How do you explain IoT and smart devices to stakeholders?

1 Define IoT and smart devices

IoT stands for Internet of Things, which is the network of physical objects that can connect to the internet and communicate with each other. Smart devices are a subset of IoT that have sensors, software, and intelligence that enable them to perform tasks, collect data, and respond to commands. Some common examples of smart devices are smartphones, smartwatches, smart speakers, smart thermostats, and smart lights.

2 Explain the benefits and challenges

IoT and smart devices can offer many benefits to your stakeholders, such as improving efficiency, productivity, customer experience, security, and innovation. However, they also pose some challenges, such as privacy, security, interoperability, scalability, and reliability. You need to balance the pros and cons of these technologies and show how they align with your stakeholders' goals and expectations.

3 Use simple and relevant language

Avoid using jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that your stakeholders may not understand or care about. Instead, use simple and relevant language that relates to their needs, interests, and pain points. For example, instead of saying "we use MQTT protocol to transmit data from our sensors to our cloud platform", you could say "we use a reliable and low-cost method to send information from our devices to our online system".

4 Provide concrete examples and use cases

One of the best ways to explain IoT and smart devices to your stakeholders is to provide concrete examples and use cases that illustrate how they work and what value they create. You can use stories, scenarios, analogies, or demonstrations to make your explanation more engaging and memorable. For example, you could say "imagine you're at home and you want to adjust the temperature. You can simply ask your smart speaker to change the thermostat setting, or you can use your smartphone app to do it remotely".

5 Address questions and concerns

Your stakeholders may have questions or concerns about IoT and smart devices, such as how they affect their roles, responsibilities, costs, risks, or opportunities. You need to address these questions and concerns honestly and respectfully, and provide evidence, data, or feedback to support your answers. You can also invite them to ask more questions, share their opinions, or suggest improvements.

6 Follow up and keep in touch

After you explain IoT and smart devices to your stakeholders, you need to follow up and keep in touch with them. You can send them a summary of your explanation, a link to a resource, or a thank you note. You can also ask them for feedback, suggestions, or approval. You can also update them on the status, progress, or results of your IoT and smart device projects.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?