Robert Frost and IoT decision making
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
I enjoy this poem so much. It reminds me of both the excitement of blazing a trail and what you miss by taking the path of least resistance. There is much to this poem apart from this closing verse. For today, let’s focus on how the closing verse might advise those looking to navigate the woods of IoT and an ever-connected business world.
The clarity of hindsight
As is often the case, when we look back on things, we see the world more clearly than when we were in the midst of the journey. Over the years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has gained more and more traction. Recent research points out, however, that senior business leaders reflecting back on projects don’t always view the initiatives as successes.
Why is that?
Sometimes the projects missed the targeted business case for why the project makes financial sense. Sometimes they ended up costing more than anticipated. Sometimes, they did not gain the market adoption intended. They followed a well-traveled path - only to find it was the wrong one.
How do we reconcile this?
First, let’s consider the true name of the poem above. It is commonly thought of as the road less traveled. However, the title is The Road Not Taken. When you are making decisions concerning the many dimensions of an IoT initiative, what roads are you considering? Is a cross-platform solution better than a native one? There may be costs favoring cross-platform. And, there may be long-term challenges with that decision as well.
Consider both roads
The road most traveled is what your competition is doing. It could be using the technology that allows quick deployment. Or, the primary driver of this road could be price optimization.
The road less traveled is where you focus deeply on the changing needs of the customer groups you serve. Here, you are open to new ideas and insights and you take the long view. It is here where trails are blazed.
The view ahead
First, plot out what your roadmap looks like. Are you setting a foundation for scaling and for new features? What does your customer journey look like? Have you anticipated what changes might take place in the demographics of your audiences?
I will be the first to admit that every IoT project needs to be looked at through the lens of a business case. At the same time, many technology decisions benefit from a long view. For example, an organization might spend more in the early phases of development to simplify the addition of other features later on. Think of it like building a foundation for a house knowing you plan to expand.
Another consideration for what road you choose is how you can differentiate your product or service with this IoT initiative. When a competitor zigs, you zag, right? There are ways to consider IoT that keep you ahead of your competitors while not necessarily following the direction everyone else is going.
IoT is here to stay. But it’s also incredibly complicated. If you don’t know exactly what you are trying to accomplish, and why, there are many ways you can travel off course.
Start small by outlining what value your initiative will provide to the audiences you are targeting in simple terms. Create user stories and use cases that outline the simplicity and long-term value of your idea. Look into how the concept benefits and connects with current systems. Identify a roadmap of ideas that you may want to consider going forward.
Often, it can be helpful to gather outside points of view on both your idea, approach, and roadmap. Don’t allow the energy and enthusiasm of the idea to cause you to gloss over crucial requirements conversations.
When roads diverge on your IoT plan - and they will - consider taking a road less traveled. It could make all the difference.