Some clients have been asking for a “short list” of crucial IoT competencies they should focus on to help ensure a successful implementation of larger end-to-end IoT projects (which tightly integrate IoT devices, IoT platforms and back-end applications). It’s a trick question, because large IT projects draw on such a wide range of technologies and skills. No short list is perfect because everyone has their ‘favorite’ Pet Peeve competency, but here’s my short list of five crucial (Don’t #Fail!) IoT competencies:
- Device Management — obvious but you can’t provision, digest data from or control IoT devices in scale without doing it, well.
- Information Management — IoT data is distributed, voluminous and continuous, so double-down to efficiently capture, organize and govern it all.
- Analytics — improved operational intelligence (to improve business outcomes) is the whole point of IoT projects, and you may need a mix of localized, aggregated and deep analytics will help you maximize your ROI.
- Integration — whether IT (e.g., ERP, SCM) or OT (e.g., MES, BMS) Apps, complex IoT projects typically embrace and extend core business Apps, data and processes.
- Security — IoT significantly expands your security threat surface so assess your risks and invest to sufficiently protect your IoT networks, platforms, Apps and data.
So what about the other items on the “long list”? Architecture, communications, development, choreography, et al? Yes, important too — but if you lead with the short, the long will follow.
– bjl
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