Interoperability Everywhere All at Once

Extending interoperability workflows across devices

In 2018 we first introduced the idea of interoperability across desktop, tablet, and mobile phone. You could build a workspace on your desktop and rehydrate it on your tablet. You could instantly pass context between your phone, tablet, and desktop, for tap-to-sync across devices. It was exciting but ahead of its time. Clients were amazed, but their mobile strategies weren’t yet developed enough to take advantage — and their IT departments hadn’t developed governance models around cloud and mobile security to approve using it.

Skip ahead to the post-COVID era and every financial services firm has adopted a multi-device, multi-location approach to work (66% of banks offer staff fully remote or hybrid work options). Seamless connection between desktop and mobile has become a game-changer for professionals who need to work wherever they are.

Of note, the work-from-wherever mindset isn’t just about convenience. Getting work done anywhere is the new normal. Hybrid workers, accustomed to their work-anywhere environments, expect solutions that can do the same. Studies show a more productive workforce is one that is not tied to an office (or a desk). This 2024 Forbes Study shows on the state of hybrid work reveals that 55% of hybrid employees were high-performers versus 36% in a standard office setting.

To meet them where they are — and attract top talent — we believe their interop platform should be “hybrid,” too.

For traders, the work-from-anywhere approach doesn’t always imply work-from-home. In this case, it may simply mean momentarily leaving your multi-monitor workstation on the floor. Whether stepping away for a meeting — or even just a bathroom break — a new order or market move requires your immediate attention. Opening a single application or entire workspace from your tablet or phone, you can tackle the workflow from wherever you are on the trading floor, synchronized with the applications back on your desktop.

FDC3 extends beyond the desktop

At the heart of interoperability is FDC3. The FDC3 standard was designed for allowing different applications to talk to each other on the same desktop (it is the Financial Desktop Connectivity and Collaboration Consortium, after all). However, even though desktop is written on the tin, there really is nothing that necessarily requires it to stay on one computer.

For years we’ve supported desktop<>desktop workflows using “remote gateway” (now named io.Bridge) meshing capabilities. The success of multiple desktops integrated opened our eyes to the possibility of multiple devices — when the time was right. Now, seeing the appetite our clients have for cross-platform interop, io.Bridge can be harnessed to allow your desktop and mobile devices to pass messages seamlessly. So, if you’re working an order or checking market liquidity on your desktop, you can effortlessly continue on your mobile device as you step away from your desk.

The interoperability bridge between all devices

io.Bridge is an implementation option that serves as the bridge that connects your desktop, laptop, browser, tablet, and phone for seamless workflow across any combination of devices. We have extended interop’s reach, ensuring that your workflows travel with you, securely and efficiently.

io.Bridge doesn’t just facilitate desktop to mobile, it also allows you to build workflow integration between your native applications, leveraging our application adapters and your zero-install io.Connect Browser implementation. Without having to install any additional software on your desktop, you can pass data from your native applications such as Bloomberg Terminal or Microsoft Excel seamlessly to your web applications. This means no application gets left behind regardless of how it’s built or delivered. So, once you get back to your desk you can sync back with your Bloomberg Terminal to continue working your order.

Of note, we’re careful that mobility doesn’t have to compromise security. You can use your cloud to host io.Bridge if you want, or private servers tucked safely behind your firm’s firewall. It’s like having a secure tunnel for your data to travel through, ensuring that your sensitive information stays within the trusted confines of your firm.

In conclusion, the era of interop is about making things seamless. It’s not about juggling multiple devices; it’s about having your desktop and mobile devices work as a team. interop.io ensures that your work flows seamlessly from desktop to mobile and back, mirroring the type of hybrid work patterns we see today.

Interop is your ally in being everywhere you need to be, all at once.