IoT build, buy, partner

Build, buy, partner? Strategic options for creating smart solutions

Posted on Leave a commentPosted in Execution, Industrial IoT, Internet of Things, Product Management, Strategy

IoT enables vendors to create an entirely new line of “smart” solutions for its existing and new markets. While the decision to go “smart” is straightforward, the decision of how to go “smart” is less obvious. Vendors are faced with a “build, buy, partner” decision – build it themselves, buy and integrate technology, or partner with another organization and go to market together.

This article discusses some of the key management considerations involved in making a decision.

Cisco ADP Aironet Development Platform

Cisco ADP is a stealth IoT opportunity for developers

Posted on Leave a commentPosted in Execution, Fog Computing, Internet of Things, Technology Review

In mid-October 2017, Cisco announced the launch of its Aironet Developer Platform (ADP), a third-party development platform based on the Aironet 3800 series access points (AP). While there was no mention of IoT in the announcement, this is a stealth IoT opportunity for software developers in Cisco’s DevNet community.

This article provides a brief assessment of the Cisco ADP program, and offers some recommendations for its implementation.

5 IoT Lessons Learned from dot-com mistakes

Five “dot com” mistakes that IoT companies must avoid

Posted on 2 CommentsPosted in Best Practices, Execution, Internet of Things, Strategy

We are in a modern day gold rush, sparked by the Internet of Things (IoT). Thousands of companies, new and established, are planning “smart” solutions.

Amid all this, what IoT lessons learned from the past can today’s IoT companies apply to avoid mistakes of previous “gold rushes”? Are we smarter now, or are we making the same mistakes? The answer is yes and yes. This articles identifies five major mistakes made by dot-companies and five Iearnings for today’s IoT companies.

Ten best practices for making your first IoT projects a success

Posted on 1 CommentPosted in Best Practices, Digital Transformation, Execution, Innovation Management, Internet of Things, project management, Strategy

A recent study by Cisco found that three quarters of IoT projects were not successful. The reasons included long completion times, poor data quality, lack of internal expertise, integration and budget overruns.

In this blog, we will share ten best practices, from project planning to implementation, to help managers and project planners overcome common mistakes made with projects implementing emerging technology solutions.

The secrets to successful partnerships in the fast changing IoT market – Part 2

Posted on Leave a commentPosted in Best Practices, Execution, go-to-market, Innovation Management, Internet of Things, Partnerships, Product Management, sales, Strategy

Today’s IoT market is very dynamic, continuously evolving, and fragmented. No single vendor has a connected IoT stack. Partnerships are a critical business capability that IoT vendors must develop in order to be relevant in this type of marketplace.

This post, the second of two parts, describes ten best practices that vendors should use when forming and managing partnerships with other IoT partners.

The secrets to successful partnerships in the fast changing IoT market – Part 1

Posted on Leave a commentPosted in Best Practices, Execution, FAQs, go-to-market, Innovation Management, Internet of Things, Partnerships, Product Management, sales, Strategy

Today’s IoT market is very dynamic, continuously evolving, and fragmented. No single vendor has a connected IoT stack. Partnerships are a critical business capability that IoT vendors must develop in order to be relevant in this type of marketplace. This post, the first of two parts, describes the basic partnership types, the relationship models and key engagement scope parameters.

execution options for IoT projects

Planning IoT Pilot Projects: Execution Options

Posted on 7 CommentsPosted in Execution, Innovation Management, Internet of Things, Product Management, Strategy

You’re sold on the Internet of Things (IoT) and its benefits for your organization. But how do you get in the IoT “game”? Where do you start?

While there is a lot of information on the technology behind IoT, case studies, and visions of what it can do, there is not a lot of practical content on what you need to get started today.

This post discusses five options that managers have for executing pilot IoT projects.

IoT as a service

Selling IoT as a Service – 7 Best Practices

Posted on 2 CommentsPosted in Best Practices, Business Models, Execution, go-to-market, Internet of Things, sales, Strategy

IoT or Internet of Things solutions, built on a cloud-based infrastructure, create opportunities for new business models and value delivery methods. While many IoT solutions are usually sold as a “product”, many vendors are now beginning to offer IoT “as-a-service”.

Selling a recurring revenue solution is not the same as selling an “one time” sale product. This post presents seven best practices for selling IoT as a service.