The rush to build the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions has supplied the market with devices that sometimes don't work. While the first to market often dominates the space, being too much in a hurry can backfire. The rewards for the misplaced eagerness of IoT developers were costly revamps and functional complications.
Companies design IoT to solve problems of connectivity, information, and interaction. It gained a ubiquitous status over time, from automating temperature solutions to optimizing hospital care, smart parking, and focused marketing.
Experts predict that the number of IoT devices worldwide will reach 30 billion by 2030. The article highlights the nine essential steps in the IoT development process.
1. Define the Problem and Requirements
To start the IoT project, companies must ensure a complete understanding of the problem. Also, they must envision the long-term and short-term goals of their IoT.
These details will inform the requirements for developing IoT systems before the rollout, such as storage options and computing platforms.
It can help decide the timeline for testing the solution. A tip for the initial phase is to consult with IoT specialists. These experts can help pinpoint gaps in the goals and requirements of IoT.
2. Look at IoT Use Cases
Besides specialists, companies can look at IoT use cases. Exploring an example of an IoT application is advantageous when considering a proven solution. Some of these use cases include the following:
The most significant benefit of use cases is the potential for easy implementation. A streamlined rollout can reduce expenses (e.g., savings from testing costs).
3. Choose the Right Hardware
Putting together the hardware components of IoT systems requires the same consideration as step one. Companies can't focus on tools alone but must consider future upgrades or expansions.
Experts advise against outright investment in new hardware for IoT. Companies should check if modifying existing hardware would suffice. They can choose from sensors to edge gateways and select suitable communication protocols and platforms.
Analytics software and cloud data management are IoT components, too. Developers should look at examples of IoT devices (e.g., smart appliances and drones).
4. Build Your Team
Managing many critical features of IoT requires assembling a team. Their expertise could be helpful throughout the IoT development process. Companies may build a team out of existing departments depending on the industry.
These members are experts in designing industrial products and embedded systems. Another member should know how to develop back-end and front-end systems. Employees with electrical and mechanical backgrounds can be viable team members, too.
5. Create Prototypes and Implement
The team creates a prototype of the IoT product using components selected earlier. Logistic problems can muddle this process, so finding suitable suppliers for high-demand materials is essential. The team must also consider the testing group's familiarity with IoT solutions. This factor can affect their feedback.
6. Collect Relevant Data
During the implementation of the IoT solution, the team will collect data from the selected hardware (e.g., sensors). The team could collect a lot of data that would need high-capacity storage. Experts recommend cloud and other storage solutions for this requirement.
However, the data they receive through the IoT implementation is unstructured. The solution is to clean the collected information before processing it. In the past, companies would use this data and delete it afterward.
With affordable storage, companies can also store and analyze it later. Their analysis can produce reports that could inform improvements in their IoT devices. Or they can identify potential data quality problems and create a solution.
7. Apply Other Technologies
The team should consider introducing other technologies that can optimize data. Data analytics can help organize massive data into smaller datasets. These smaller units can inform companies how to improve their processes.
Most IoT solutions use edge computing and machine learning, with the former employed during the pre-processing. Companies wanting to improve the IoT system can use machine learning. These algorithms learn through massive data and spot potential problems during implementation.
8. Protect and Secure
A common problem for any enterprise receiving and working with data is security. Teams should consider mitigating data breaches as a factor for selecting IoT technologies.
Companies can use regulatory components as a guide. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation provides rules and practices for storing data. The regulation covers specifics from handling to protecting personal data.
IoT teams should create an emergency plan and invest in endpoint security, authentication protocols, and encryption technologies. Endpoint security includes firewalls and anti-malware software. Authentication protocols consist of biometric scans and two-factor authentication.
If someone intercepts data transmitted between devices and computers, encryption tools ensure that that data is unreadable. In this form, the information is useless to hackers. The company can also use virtual private networks and fraud detection software to protect data.
A company needs to establish fraud management to take it a step further. This step will help them be aware of any hacking.
9. Do Not Forget About the End User
For this last step, it's important to maintain sight of its consumers. It pays to remind the group that a real person will use the IoT solution.
As they ease into the pilot testing phase, the team must consider how their users will use the IoT solution. They must identify the challenges their users could encounter. The testing results should allow the team to consider how sourcing materials work. Companies can assess if they can manufacture IoT solutions at scale.
Harnessing the Power of IoT
Many companies from different industries have reaped the benefits of IoT devices. As an undertaking, an IoT project can be time-consuming. But following these nine steps can ensure the IoT project remains on track.
Ensuring access to reliable tools and platforms can make a difference. Challenges in building the internet of things provide a testing ground for its experts. So companies can expect to see IoT solutions evolve as the team grows.
