In a digital and data-driven world where connectivity is key to competitive advantage, businesses are increasingly turning to the Internet of Things (IoT) as a product solution. Though this component’s availability has greatly risen and the cost has been greatly reduced in the last five years, there remain obstacles to easy adoption.
What key considerations should those seeking and supplying IoT product solutions keep in mind to ease adoption and successfully address their most pressing problems? These four top the list.
- Zero in on a quantifiable problem. Use cases are invaluable to customers and suppliers alike in terms of basing specific IoT solutions on concrete, real-world needs, and pain points. For example, businesses that want to manufacture wearable fitness monitors or greenhouse systems aren’t seeking to construct the entire system. These businesses want to purchase the network and cloud portions of their IoT solutions from other companies so they are free to focus on their core differentiation.
- Find the optimal threshold for analysis at the edge. Many businesses start out with the assumption that they’ll integrate sensors into various devices, gather the data that these devices collect, and push this data to the cloud for processing. What this assumption overlooks is that the real-world, physical interface means that a certain amount of data processing will need to be done at the edge. There are all kinds of good reasons for businesses to analyze at the edge rather than immediately or automatically pushing data to the cloud, and businesses and vendors alike need to get clear about where the optimum threshold lies in respect to their needs.
- Look for devices and equipment optimized for edge processing. Businesses need to look for equipment that takes into account the demands and limitations of edge processing. The best IoT solutions are customizable to provide the right data at the right time in a way that is easily accessible by the right people. The more devices and equipment are optimized for edge processing, the more user-friendly they tend to be. This way, solutions can be provided that don’t generate a whole new set of problems by not being optimized for the cloud.
- Evaluate security. Though all IoT businesses and vendors rely on encryption to ensure security, it’s also important to look for products and providers that incorporate identity and authentication safeguards. For example, a business needs the ability to evaluate whether the network, the equipment, and the human user accessing the data are all subject to trustable security measures.
The multiplicity of components that make up IoT solutions means that many businesses aren’t in a position to go it alone and are dependent on a partnership with a single-source product development firm to develop, manufacture, integrate, or operationalize these components.
As a product design, development, and manufacturing firm, Pivot is behind some of the most innovative IoT product solutions on the market for consumers and suppliers alike. For businesses seeking a single-source firm for custom designed enterprise-efficiency solutions, Pivot ranks first in customer satisfaction. Their client-centric strategy has resulted in compounded annual revenue growth of more than 100% over the last 5 years and has made Pivot an industry leader. If you’d like to learn more about how Pivot can help your business develop, manufacture, or leverage IoT solutions to give your business a greater competitive edge, reach out today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
