In his recent Techwatch column, DC Velocity’s James Cooke reflected on the results of a panel session at the 13th annual Logistics CIO and Supply Chain Technology Form.

The session addressed the question of what technologies will have the biggest impact on supply chain in coming years. One of the technologies cited was mobile computing.

Given the latest generation of tablet computers and smart phones, this isn’t too surprising. These devices have already made significant inroads into our daily lives. Even people who don’t own one can’t escape them. There is no doubt in my mind that these devices are going to have a huge impact on how we use technology within the supply chain.

It isn’t difficult to find articles or blog postings touting the top 10 or so mobile apps for personal or business use. However, I haven’t seen anything yet on the top 10 supply chain apps.

I think that this omission will be shortly addressed as developers start targeting tablets and smart phones as logistics systems platforms.

Tompkins Associates is currently working on a tablet-based reporting app for our Tompkins Warehouse Control System (TCS). And many supply chain software vendors are already working on the next generation of mobile supply chain apps (see RedPrairie’s recent press release on mobile solutions group.)

So what will these supply chain apps look like? I must admit that my vision is somewhat fuzzy although I have a basic inkling.

Part of my vision problem is that mobile computing is hardly a new topic within the supply chain. Mobile computers have been used for years by supply chain operations to track and manage goods movement.

They have gotten more powerful, flexible and cheaper over the years. But in many ways, they are used in the same manner today in logistics as they were employed 15 years ago. While they have become relatively ubiquitous, they remain transactional devices that direct and capture activities through bar code scans and key board entries.

Although I expect to see some apps that turn smart phones and tablets into data collection devices for supply chain systems, the really killer apps will undoubtedly look quite different. They will take advantage of capabilities that these devices offer over the current generation of mobile computers found in warehouses and delivery vans.

Specifically these apps will leverage the enhanced graphics, wide-area connectivity, and flexible form factor capabilities provided by tablets and smart phones. They will utilize GPS, integrated cameras, voice recognition and cloud computing in truly novel ways.

As Cooke’s column points out, smart phones and tablet computers offer flexibility not found in traditional computing devices currently used in the supply chain world.

They can help break the bounds that tie managers to desktop computers. They can make control panels and dashboards accessible on truly portable devices. They can also eliminate the need to carry multiple devices (e.g., cell phone, hand held computer, GPS, and others) to do the job.  

The possibilities are numerous and intriguing. All we need are for developers to bring them forward. But don’t put your imagination on hold until you see the inevitable articles and press releases.

Let me know what you think will make the top 10 supply chain apps list for 2012.

-- Tom

Photo Credit: nvidia corp

Tags: technology, mobile, tablet computing