3 Key Considerations When Planning a Rugged Tablet Deployment

Because of the increasing popularity of consumer-grade tablets, many organizations are looking for ways in which they can implement this type of technology in a business setting.   Although consumer-grade tablets such as the iPad® are appealingly lightweight and sleek-looking, many businesses, especially those in harsh environments like supply chain operations, need a rugged tablet, which is specifically designed for use in these kinds of challenging work settings. When you are shopping for rugged tablets, here are three major considerations to account for: 

1. Make Sure That You Communicate With A Technology Systems Integrator.  

Although the hardware component is a key decision-making factor, you need to make sure the solution you choose will have the proper workflows. When hiring a systems integrator, you are using them as a trusted advisor for helping you think through the solution. It is key for you to choose a systems integrator that is not only aware of the technology they are selling, but is also aware of and experienced with implementing solutions in the industry your organization is in. If you can pick a systems integrator that has that level of experience, you will find it much easier for them to understand your business pain points and come up with a proposed solution to solve those pain points.  

2. Think Through How The Tablet Will Be Used.  

Will the rugged tablet be constantly used during a worker’s shift, or will it mostly be docked at a docking station? If the tablet will be on the floor throughout a shift of work, you will need to consider the tablet’s battery life. If the battery will not last throughout the entire shift, you should look into options such as hot-swappable batteries or a spare tablet that is charged and ready to go, so the worker can quickly charge one tablet and grab a different tablet that is already charged. Many vendors offer great charging solutions that allow users to charge up to five tablets at one time.  

3. Consider The Lifecycle Of The Tablet.  

Consumer-grade tablets typically have a product life of one year. If your organization would like to take ample time rolling out the solution, you often need to take this into strong consideration. When a consumer-grade technology company changes their product design, there is always a possibility that the accessories of the tablet will no longer work. On the contrary, consumer-grade tablets typically have a life of three to five years, and accessories are able to be used on the next version of the tablet. As a systems integrator, we see a lot of organizations leasing rugged-grade tablets in order to absorb the cost over time, as well as to be able to easily upgrade to the newer technology when it becomes available.   While these are the main three factors to consider when deploying a rugged tablet-based solution, there are countless other factors to examine.  To learn more, please read our white paper, which explores rugged tablet selection criteria.  

Best Practices for a Successful Rugged Tablet Deployment

Choosing an appropriate rugged tablet is only half of the success for a deployment. Organisations should also draw up a deployment strategy to ensure that connectivity, user adoption, security and day-to-day device management get factored in to maximise productivity and return on investment. Good planning will ensure rugged tablets don’t become just another buggy bit of hardware to support, but truly something that brings operational value.

Evaluate Your Operating Environment

All other working environments have their own challenges that will affect the way a tablet performs. In warehouses, manufacturing plants, healthcare facilities, transportation hubs, and field service operations, you must keep in mind that each has unique environmental conditions before deployment.

Factors to evaluate include:

• Dust, moisture, or chemical exposure
• Frequent drops or vibrations
• Extreme temperatures
• Indoor versus outdoor use
• Bright sunlight or low-light conditions
• Requirement for glove-compatible touchscreens

This reduces reliability and equipment life, reinforcing the importance of matching device specifications to the actual working environment.

Plan for Reliable Wireless Connectivity

A rugged tablet is just as good as the network it’s connected to. Workers rely on seamless access to inventory systems, enterprise applications, work orders, and asset information during their shifts.

Organisations can measure wireless coverage across every area where they will operate to determine potential dead zones or performance concerns before deployment. With a good Wi-Fi and cellular connection, employees can stay productive instead of wasting time with changing devices or briefing other people on topics.

A robust wireless infrastructure also supports real-time data exchange required for technologies such as barcode scanning, RFID, and cloud-based applications.

Prioritize Security from Day One

Security is a part of every phase of deployment due to the possibility that rugged tablets may allow access to sensitive operations and business data.

• Organizations can fortify security by leveraging
• User authentication
• Multi-factor authentication where appropriate
• Device encryption
• Automatic screen locking
• Remote device management
• Secure application deployment
• Can wipe data remotely if device is lost or stolen

Creating security policies from day 1 helps keep company data safe from the start, while also helping meet internal and external compliance obligations.

Integrate with Existing Business Systems

The best of rugged tablets comes from their connections between employees and enterprise applications. Tablets should not be insurgent devices but become integrated with existing business systems.

Common integrations include:

• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Asset management software
• Inventory tracking platforms
• Field service management applications
• Maintenance management systems

Having integrated workflows not only means that duplicate data entry is a thing of the past; it also ensures that employees always have immediate access to the information they need to complete their tasks efficiently.

Train Employees for Long-Term Success

Even intuitive technology benefits from structured user training. Employees should understand not only how to operate the devices but also how the tablets improve existing workflows.

Training programs should cover:

• Device operation
• Charging procedures
• Proper handling and storage
• Application usage
• Troubleshooting basics
• Security best practices

Well-trained users are more likely to adopt new technology successfully while minimizing downtime caused by preventable issues.

Establish Ongoing Device Management

Managing hundreds of mobile devices manually quickly becomes difficult as organizations grow. Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions simplify administration by allowing IT teams to remotely monitor, configure, and maintain rugged tablets from a centralized platform.

MDM capabilities typically include:

• Software updates
• Application deployment
• Device tracking
• Security policy enforcement
• Performance monitoring
• Remote troubleshooting

Centralized management reduces administrative workload while helping ensure devices remain secure and operational throughout their lifecycle.

Looking Ahead

Rugged tablets remain a significant piece of the market, albeit narrow in scope, for supporting mobile workforces in industries relying on rugged computing in need of reliable machines suited for demanding fields. But successful deployments go beyond choosing fiber and disk. Organizations that marry rugged devices to robust wireless infrastructure, enterprise-grade software, and a complete security and management platform find the result is a mobile technology ecosystem that fosters sustainable operational performance.

Digital transformation is revolutionising operations for warehouses, manufacturing sites, transportation hubs, healthcare facilities and field services; it means employees can get instant access to critical business information anywhere work happens. An intentional deployment will set you up not only with improved productivity today, but also provide a scalable footing for future mobility projects and connected solutions.