The Internet of Things (IoT) is already changing the way products are designed and developed. The ability of smart, connected products to feedback important information from the field directly to the manufacturer means that organisations can access more insight and data than ever before. Fundamentally, this helps to improve future product iterations and even new product lines.
Gartner has predicted that 20.8 billion connected devices will come online by 2020, showing just how much the Internet of Things (IoT) is already changing the way we live. But its potential impact on the way businesses deliver support services is an area that deserves particular focus.
Manufacturers are increasingly using performance-based analysis to provide real-world data on product performance from the field. Rather than making assumptions about performance, this approach offers unbridled access to how products operate once they leave the factory. But for manufacturers who are designing and iterating the next generation of smart, connected products, they need a more advanced approach: Data-Driven Design.
To say connected products is a trend is an understatement. By the end of 2017, IDC estimates that 70% of discrete manufacturers will offer connected products.
This new breed of products, which have connectivity at their centre, is dramatically changing industries and competition as we know them today.
But, for organisations to be able to meet the challenge, they need all the key stakeholders in the product lifecycle to be aligned. At the same time, processes will need to be streamlined, so that organisations are in a better shape to react to customer feedback and the real-time data that connectivity provides.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as the driving factor behind new technological developments and it’s transforming both the home and business - in a very good way indeed.
In the world of product development, every stakeholder - be they a designer, a manager or within marketing, needs access to the most accurate, up-to-date information, if the organisation is to produce the best products on time and within budget. Simply put, it’s a democracy. If just one stakeholder is unable to access a key element of the design or vital piece of feedback, the entire project may be put at the risk of increased lead times or, worse, failure upon release.
By 2020, experts believe the number of Internet-connected devices in use worldwide will reach 20.8 billion. In 2016 alone, it is predicted that 5.5 million ‘things’ will join the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution every single day.
The prophecies of 1980s science fiction movies appear to have been rather accurate. We can now walk into our homes, shout “lights!” and watch as the room illuminates; our cars talk to us and guide us to our destination; our mobile phones can recognise inference and respond to natural questioning; smartwatches track our heart rates and daily steps.
It’s no surprise that emerging technologies (such as 3D printing, Internet of Things (IoT) and augmented reality) are going to change the way we all think about product development. Chances are you’re already starting to think about how these technologies will change the way you work and what they’ll mean for future product development.
