Business Strategy and Innovation Framework
specific questions ), brainwriting ( also known as 6-3-5 method , where ideas are generated filling out a sheet by 6 persons , changing the sheet 3 times limiting the working time to 5 minutes ). More IIoT-specific exercises , like confronting the idea with business model patterns involving “ sensors as a service ” or “ digitally charged products ” are also worth considering as part of the process of identifying new opportunities [ EF1 ].
The five IIoT Layers ( physical thing , sensor / actuator , connectivity , analytics and , digital service ) help determine on which specific value-creation layer the opportunity should focus . It illustrates the range from product focus up to digital services [ EF1 ].
After formulating an initial idea , a pre-evaluation step should be carried out . Capturing the essence of potential ideas in a structured manner 1 allows enterprises to compare and preevaluate the various ideas generated .
At this early stage , promising IIoT ideas are usually selected by means of a vote or other informal method that captures the consensus among the innovation teams . At a later stage , after developing the candidate ideas in more detail , more formalized evaluation methods can be used ( decision support tools such as scorecards based on internal enterprise standards ).
5.2
PREPARATION
Selected ideas should then be analyzed and documented in detail to sharpen focus , derive underlying assumptions ( market attractiveness , value proposition , or technical implications , etc .), and assign actions to various team members to validate these assumptions .
After describing the IIoT solution , mapping techniques should be applied to help to break down the value proposition into features that correspond to stakeholder ’ s perceived benefits . This is a highly iterative process , as the early-stage nature of IIoT dictates that some ideas will turn out to be less promising than expected , while other new , more innovative ideas may emerge along the way . Again , validating assumptions , for example by collecting early user feedback helps to prioritize value drivers . The targeted solution should then be described in a holistic way : Sketching the solution from the user ´ s perspective by describing the customer ´ s journey with all relevant touch points and activities delivers insights about the required capabilities ( in terms of technology , know-how and resources ). The capability assessment helps to differentiate which parts of value creation the focal company can perform and which parts performed by partners .
With a number of different parties contributing to any IIoT solution ( including sensor providers , production plants , telecommunications providers , etc .), it is crucial to involve each of these parties in the refinement stage of the planning cycle . These players will need to coordinate their efforts to create maximum value for the target group ( s ).
1
One possibility is to use the ‘ IoT Shamrock ’; see the IoT Business Model Builder [ BSI1 ]. IIC : PUB : B01 : V1.0 : PB : 20161115 - 28 -