Elements of an Internet of Things Strategy – Part 4 – Key Driver of the IoT Strategy

Who is the key driver of the Internet of Things in your company? Change never comes without someone pushing it into an organization. You need people with visions and ideas, and of course, people who have the power to bring about change. I put this question to the IoT architects in my expert round: “Who is driving the IoT strategy?”

Who is Driving the IoT Strategy?

No Internet of Things Strategy without Buy-in from Top Management

Generally, we are dealing with every role in every department, from business operations to internal services to customer interface. This means that in our current projects, we are talking to a cross-section of employees within an organization; e.g., CIOs, CEOs, and other executives from service, sales, or production.

What we have found out is that the Internet of Things strategy must have buy-in from top management. Without this support, it is impossible to generate value from the IoT over the long term.

Recap – Elements of an IoT Strategy

Implementing an Internet of Things strategy is a complex and individual process, but well worth the time. As an old Chinese saying goes, “Dig the well before you get thirsty.”

I would like to share my personal top five elements that an Internet of Things strategy should involve:

1. Get buy-in from top management
2. Involve people across hierarchies and departments
3. Think outside the box (try Design Thinking)
4. Start with a clear vision and move forward incrementally
5. Allow innovations that may result in failure

Another starting point is to figure out where you are right now. What is your digital maturity level? We have developed a Digital Maturity Check, and your score is a good starting point for deepening dialogue. Get started at https://maturitycheck.nttdata-solutions.com.