All with an on/off button

The IoT concept first appeared in the late 1990s. Simply put, it is the ability to basically connect any device with an on/off button to the Internet (and/or to other devices). This includes everything from mobile phones, coffee and washing machines, headphones, lamps, thermostats and almost anything you can imagine. This also applies to parts of machines, e.g. the jet engine on an airplane or the drill on an oil platform.

In recent years, the intensity of mention of IoT has increased. With good reason. Because ideas and the use of technology are becoming more and more useful. And therefore, of course, more and more companies can also see the opportunities to utilize the technology in their companies.

From the fact that the talk has mainly revolved around wearables, such as fitness trackers, smart watches and glasses (Google Glass for example), today there is also a lot of talk about sensors that keep an eye on your products. Sensors that can check whether your oranges are still good, whether the humidity in your container is too high or low or whether your product has been shaken. Sensors can also keep an eye on whether your machines need repair even before they break down.

Although IoT today is very different, the wearables market has certainly not come to a standstill. According to superusers.dk 25 % of Americans today own a wearable, while the figure for Danes is as high as 38 %.

How to get started?

According to Microsoft Article the possibilities with IoT may seem limitless, many companies want to change their entire business at once in order to quickly take part in the many possibilities. What happens, unfortunately, is all too often that companies become overwhelmed and frustrated without getting much out of their efforts.

Therefore, it is better to start slowly and gradually. The same article suggests the following six steps for a slow but more reliable startup:

1. Start with what you already have. Your existing equipment, even if it is old, is the best starting point for an IoT solution, according to Microsoft. Rather than starting over, you can identify what equipment you have that is already generating data. And then build on from there.
2. Understand your mission and market. In order to take advantage of IoT, it is important that you understand where your business is and where it needs to go.
3. Prioritize your business challenges. Select one or two areas where your company most needs to be updated.
4. Find out what you already know. Microsoft refers to a study where just 32% of companies use more than two-thirds of their available data. A review of your existing data, and its value, can help identify potential "blind spots" and untapped business knowledge.
5. Leverage your company's strengths and strategy. Identify one or two areas of innovation that can give your company a competitive advantage. Use it as a starting point to create a path towards growth.
6. Find out what data you need. The data IoT generates can create operational awareness around the areas of the business you are monitoring. At the same time, this data can help you identify more areas where IoT can help create the greatest benefits.