Bring your own device to work: Passing trend or the future of IT?

SearchCIO.com's second tweet jam Feb. 27 revealed that the bring your own device to work trend isn't likely to dissolve anytime soon but will be an ongoing security concern for IT leaders. And, as such, bring your own device (BYOD) policies will continue to be a priority.

The first question @searchcio posed to Twitter followers in this month's Twitter discussion was:

Q1 BYOD policies: A major concern for CIOs, or is #BYOD a fizzling priority? #Mobility #CIOChat

— SearchCIO.com (@searchCIO) February 27, 2013

Most tweet jam participants agreed that bring your own device to work trends are a concern for organizations, but that developing super-strict policies for personal devices might not be the best way to strategize around security. Tweet jammers initiated conversations around common BYOD anxieties, including the question of whether to ask employees to surrender preferred mobile devices in exchange for a scaled-down number of devices that organizations are willing to pay for and support:

A1: #BYOD is here to stay. I'm not relinquishing my #iPhone w/out a fight. Companies must prepare themselves for the BYOD long haul #CIOChat

— RachelTT (@RachelatTT) February 27, 2013

@rachelattt agreed! But does it matter whether it's a personal iPhone or biz-owned, as long as it's the device of your choice? #CIOChat

— Walter Paley (@Bitzer_Walt) February 27, 2013

@bitzer_walt I suppose not. But is it asking too much for companies to support every #mobile device choice out there? I think so. #CIOChat

— RachelTT (@RachelatTT) February 27, 2013

@rachelattt @bitzer_walt The trick, Rachel, is a managed #BYOD program that guides the user to the right choice, but doesn’t force #ciochat

— Brian Katz (@bmkatz) February 27, 2013

@bmkatz @bitzer_walt Brian: Right on. Best policy is one that fits your company's needs but also what the user is already doing! #CIOChat

— Christopher Steffen (@cmsteffen) February 27, 2013

As the conversation deepened, a new question was raised: "How does ownership play a role in security for this BYOD mobility trend?" Several tweet jammers said that any security plan worth its salt is only as good as the users -- i.e., the company's employees. But what role should ownership of the device play in establishing a mobile policy around bring your own device to work?

A1: I think BYOD is a real concern. Security is an issue that needs to be addressed. But it is becoming an employee expectation. #CIOChat

— Christopher Steffen (@cmsteffen) February 27, 2013

@cmsteffen It's the #Mobile platform that causes concern more than who owns the device. #CIOChat

— Walter Paley (@Bitzer_Walt) February 27, 2013

@bitzer_walt A1: I agree. Management is the key, regardless of ownership. #CIOChat

— Christopher Steffen (@cmsteffen) February 27, 2013

Remember #BYOD is really an ownership issue … requires some nuance to policy … but overall still just an ownership issue. #CIOchat

— Brian Katz (@bmkatz) February 27, 2013

A1:2013 will be all about enforcing #BYOD policies& not just for hardware but also ones that span security and personal requirements. #CIOChat

— Promisec (@Promisec_IT) February 27, 2013

The ownership discussion continued, taking a turn down a different path. Not every tweet jam participant agreed that device ownership should define BYOD policies, suggesting "data ownership" would be a better focus:

BYOD doesn't have to be defined in the context of ownership issues. In fact, most companies would be better off if they didn't. #CIOChat

— Bob Egan (@bobegan) February 27, 2013

@bobegan #CIOchat BYOD is all about ownership. Any BYOD policy that ignores ownership is a concern to me.

— Novell (@Novell) February 27, 2013

@novellI didn't say ignore ownership, but I am saying it doesn't have to be partitioned that way. #CIOChat

— Bob Egan (@bobegan) February 27, 2013

@bobegan #CIOchat Fair point. Any approach needs to account for personal data and sensitive data, however that's done.

— Novell (@Novell) February 27, 2013

Device preferences and device ownership were not the only topics for discussion in the BYOD segment of our tweet jam. Some participants did note that the bring your own device to work buzzword is part of the larger mobile trend and simply needs to be part of a larger mobility management program:

A1: I seldom hear the term BYOD unless it's used in the context of a "mobility framework" component. #CIOChat

— Bob Egan (@bobegan) February 27, 2013

A1 #CIOChat #BOYD As a buzzword it may be going a bit flat, but organizations are having to create policies to accommodate users who do it.

— Beverley Stonehouse (@BevStonehouse) February 27, 2013

But many are still specifically concerned with BYOD policy-making:

#BYOD def not fizzling from a #GRC standpoint -- with more data outside networks and on employee devices, CIOs need to pay attention. #CIOChat

— SearchCompliance.com (@ITCompliance) February 27, 2013

A1. BYOD is here to stay -- so yes, each #CIO needs a policy. But not in isolation. As much an HR, CFO, Legal issue as a CIO issue. #CIOChat

— Andi Mann (@AndiMann) February 27, 2013

@searchcio A1: It's the new normal which undermines traditional expectations of an IT service.#CIOChat

— dstafford (@dstafford) February 27, 2013

@searchcio A1: Continues to remain a priority. Used to drive costs down and give employees more option and improved experience. #CIOChat

— Douglas Menefee (@douglobb) February 27, 2013

@searchcio A1: Major concern esp with multiple OSs to support: iOS, Android, Windows 8 and lately BB10. What MEAP/MADP/MDM to use? #CIOChat

— Femi Ayan (@FemoYanx) February 27, 2013

#CIOChat A1: Major concern. It's also a major concern for mobile device manufacturers and service providers.

— Michael Joseph (@PrimeDimensions) February 27, 2013

@searchcio #BYOD Should be part of #Mobile Strategy. It's critical to define the demand, supply & Gov/Risk strategy for #Mobile. #CIOChat

— Javier Lozano (@lozanojavier) February 27, 2013

There is a lot left to say about bring your own device to work trends and policy prioritization. Visit Twitter for a full run-down of February's tweet jam discussion and sound off with your thoughts in the comments section below.

Stay tuned for additional recaps from SearchCIO.com's February tweet jam about mobility, and follow @searchCIO on Twitter to be notified about upcoming Twitter conversations.