Driven by growth in cloud applications, edge computing, and scalability, the global industrial IoT market is estimated to reach over 930 billion dollars by 2025. The technology enables a network of connected assets to help companies create insights that drive quick and smart business decisions. For many organizations, IoT applications have been very successful allowing more effectual and affordable ways to maintain business processes. However, some companies are still facing challenges in IoT deployment, and are stuck not knowing where to start and which IoT solutions are effective for them.

This article looks into key considerations and best practices as well as what not to do for a successful IoT implementation.

Do: Set and analyze clear IoT goals

For a successful IoT deployment, clearly defined goals is a must. The truth is that there are many business functions that can be improved with IoT solutions. The right way to approach it is to industrialize one function at a time which allows you to take small steps and grow in knowledge, experience, and expertise.

Do: Start small by focusing on the business outcome that you want to achieve

You can’t apply IoT on entire business functions including sales, marketing, sales, or even human resources as the work could turn out to be too much to handle. Humble beginnings make a lot of difference including giving understanding and know-how to handle later and bigger project implementations.

Do: Ensure you have the right IoT team

Without the right team in place, your IoT project could as well be doomed for failure. This is because IoT applications call for teamwork from cross-functional teams. The right team includes capable leaders backed by IoT consultants who must understand the structured processes and challenges that come with IoT solution deployment. Otherwise, your project may paralyze and result to massive resources wastage.

Do: Understand the real IoT implementation costs

In the past, many IoT projects have failed as a result of under budgeting, which creates cost overruns that bring projects to a standstill. By failing to factor in some considerations including hardware costs, licenses, subscriptions, and other hidden costs, it is possible to lose track of the overall project cost only to realize that your company no longer has the financial feasibility to see it to completion.

Do: Solve systems integration riddle

One of the greatest challenges that you can come across is systems integration failure. Failing to cater for complete processes integration will no doubt mess you up. Project managers together with their teams need to figure out how to solve integration issues if they are to deliver a functional IoT project

Do: Create practical timelines for your IoT implementation

You have to come up with realistic timelines that will allow your team to select the right technologies, tools, and methodologies that enable enough time for experimentation and iteration. Rushing through can lead to leaving out crucial details, and taking too much time can drag the project for too long.

Don’t: Assume that IoT implementation is all magic

IoT implementation is not accomplished using a magic wand. Things cannot just fall into place. Succeeding in IoT means generating the right data, finding the right algorithms, models and technologies. So, be prepared to obtain, clean and combine varied data sources, create and validate models and assess resulting outputs until you achieve your set goal. Azure IoT platform offers all the services such as Azure IoT Hub, Stream Analytics and Azure Machine Learning needed for a successful IoT implementation

Don’t: Ignore the challenges of large-scale IoT implementation

Although we have mentioned the importance of starting small, it is critical to factor in scalability even in the early stages of deployment. Testing on a small scale can prove successful but spell disaster on expansion. To be on the safer side, you cannot afford not to test installations, configurations, operation, maintenance, support and more both on a small and large-scale basis. Here, Azure IoT consultants can guide you in a better way, if you chose Azure to build your IoT solution.

Don’t: Ignore IoT data security risks

Data security is a huge factor for systems especially cloud and IoT devices. If your data is compromised, your models will not work as they should in the first-place outputting erroneous data and results.

Don’t: Select an IoT platform and vendor first

Not all IoT platforms are equipped with specific problem-solving capabilities. It is critical not to consider the IoT platform and vendor before mapping out your IoT project’s value proposition, information required, and clear precision on the data collection. Picking a platform, modem, sensor, wireless carrier, and technology services do not matter at first. You need to clear on what problem you want to solve, what data you need and the outcome of it.