Problem Statement
On iPad, HCL Nomad currently does not support the native iOS Voice Dictation workflow. When users tap the microphone (dictation) key on the on-screen keyboard, dictation does not remain active and only a fraction of the spoken input appears. Support confirmed that Voice Dictation is not available at this time. As a result, mobile users cannot efficiently enter longer text in Notes applications.
Environment (example)
App: HCL Nomad for iOS 1.0.51.2025112116
Device: iPad (7th generation)
OS: iPadOS 26.1
Forms/Fields: affects both plain text and rich text fields
Proposed Solution
Implement native iOS Voice Dictation support for Nomad so that:
Dictation remains active until the user stops it, and all spoken words are inserted into the focused field.
Works in plain text and rich text fields (including long text, multi-line, and fields with existing content).
Preserves field behavior (input translation, validation, default/compute formulas) and caret position.
Supports standard iOS dictation features: punctuation, new line commands, multilingual dictation, on-device or server-based dictation (as configured by iOS).
Respects iOS privacy controls (microphone permission) and MDM/managed app restrictions.
Functions with the on-screen keyboard (no hardware keyboard required).
Business Justification / Value
Productivity: Speech is significantly faster than typing on glass for long notes, meeting minutes, incident reports, field service logs, and CRM updates.
Accessibility & Inclusion: Essential for users with limited mobility or temporary injuries; reduces fatigue for heavy text entry.
Adoption of Nomad: Brings Nomad’s user experience in line with other iOS productivity apps that already support dictation, reducing the need for workarounds or leaving the app.
Quality of Data: Users are more likely to capture complete, timely information when they can dictate quickly in context.
User Stories
As a field technician, I want to dictate detailed service notes into a rich text field in Nomad so I can complete tickets on site hands-free.
As a salesperson, I want to dictate meeting summaries into a Notes form immediately after a customer visit so nothing is lost.
As a compliance officer, I want staff to document incidents via dictation to improve completeness and timeliness.
Acceptance Criteria
Tapping the iOS dictation/microphone key in Nomad starts continuous dictation; speech is transcribed live into the active field until stopped by the user.
Works reliably in:
a) Plain text fields (single and multi-line)
b) Rich text fields (including existing content)
Maintains cursor position and does not truncate or overwrite adjacent text unexpectedly.
Supports iOS punctuation commands (e.g., “comma”, “period”, “new line”).
Honors app/OS privacy settings and MDM restrictions; shows standard iOS permission prompts when needed.
No app crashes or text loss in forms with input translation/validation formulas.
Performance: latency comparable to dictation in Apple Notes/Mail on the same device/OS.
Non-Goals / Out of Scope (for initial release)
Compatibility & Manageability
Works on currently supported iPadOS versions.
No special server changes required; purely client-side in Nomad.
Managed configurations: if “Dictation/Siri” is restricted by MDM, Nomad should reflect that state gracefully.
Suggested Implementation Notes
Use standard iOS text input/dictation APIs so dictated text is committed exactly like typed text.
Verify integration with Nomad’s editor components for classic Notes rich text to prevent premature commit/cancel events.
Add a brief help tooltip on first use explaining permission requirements.
Workarounds Today
Priority
High – impacts daily productivity and accessibility for mobile users; aligns Nomad with platform norms.
Success Metrics
≥90% of pilot users report dictation works “as expected” in both plain text and rich text fields.
No increase in form-save validation errors attributable to dictated input.
Reduced time-to-complete for typical note-entry tasks (self-reported or measured).
