Posted by Peter Kalein

Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, resulting in fundamental changes to how businesses operate and how they deliver value to customers. It’s a journey of continuous improvement that can help organizations drive growth, become more agile and efficient, and create new customer experiences.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a key enabler of digital transformation, as it allows businesses to collect and analyze data from a variety of devices and sensors to gain new insights into their operations. By connecting devices and systems, businesses can automate processes, improve decision-making, and create new customer experiences. The benefits of IoT are vast, and organizations are just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible. In the coming years, we’ll see even more businesses harness the power of IoT to drive digital transformation and create a competitive advantage.

When it comes to digital transformation, the industrial sector is often seen as lagging behind. But with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), there is a new push for Industry 4.0 and digital transformation. These technologies are the foundation of all the hopes for a more efficient and connected industrial sector.

IDC predicts that IoT spending will grow 12.6% globally over the next few years. The analysts also highlighted that in 2022 alone, $745 billion will be spent on IoT solutions. But how can companies ensure they take full advantage of this opportunity and make the most of their IoT investments?

The internet of things has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses operate. However, a clear business direction is more important than technology when it comes to reaping the benefits of IoT initiatives. This is because businesses need to know how to utilize the data that is collected by IoT devices in order to make informed decisions. By looking at existing IoT initiatives and talking to companies in different sectors, it is clear that a clear business direction is essential for realizing the value of IoT.

As digital transformation initiatives continue to reshape how businesses operate, it’s important to keep in mind that these changes require sustainable investments. This is where the Internet of Things (IoT) comes in, it can provide the necessary data and insights to help organizations achieve their desired operational outcomes. By leveraging the power of IoT, organizations can unlock the full potential of their digital transformation hence it should be seen as an ever-present element in organizational structures, rather than a one-time investment.

IoT can transform manufacturing

There are a number of potential benefits of using IoT and data analytics in manufacturing. For example, IoT-enabled devices and sensors can collect data about equipment performance, operational conditions and the environment, and then transmit that data to cloud-based analytics and decision-support systems. This real-time visibility into operations can help manufacturers eliminate or reduce equipment failures, IoT can also help to improve efficiency, by providing data that can be used to optimize production processes. Additionally, IoT can help to protect the health and safety of workers, by providing Warning signs of potential dangers. The implementation of IoT in manufacturing is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the industry.

However, many businesses find themselves struggling to get value from IoT. They either don’t know where to start, or they’ve started down the wrong path and are now struggling to catch up. Implementing an effective IoT strategy doesn’t have to be difficult. We will explain a few steps that you must take to get value from IoT faster. But before we can create a successful IoT strategy, it’s important to know what the project failure red flags are. By understanding these red flags, we can avoid potential problems and create a successful IoT strategy.

Here are some of the most common project failure red flags:

1. Lack of Executive Support: One of the most common reasons why projects fail is because there is a lack of executive support. If decision-makers are not on board with the project, it’s very unlikely that it will be successful.

2. Lack of clear objectives and use cases: Without a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with your IoT project, it’s difficult to create a successful strategy. If your IoT project is focused on generating huge amounts of data without a clear plan for how to use it, you’re likely to end up with a lot of useless data. Make sure you have a clear plan for how you’ll use IoT data before you start collecting it.

3. Inadequate resources: One of the most common reasons for IoT project failure is inadequate resources. This can manifest in a number of ways, from a lack of funding to a lack of skilled personnel. Without adequate resources, it’s simply not possible to build and maintain a successful IoT solution. If your staff are not well-versed with the business objectives or don’t have deep technical expertise, they won’t be able to properly utilize IoT data and insights. As a result, the project is likely to fail.

Make sure you are prepared to deal with common challenges:

One of the biggest challenges with IoT is its complexity. Because IoT devices are interconnected, any malfunction or failure in one device can potentially affect the entire system. This can make it difficult to identify and fix problems, which can lead to frustration and even abandonment of the project altogether.

Another challenge with IoT is data privacy and security. Because IoT devices collect and share data, there is a risk that this data could be accessed and used without the knowledge or consent of the people it belongs to. This could have serious implications for personal privacy and security. The opportunities and benefits of IoT are vast, but so are the challenges. To fully realize the value of IoT, organizations must carefully consider how to best utilize IoT data and devices to achieve their desired outcomes.

Now let’s dive into steps you can take to realize IoT value faster:

#1: Define your goals and objectives. The first step to getting value from IoT is to define your goals and objectives. What are you hoping to achieve with IoT? What pain points are you hoping to address? Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, you can begin to develop a plan to achieve them.

#2: Identify potential outcomes that may create value for the company and customers.

In order to get value from IoT faster, businesses need to first identify potential outcomes that may create value for the company and customers. This can be done by looking at areas where the company can improve efficiency or create new experiences for customers. Once potential areas for value creation have been identified, businesses need to assess which technology solutions are best suited to achieve these goals. They also need to develop a plan for implementation and deployment that takes into account all of the necessary stakeholders. Core questions in these three key areas must be answered: Are the results linked to measurable business process statistics that are essential to the entire operation? Are the results relevant to the strategic aspects of redesigning the customer experience? Are the results related to removing friction from any brand interactions with customers, and are they designed to deliver the next-best actions? 

#3: Identify data sources. The next step is to identify data sources. Where will you get the data you need to achieve your goals? IoT data can come from a variety of sources, including sensors, devices, and applications. You need to identify which data sources will be most valuable to you and make sure you have the plan to collect them. Assess your current inventory to see if you can feed data from sensors and devices to relay asset information. This is an essential part of IoT system integration because the tools and assets that send the data to the cloud to be analyzed need to be in place first.

#4: Develop a clear data strategy. Any business that wants to be competitive in the modern market needs to have a great data strategy. This is especially true for businesses that plan on using IoT devices, as they will be generating a large amount of data. The data generated by an IoT system can be voluminous and varied, and it is important to develop a data strategy that outlines how you will collect, store, and analyze the data that your IoT system will generate. This strategy should take into account the type of data you will be collecting, how often it will be generated, and who will need access to it. This data strategy should also be designed to accommodate future changes that may need to be made to the data collection, storage, and analysis process.

#5: Find the right IoT platform for your needs and Implement a pilot project. There are a lot of IoT platforms out there, so it’s important to find one that meets your specific needs. Once you’ve selected a platform, you can then implement a pilot project to test and validate your IoT strategy. Make sure to transform one process at a time using a customer- and user-centric approach.  It is important to ensure that business teams collaborate with IT partners to keep the interface simple with as little code as possible. No-code or low-code tools deliver value faster.  

#6: Monitor the performance

Make sure you have a system in place to monitor the performance of your IoT devices and systems. This will help you identify any potential issues and keep your system running smoothly. Don’t forget to assess your data and analytics maturity to understand how well are you collecting and using data!

#7: Continue to improve results: 

Like all initiatives designed to generate lasting value, IoT integration is not a one-time, one-off business. Therefore, repeat or adjust the entire process (plan, do, check, and execute) in the high-quality state of the PDCA cycle to continuously improve the results.

Operational manufacturers in different industries have adopted this approach to translate their operational and product signals into newly designed end-to-end processes with remarkable results. By following these five steps, companies can ensure that those investments actually pay off.