A New Canvas for an IoT World
Bringing a consumer Internet of Things ( IoT ) product to market is a multi-faceted effort with strategic thinking and value chains stretched out -not just to distributors and part suppliers, but with cloud partners and security maintenance concerns as well. The IoT platform requires a slightly shifted mindset - one needed realize new value for consumers and new revenue streams.
So we created a simple paper tool to help capture your initial consumer IoT product / system conceptualization. - Matt Orley with Big Paper Strategy
The Consumer IoT Value and Connections Canvas is a high level introduction and ideation/brainstorming/innovation tool to those interested in investigating the realm of the Internet of Things in the consumer space. This canvas is not meant to be a complete business model canvas for distribution and marketing, nor is it a technical document outlining security protocols and choices in wireless bandwidth - but a real executive tool to understand and layout a value proposition, while realizing facets that directly affect such a program.
Print it out, sketch through it, hang it on the wall for a group effort.
This Canvas design is freely shared under a Creative Commons Attributions no Derivatives 4.0 License.
The Consumer IoT Value and Connections Canvas
The Consumer IoT Value and Connections Canvas as an Innovation Tool
Brainstorming Sessions, Ideation, and Innovation work cannot always without a framework. This canvas was created to guide a group through the components of an Consumer IoT system and value proposition. To use this canvas, redraw it at a larger scale, print out on tabloid size prints, or printed wide-format on 48" paper (most print shops can help you).
This organizational tool ensures that
- Everyone is on the same page
- All areas are visible
- A holistic viewpoint is taken
- User centric design is not lost
If you don't have time to print it big, freehand the design and grab a marker.
The IoT Value and Connections Canvas in Use
Need some innovation drawing help?
If you need assistance in facilitating ideation, innovation, or running a brainstorming session with your company, contact us and find out more about facilitation and graphic recording services.
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Exemplary Content and Box Descriptions
A Canvas is one thing, a real example is another. Big Paper Strategy has an example of a real-life application -this is not a rehash of 'the Facebook business case for IoT', or 'Amazon Echo Sales', but a new concept, complete with all of the unknowns and incomplete components that a canvas user may realize.
The field explanations below utilize the example of a portable air quality monitor fleet, intended for bicycles and scooters to monitor urban air quality.
The Innovation Value Side of the Canvas(right)
What is the innovation or feature that is intended to attract customers? What value will you be delivering to the world?
Although included first in the list here, the value proposition is an evolving concept that is best updated and edited throughout the business case development.
Example: Deliver a fleet of IoT enabled sensor devices to advocates on bicycles/scooters to measure and record air quality, CO2, allergen data and Ultra Violet sunlight data for the greater good.
The aspect of your customers' lives that may be affected by the product system you are considering.
Jobs to Do: This is really simple --Make Coffee, Walk the Dog, Go Grocery Shopping, Breathe Fresh Air, Go to Work Safely are all examples of jobs to be done.
Our IoT Example: Stay in a healthy environment, Save the Planet (I'm not an environmental crazy myself, but I recycle), Get to Work
Pains: How does the job negatively affect the person's life?
Example: SMOG, Smells, Particulate, Ourdoor Air Quality in General.
Desired Gains: Besides eliminating pains, how could the consumer's life be improved through the work to be done?
Example: Let everyone in my city have the best possible air. Provide a tool that will help big polluters understand their contribution to others pains.
Pain Killers: How can we limit the pains of jobs to be done for our consumers and others?
Example: Provide Maps to help with poor air quality avoidance, assist in trip planning, assist in home and work location life choices.
New Value: In what ways does your new proposition go beyond pain killers and answer the hopes and dreams of users that were not before possible?
Example: Help the civic body at large understand air quaity throughout a city, and provide real data for air cleanup efforts, new visualization tools as effective as weather maps.
What are the key attributes of your target market that would best benefit from your value proposition?
Example: Pro-Environment individuals, Activists, Possibly those with Asthma issues, those commute using small personal vehicles for work (bicycles, scooters, or their renters.)
How will you make money? A Consumer IoT business often focuses on device sales, premium online services and data access, and renewable supplies.
Example: Our intial air quality sensor device can count on device sales, service sponsorhips, obfuscated data sales, advocacy brand sales (scooter rent cos), and of course user subscriptions.
The Innovation Delivery Side of the Canvas(mostly left)
Simon Sinek has convinced the world that there must be a WHY for every organization. We agree. We also think that there must be a WHY US component to every business - an idea is just an idea unless you are bringing something to the table.
Why Us Example: Our leadership in the indoor air quality space allows our at-home success to be leveraged, as well as our sensor expertise. Why SHOULDN'T we bring our air quality sensors to the world to make it a better place?
Components of your business and service team that are paramount to your success. This can be expertise, stock, product design, service, real estate or partner related.
Example: MVP Prototypes for idea validation, hardware design, a service team, device security, and community development.
A Consumer IoT business never exists in a vacuum. Partners are often cloud, manufacturing, and software service related:
Example: Cloud Infrastructure through Microsoft, Azure Sphere, HW Mnufacturer and a Testing team. But we need our partners to share in our vision!
Make this about your device- what do you need to create? Circuit Boards? Do you buy radios? Plastic Tooling? Device FCC Certifications?
Example: Sensing Technology- Hardware Mobility Mounting Options. IoT M3 Tech + Radios to buy... Warning Lights?
Software is a broad container when you are talking about IoT. "Full Stack" Development is a common phrase that outlines the need for OS, device application, Cloud Interface, Cloud Processing and Phone App / Dashboard Data presentation. Note this isn't necessarily HOW the product will work, but a tool to understand all of the components required.
Example:Fleet Interface, Cloud Database management and Data to GIS mapping interface, Full Data Management Application...
Capture all of the perceived starup and ongoing costs of your project - include non-recurring engineering, security updates and Operating System Licensing, Cloud Fees, costs of customer service and of course manufacturing.
Example: Device NRE, Engineering, Licensing, FCC Certifications, Production Runs, Prototypes, Cloud Service and Storage, Full Stack Design, Rewards for Subscribers (incentive program)
Define a way to measure your first / next step. What are imperative milestones that MUST be met for product success? Is it market analysis, prototype success? Cost Reduction?
Example: Prototype Excitement in front of prospects, FIRST: Sensor Outdoor Validation, Green Partner Validation.
The Device Conceptualization Center of the Canvas
Consumer IoT devices often have mobile apps that present data, and /or allow the user to interact with the device. Describe what yours may look like.
Example: Heat Map based interface showing poor, fair, and good air quality, based on user data, and community user data.
What does your look like? Have a block diagram? Have a list of features? Include these here to help all viewers understand what you plan to create.
Example: Rough Sketch, Features List.
Device security is paramount for securing the privacy and security of your customers and the public in general. IoT devices are particularly at risk because of the often lackadasisical view on device security. Identify security partners, standards and methods that you may put in place.
This area may also include customer service related device repair.
Example: Use Microsoft Azure Sphere as a security partner.
What buttons, sensors, user inputs and user interaction will your device accept? What other inputs will your dashboard absorb?
Example: Environmental sensor inputs, Weather Data, Map Data.
What type of data will your device and system record and process? What type of data outputs will your device create that will be applied to Pain Killers and New Value?
Examples: Location based air quality data, allergen data, CO2 data, UV data, both historical and real time.
How will you interact with your customers? This loaded question is not meant to be a complete go-to-market sales plan, but a thoughtful question alluding to pre and post sales support, community engagement and development.
Example: App Based Chat Room System allowing all users to be connected to monitoring technician at all times. Rewards and Rebates via miles traveled, and device recovery tools that allows attached items like bicycles and scooters to be recovered.
