unauthorized access. It will also alert the organization when and how a

wearable is connecting to the network.

Ready to se l l out the theater?

In truth, there’s no magical wand—most companies are still figuring out

how to implement wearables, particularly because it’s so new. But just as a

good magician gauges the audience before a show—your company should

do the same and view the level of interest and feasibility behind wearables.

Some are making it up as they go along and crossing their fingers that

wearables will not cause a major upheaval in the office. But just as you wouldn’t

risk sawing the lady in half unless you knew what you were doing, you shouldn’t

give the green light for wearables unless you’re positive it will work. Like BYOD,

you must establish guidelines and policies before moving forward. Figuring out

how to do this will make implementation easier in the longer term. And who

knows, your organization could turn out to be the next box office hit in the

magical world of wearables.

wearable technology part 2 - 4imprint learning center · the wearable technology revolution is...

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