• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, August 3, 2015

According to survey data from Forrester Research, posted by Marc Jacobson, the Internet of Things (IoT: machine-to-machine) solutions may finally be ready for ‘prime time.’ Business Decision Makers (BDMs) report that IoT has become a top business priority and they are assessing solution feasibility and, in some cases, already investing.

IoT will be driven by the business side of the house, says the report, but a close collaboration between business and technology management stakeholders is a prerequisite for success. Forrester believes that IoT will ultimately serve as a driving force for the Business Technology (BT) Agenda by changing processes, skills, and the mindset of technology management organizations. 

From a series of annual surveys with business and technology decision-makers measuring technology adoption plans, drivers, barriers and buyer behaviors, by Forrester Business Technographics, BDMs surveyed in 2015 were more than twice as likely, compared to 2014, to begin IoT investment within the next 12 months. They are 50% more likely to report they were currently implementing or piloting IoT, and dramatically less likely to be unfamiliar with IoT adoption plans or report they were not familiar with the technology.

In 2015, 49% of BDMs reported that the expansion of IoT initiatives was a “high” or “critical” organizational priority over the coming 12 months.

Business Technology includes the systems and processes to win, serve and retain customers. IoT, which will be driven by business stakeholders interested in connecting their products and assets, sits within this agenda. But, business groups can’t succeed on IoT alone, says the report, and must partner with technology management teams who can provide crucial expertise in areas that include:

• Protocols for efficiently communicating sensor data
• Infrastructure and design solutions to reliably keep that data flowing through the network
• Data and analytics solutions to make sense of the data

In the 2015 survey, security was the most commonly identified barrier to adoption; more than integration challenges; more than perceived technology immaturity; and more even than cost concerns. Security and risk professionals aligned to the CIO’s organization can provide data protection practices to directly address this adoption barrier, says the report.

The report concludes that IoT investments may be sparked by business stakeholders interested in improving their ability to win, serve and retain customers, but success will require commitment and support from technology management teams.

For additional information from Forrester, please visit here.