Is your company developing an IoT solution from the wrong angle?

The story of the Internet of Things (IoT) to date is one of great promise but relatively few successes. It’s kind of like cloud technology in the early times. Like Don Quixote, a lot of companies have visited the IoT “windmill” but got rebuffed. It’s a frustrating exercise.

My observation is that most IoT projects start with the technology. They start with the idea that we can put sensors everywhere, capture the data and create services or products from it. In other words, it’s technology in search of a problem.

They simply come at it from the wrong angle. When I look at the initiatives of companies succeeding in the Internet of Things, it’s clear that this is not the approach they take. Instead of starting with the technology, they start with a vision.

They begin an initiative with a vision of a business service impact they want to accomplish and then work backward to the technology.

There is a fallacy. Everyone wants to sell you on the idea of building a core platform, which you can then move to a digital area within the IoT. I would argue for the opposite. First get a clear vision of what you want to accomplish and work backwards to the technology. You’ll find that building the foundation before you have a crystal-clear idea of what you’re trying to accomplish will waste tremendous resources.