2010 was a good year for the capture community. 2011 will be better.
This year will be marked with significant growth and innovation in three key areas: mobile, cloud and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). It’s as simple as that.
In 2010, data capture made tremendous strides, gaining adoption and increasing its penetration into new applications for mobile devices. 2011 promises to be a time of tremendous growth, building upon the 2010 momentum and taking the market to new heights.
This growth will be fueled by innovation in the smartphone and tablet market, along with the continued adoption of more powerful devices by end users. It is almost as if new gadgets are being developed with data capture in mind. Built-in cameras in smartphones are very advanced and have capabilities that are perfect for mobile data capture: high megapixel counts, optical zoom, large screens, HD capabilities and connectivity. Camera phones are transforming into tools that digitize and convert data into useful information anywhere, anytime, and in any language.
In 2011 we will see increased interest in incorporating data capture functionality into end user and enterprise mobile applications. This will help organizations streamline workflows, improve customer interaction and reduce the costs associated with manual processes. The improved functionality will fuel growth for data capture technology providers, and spur the reinvention of OCR.
As mobile data capture continues to gain steam in 2011, cloud will finally take hold. Cisco found that 52 percent of organizations already have or plan to adopt cloud computing. However, right now many of the backend systems that support cloud applications do not incorporate data capture components. This will change. Cloud really is one of my favorite topics, because the possibilities it presents are truly endless. As the market takes the plunge into the cloud, we will be able to offer next generation document conversion platforms for flexible, efficient virtual processing. For enterprise managers and IT directors, the cloud will be used as a tool to get closer to customers, gain data faster, and save on costs. For the general consumer, the transition to cloud will mean a far more flexible and usable data capture solution. This delivery model will make mass adoption of data capture and OCR technologies truly possible.
As was very evident at DreamForce last month, the SaaS delivery model is alive and well, continuing to grab attention and market share. As an industry, we have traditionally pointed towards delivery models that do not mesh well with pay-as-you-go structures. Customarily, we opt for bulky, one-stop-shop software solutions that perform hundreds of functions. In 2011 our technology delivery strategies will need to adapt to the SaaS model. Service-based capture platforms will allow companies to deploy software as an online tool, simplifying the technology for users across the organization. The simplified technology will enable more widespread use and drive down costs by automating and streamlining processes that are currently manually-intensive.
These are the three areas I see driving the market in 2011. What other predictions do you have for data capture in 2011?
#mobile #datacapture #ScanningandCapture #cloud