Skip to main content

Who owns the data?


Finally the capital budget allows you to replace some very old equipment.   You can't open a trade magazine without seeing the latest news regarding the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).  Lucky for you the equipment manufacturers are offering an IIoT ready solution packaged with your equipment.  Suddenly your enthusiasm turns to confusion as you review the details of the quote.  What the hell is that subscription fee?  Isn't this equipment mine; lock, stock and barrel?  You mean to tell me that I need to pay the manufacturer, every month,  to give me the luxury of accessing data produced by the equipment I just purchased?  The only explanation has to be new math, at least as a child this is what my parents told me when I asked hard to answer questions.



It's amazing how history repeats itself, we are starting to see manufacturer specific data languages appearing in their "smart" equipment.  Didn't we learn our lesson twenty years ago that holding the customer hostage with access to automation code, parts, and now IIoT data is not a sustainable plan?  We must keep in mind that most of the information presented is a by-product of sensors required to efficiently operate the equipment, great, well done.  If I had a crystal ball I would have the following predictions:

  1. 2018 the allure of IIoT data is a point of differentiation for the manufacturer allowing them to sell products at a premium
  2. 2021 IIoT data will be the ante to even sell equipment, IIoT data will be used as a loss leader following the successful "fremium" licensing model.  Did HP and others make ink jet printers to sell printers?  No way, they wanted to sell printer ink.



Hold your ground, if you are the end user or the service provider, purchase equipment from those allowing access to all data points (not just the ones that are appearing on BacNET point sheets).  Turn the tables and allow the manufacturers to access the data and outcomes that you are creating through your IIoT initiatives.  We have always said the one that turns the wrenches wins; however, I would add the one that owns the data has created a new annuity stream.



-----

Next post:  from the field to the office

Thoughts?  feel free to leave replies or direct message

See all of the "last mile worker" posts here:  http://lastmileworkersolutions.com

-----




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

why transform?

Why do I want to change, who said anything was wrong with my stack of papers and sea of Excel files?   We solve problems, that is a key characteristic of any successful service organization, if it isn't broke why fix it?   Often, when discussing a transformation from paper or cobbled together systems to a cohesive digital approach, folks struggle with the gap between what they currently do and how digital tools can help.   You really need to look at where the pain points are in your organization and how these compare to your business objectives.   Consider writing down these points on the whiteboard in no particular order, spend a few days shuffling and consolidating into a prioritized list.   Once you have the "why" and the "what" identified, the old remaining step is "how".   Some of the most popular observations over the years have been; Slipping through the cracks :   you know, not the major muscle movements, instead those little i...
Post a Comment
Read more

expert at everything...not a problem

Well... I would say sometimes there certainly is a perceived notion that one person is an expert at everything. For the worker "everything" may be defined as the specific area in which you were hired or are constantly scheduled. Our opinions are frequently influenced off of past experience, or information we've received from their coworkers. Unfortunately this only gives us partial insight to that workers expertise and often is limited to their most recent history. Narrowly focused accounting is made of the skills that this individual possess. Come on, can't we figure out a way to leverage all of the skills of a particular worker? One of the challenges has always been that relationship between the activities which need to be accomplished and the myriad skills of individuals within your workforce. In addition, even if you could inventory and get a pretty good handle on the skill sets, they are constantly changing (with any luck) and thus the ineffective process of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Digital distance

As influential Irene entered the dispatch department this hot July afternoon all that she heard was the tapping of keyboards.   The energy felt like a controlled, almost clinical environment.   It wasn't that many years ago when the sense of chaos, wrapped in genuine human concern for our clients, filled the room with a much different feeling.   Could it be that our ambitions to become more efficient, by leveraging technology has simply created a reason for us not to communicate verbally with one another?    Hasn't the idea all along been centered around our ability to spend more time with our customers? Making each and every one of them feel as if they are our most important client?   Certainly I'm not suggesting we go back to big chief tablets and number two pencils.   Yet, we need to reflect and strike a balance between digitization and delivery. By pure coincidence, avid Andy was composing a memo attempting to give his opinion, without tr...
Post a Comment
Read more