They said technology was all about connecting people. Cut to a few decades later and here we are experiencing the connecting of devices to offer us humans some of the most convenient solutions to problems. In the list of tech breakthroughs of our times, IoT does have a special place as it is rewriting conventions across industries and helping us evolve better as a race. It is through IoT that cities are ambitioned to become smart cities, power grids as smart grids, cars as autonomous cars and more.
As
more devices get connected to the internet and among each other, what we would
need is a universal approach to interacting with machines. Input devices like
the mouse and the keyboard are becoming obsolete by the day (except for some
specialized applications) and gradually, gestures and computer vision are
becoming the norm. With the bridge between the real world and virtual world
getting stronger and wider, IoT design becomes inevitable to interact with
devices, systems and architecture.
This
post is all about the most important IoT design principles ou need to know. If
you are an IoT specialist, UI/UX designer or an aspiring techpreneur with
visions on investing in IoT, this post is a must-read.
Let’s
get started.
What
Is IoT Design?
IoT
design is a specialized approach in delivering experiences to users with
respect to IoT ecosystems. Instead of relying on conventional design
principles, IoT design is all about taking a very specific approach to
designing IoT experiences, interactions and everything in between. From logic
flow and input of data to how results should be displayed to users, IoT design
is about all of it.
At
this point, it is also important to understand that IoT design extends beyond
designing IoT applications, where emphasis is placed on UI, UX, color schemes
and more. This design is broader and more inclusive, featuring aspects such as
IoT tools, architecture, cloud systems, operating modules and more.
Why
Does IoT Design Matter?
IoT
is relatively a new stream despite being a popular one. There is no SOP, a
templated approach or a conventional strategy to design IoT systems and
processes. The development of all solutions is case-basis, where solutions,
features, modules and more are designed and deployed based on project
requirements.
However,
as the technology evolves, streamlining of interactions, processing and
delivery of results becomes inevitable for universal understanding. Though each
IoT ecosystem will have its own set of devices and peripherals, IoT design
ensures a meaningful collaboration happens among devices in an ecosystem so
users always have a clear understanding of their networks and devices.
Now,
this could sound challenge from the outlook but to make things simpler for you,
here are some tried and tested IoT design principles you need to be familiar
with.
10
IoT Design Principles You Can’t Overlook In 2021
Do
Research on Your Target Audience?
IoT
development is more about experiences and services than products. So, it all
boils down to users and how they perceive and interact with devices either
independently or collectively. That’s why it is important to understand your
target audiences before you get started with designing an IoT ecosystem.
Understanding
your target audience will tell you the most ideal ways to deliver results (as
visuals, charts or videos), take data as input, about the learning curve
involved in operating an IoT device, the average age of your audience and
whether you need tutorials and walkthroughs to orient them to your IoT bubble
and more. Doing an extensive research on your target audience will also help
you understand their pain points and reverse engineer solutions as well.
Work
On Delivering Contextual Experiences
Right
now, there is a vague understanding of the concept of IoT. People only know
that devices connected to the internet (and each other) constitute an IoT
ecosystem. They are either completely unfamiliar with how IoT works or have
misconceptions about it.
Mass
adoption of IoT can only be possible when this understanding is clear and
thorough. Consumers will go an extra mile in integrating IoT systems into their
lives when they know how it works and the intricacies involved. That’s why you
should work on delivering contextual experiences more than personalizing
experiences.
Delivering
contextual experience empowers them with the knowledge of how that particular
implementation solves their problems and elevates their lifestyle. This
approach creates a long-term demand for your IoT-enabled products.
Focus
On Creating Value
The
onset of any new concept, product or service fetches reactions from two types
of people — those who can’t wait to get hands on with it and those who are
reluctant to use it. While it is easy to captivate the former, it is the
skeptical souls who are more difficult to convince.
That’s
why your IoT solutions need to offer tangible and almost instant benefits that
could outweigh their initial hesitation on using your solution. When you do
this, users would automatically swarm in to experience your systems.
For
that, answer some basic questions on the value you are about to deliver through
your systems, the real issues your customers are facing, existing solutions and
their loopholes, barriers to adopting your technology and solution and more.
Leverage
The Use of Prototype
One
setback tech expert is still experiencing with IoT solutions is that an
established IoT ecosystem is difficult to upgrade or modify. With devices and
applications in their place, it is extremely difficult to replace devices,
introduce new ones or even modify system software.
That’s
why you need to be extremely careful when you decide to go live with your
solution. Before you do, launch prototypes, get users to work on it, accumulate
feedback, optimize solutions, eliminate errors and make iterations after
iterations until it can’t be optimized anymore. Your last iteration is your
customers’ first interaction. So, make it count and effective.
Prioritize
Security First
IoT
is ultimately a digital solution to physical, real-world problems. Like you
know, digital systems come with their own set of concerns with respect to
safety and security. With IoT dealing with tons of confidential data that could
go as personal as the purchasing power of an individual (and other sensitive
data), your priority should be on building the most airtight IoT solution for
the market.
Implement
IoT design mechanisms that identify and eliminate concerns before they creep
in. Ensure data integrity and security at all times and deploy edge computing
wherever possible for seamless security.
Effective
Data Management
Extending
the previous point slightly, let’s acknowledge that your IoT system is going to
generate massive amounts of data every second or minute. Now, this does not
mean that you should end up storing every single byte of it. This is where
logic comes in. You could work on collecting, storing and processing only the
data that is required for processing and delete everything else.
When
a data scientist works on a dataset, they spend close to 80% of their time
cleaning it. You could easily eliminate this by collecting and storing only
relevant data that would complement your IoT ecosystem. This makes your systems
faster and you could easily deploy devices that have low latency, memory and
battery concerns.
Consider
Human Connection
IoT
is a great concept to bring people together and talk about matters that deserve
attention. Your solutions should empower people in their own ways and not step
inside their own bubbles. While it is true that you are connecting people and
devices, the ultimate goal is to connect people over common causes together.
Consider
smart cities for instance. With IoT, people can be empowered with the
information of how much energy they consume on a daily or hourly basis.
Comparing their insights to that of their neighbors will pave the way for power
conservation races. In a disguised way, you are making a set of strangers
interact without the knowledge of each other.
Work
On Branding
Branding
is what will make people come to you and try your solutions out. In a world of
depleting attention spans, your efforts should grab eyeballs and make them try
your solutions. Apart from the value delivery aspect, your brand should speak
of credibility in the market. The trust your customers would have on your brand
will gradually transition to the trust towards the whole concept of IoT. This
is how you become a pioneer in your market or industry. So, work on your
branding such as logos, messaging, principles, core beliefs, tone and language
and more and use all these to connect with your customers.
Have
A Bird’s Eye View of IoT Systems?
Communication
in an IoT ecosystem is not linear. It is a cobweb of interconnected devices
with multiple touch points. That’s why your IoT design should be holistic in
nature. Meaning, every single device in your system must be properly defined in
terms of how users interact with it. The experience should be omnichannel and
not subjected to one particular device alone.
For
instance, in a home automation system, the impact smart locks leave in the mind
of the user should be the same as what smart illumination systems leave. This
is how a universal experience can be delivered.
Apply
Existing UI Expertise to Solutions
In
the beginning, we mentioned that IoT design goes beyond conventional UI and UX
practices. However, that doesn’t mean that you unlearn the basics and what is
already established. A wise IoT designer would always build on foundations,
working on tailoring solutions to meet demands and requirements. The
understanding of what is to come can only be made possible with the knowledge
of what we have today. This blend can help you unlock newer designing potential
and deliver seamless experiences.
Examples
Of Stunning IoT Designs
IoT
Enabled Tracking and Monitoring System From DHL
After
doing an extensive research on the use cases of IoT in the logistics industry,
DHL and Cisco came up with an IoT-driven model to track the movement of their
logistics in real-time. With the primary challenge on managing information flow
and the flow of fleets, a pilot was launched by DHL and Huawei to deliver close
to 12mn logistics to China.
In
this, every batch of the logistics was embedded with a chip that used cellular
IoT to connect to the internet and share details such as their location in real
time. Separate tracking modules were deployed at the receiving end of the docks
as well. Real-time analysis of data dictated drivers to reach the most
appropriate dock in time.
However,
with projects of such scale, data security becomes challenging yet crucial.
That’s why the biggest takeaway from the pilot was to design data flow and
exchange with great attention to detail for safety. Proxy-enabled devices like
sensors cut off middlemen and intruders from hacking devices and gaining access
to data.
Eyelock
Based
on the scientific fact that the human iris is unique for every single
individual in the world, Eyelock designs, develops and sells advanced security
systems for commercial and home applications. The lock system uses iris
biometrics to offer and limit access to stakeholders. The IoT-enabled ecosystem
works in tandem with an application, sensors, authorization modules and more to
deliver impeccable security. With a totally different mode of interaction,
Eyelock has a seamless IoT design in place.
SimpliSafe
Home Security
This
is an ecosystem of home security solutions that personalises devices based on
users’ sensor and security requirements. It includes a base station that acts
as the brain of the system with 24 hours power backup, burglary sensors, panic
buttons, glass break sensors, extra sirens, motion detectors, cameras, video-enabled
doorbells and more. The extensive range of home automation systems has all
possible combinations of human-machine interfaces and seamlessly brings every
element together with its airtight design.
Wrapping
Up
So,
these were the 10 crucial IoT design principles you need to be familiar with.
These factors will help you build credible solutions that offer enriching
insights and bring in healthy lifestyle changes. Implement them and bring in a
new breed of IoT systems in the market.
Good
luck!
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Ref: https://theiotmagazine.com/10-iot-design-principles-you-cant-overlook-in-2021-42bd0257d543