Internet of Things - The importance of data and its potential role in high-level strategy

The Internet of Things (IoT) is here, whether we like it or not. According to analyst firm, Gartner, the number of interconnected devices has seen major growth since 2016 - 30% to 6.4 billion in common use - and it will grow more than a double to 13.5 billion by 2020.

Organisations today will look to platforms and services that help them manage and analyse the streams of data coming from connected devices.

Although the Internet of Things (IoT) is a technology that has in fact been around for decades, IoT is starting to catch the attention of local business leaders – and will likely make great strides in 2019.

IoT refers to an ever-growing network of physical sensors that feature embedded communications back to a centralised system.

Simply put, this is the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of.  This also applies to components of machines, for example, a jet engine of an airplane.

This communication produces valuable data, in real-time, which allows systems and people to better understand the various operating environments and design solutions proactively – instead of retroactively.

How Does This Impact You?

Soon enough, the new rule for the future is going to be, "anything that can be connected, will be connected."  There are many examples of what this might look like or what the potential value might be. Say for instance you are on your way to a meeting; your car could have access to your calendar and already know the best route to take. In the event that the traffic is substantial your vehicle may notify the next person that you will be late.

Consider the possibility that your wake up timer awakens you at 6 am and then notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you.  Consider the possibility that your office equipment knew when it was running low on supplies and automatically re-ordered more. In addition to that, what if the wearable device you used in the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and productive and shared that information with other devices that you used while working?

IoT and the user experience

The IoT is profoundly changing the way individuals and enterprises interact with technology. Just as important, the conventions for human/IoT interactions — usually without screens and keyboards — are still being established. How that plays out will go a long way toward determining the role IoT plays in both consumer and business applications.

According to Gartner, the IoT user experience (UX) comprises a wide variety of technologies and design interactions. How the IoT UX evolves depends on four key factors, Gartner said: new sensors, new algorithms, new experience architectures and context, and socially aware experiences. And so far, the track record for truly useful IoT devices and interfaces is decidedly mixed.

Despite the recent rise of voice-controlled digital assistants, it’s still too soon to know exactly what kinds of IoT user experience metaphors will gain traction and which will fall by the wayside. However, it must be noted that, it’s not just a question of which approaches may be technically superior; it’s also about finding talented UX designers who have the vision and skills needed to create compelling, efficient, and fulfilling experiences in what is essentially a new medium — one that remains only partially defined.

The time is ripe for organisations to look to exploit the age of IoT to improve the productivity and safety of their workers, as well as the end service delivered to customers.

Embracing IoT technologies such as mobile edge computing and wearable solutions will be an essential step for many organisations within these verticals as they look to stay on top of 21st century working challenges.