A Guide to Succeeding in the Internet of Things provides innovators, designers, engineers and strategists with shared tools and a vocabulary to collaborate and create fresh, viable product and service concepts in the Internet of Things (IoT).

1. Claro Partners | 2014
FIRST EDITION
A guide to
succeeding in the
Internet of Things

2. Despite the hype, we believe
that the Internet of Things
doesn’t exist yet.
Instead of one integrated
ecosystem, we have many
separate “intranets of things”.
A GUIDE TO SUCCEEDING IN THE INTERNET OF THINGS | CLARO PARTNERS
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3. Today, connected devices
are often solutions looking
for a problem.
There is a race to put a
sensor on everything,
before asking what real
benefit it provides.
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4. The vision for the Internet of
Things still lacks clear user
experience and business
models.
The IoT won’t be fully
realised until it better fits
into the ways we work,
play and live our lives.
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5. The Internet of Things presents an enormous
opportunity for business, but currently few
companies know how to find their role in it.
We have developed this guide to help you
break through the hype of the IoT, by
addressing real user needs and creating
viable business models.
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6. This guide is divided into four exercises. Follow them in
sequence - even if you already have a concept in mind - as the
exercises will help you to refine, develop or rethink it.
Do the exercises on your own or in teams; just print out the
materials and follow the instructions.
1
Define the challenge
Identify a user-centric
challenge to solve
2
Ideate the solution
Create a solution that
provides new value
to the user
3
Develop the offer
Map out the ecosystem
and interactions of your
product and service
4
Plan for production
Identify resources
needed and conduct
gap analysis
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7. 1
Define the challenge
Identify a user-centric
challenge to solve
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8. Don’t create an offer that makes
the technology its focus.
Do create an offer that meets
real human needs.
KEEP IN MIND
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9. INSTRUCTIONS
With this exercise, you will explore real
user needs and then define a challenge to
solve with an IoT product or service.
Choose a context to explore – from the list
provided, or one of your own.
Print the Human Needs Framework sheet and
write your chosen context in the middle.
Use the questions as prompts to brainstorm
different challenges people face when meeting
their needs in this context. Write each challenge
on a post-it and stick it onto the sheet.
Choose a challenge to design for and circle it.
Print the Challenge Definition sheet and write the
challenge you’ve chosen to tackle on it.
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2
3
4
5
List of possible contexts:
• Ageing population
• Work-life balance
• Urban life
• Health & wellbeing
• Local communities
Estimated time for this step: 30 mins
• Education
• Sustainability
• Shopping
• Tourism
• Family
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10. HUMAN NEEDS FRAMEWORK
Need: BELONGING
In this context, how do people feel like they belong?
What challenges do they face in trying to do this?
Need: DISCOVERY
In this context, what do people want to discover?
What challenges do they face in trying to do this?
Need: CONTROL
Ageing population, work-life
balance, urban life, health and
wellbeing, local communities,
education, sustainability,
In this context, what do people want to control?
What challenges do they face in trying to do this?
Need: ACHIEVEMENT
In this context, what do people want to achieve?
What challenges do they face in trying to do this?
Chosen context:
Example contexts:
shopping, tourism
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11. CHALLENGE DEFINITION
Challenge to solve with an IoT-enabled concept:
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12. 2
Ideate the solution
Create a solution that provides
new value to the user
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13. KEEP IN MIND
Don’t simply use new technology to
enhance or improve existing solutions.
Do reimagine entirely
new capabilities and value that
an IoT service can deliver.
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14. INSTRUCTIONS
With this exercise, you will ideate innovative ways
to solve the challenge, taking into account new
value that IoT technologies can bring to the user.
Write the challenge you defined in the middle of
the Ideas Brainstorm sheet.
Define the person facing the challenge and think
about what their life looks like.
Next, with that person in mind, brainstorm
solutions that would meet their real needs. Write
the solutions on post-it notes of the same colour
and stick them on the sheet.
Using a different colour, write down ways in
which IoT technology could be used to enable
each solution.
Choose one solution to develop further and circle it.
Fill in the Idea Description sheet.
Estimated time for this step: 40 mins
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2
3
4
5
6
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15. IDEAS BRAINSTORM
Challenge to solve:
1. Define the person facing the challenge and think about
what their life looks like.
2. Next, with that person in mind, brainstorm solutions that
would meet their real needs. Write the solutions on post-it
notes of the same colour and stick them on the sheet.
3. Using a different colour, write down ways in which IoT
technology could be used to enable each solution.
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16. IDEA DESCRIPTION
Value proposition to the user:
Briefly describe your idea - explain how it solves the challenge
and meets the chosen user need:
Idea name:
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17. 3
Develop the offer
Map out the ecosystem and interactions
of your product and service
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18. KEEP IN MIND
Don’t create an “intranet of things”
by designing a product and service
that lives in isolation.
Do take advantage of the
ecosystem enabled by the IoT to
create interconnected services,
experiences and business models.
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19. INSTRUCTIONS
With this exercise, you will map out your
idea and define the interactions, actors,
devices and value involved.
Print both the IoT Service Diagram and the
IoT Service Diagram Cards.
Cut out the cards.
On the IoT Service Diagram sheet (or a larger
sheet of paper if you need), map out your idea
using the cards. Draw the flow of different types
of data and value between them.
Use the questions on the sheet to explore the
full potential of the idea.
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2
3
4
EXERCISE 4
Example
Estimated time for this step: 40 mins
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20. EXERCISE 4
Example
EXAMPLE
This is an example of how a Service Diagram
could look. We’ve imagined what the
interactions and value exchanges might look
like for the Nike Fuelband.
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21. IOT SERVICE DIAGRAM
Consider:
• Will the device just provide information to the user
or will it act on that information?
• What are the specific inputs/outputs of the service?
(eg. sight, sounds, touch, taste, smell, temperature)
• Could the device learn through its use over time and
adapt its behaviour accordingly?
• Could the service use existing devices,
data streams or interfaces?
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22. IOT SERVICE DIAGRAM CARDS
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23. 4
Plan for production
Identify resources needed and
conduct gap analysis
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24. KEEP IN MIND
Don’t underestimate the complexity
of bringing to life an offer that
spans both the physical and digital.
Do map out all the elements
you’ll need to successfully develop
and deliver your IoT offer.
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25. INSTRUCTIONS
With this exercise, you will identify the processes
and resources needed (in your company or from
outside) to bring your product and service to life.
Print the IoT Canvas on a large piece of paper.
Write the offer’s value proposition to the end
user in the box at the top.
Using the questions in each box as prompts, fill
out the rest of the canvas with details of your
product and service idea.
In the same boxes, also write down which
resources, capabilities and processes you have,
and which you’d need to acquire (gap analysis).
Note: this is an iterative process; move from one
area to another and revisit the document over
time to develop an integrated plan with as much
detail as you need.
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2
3
4
*
Estimated time for this step: 30 mins
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26. IOT CANVAS
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27. If you’d like to know how we can help your
company to define its role and thrive in the
Internet of Things, please get in touch.
Claro Partners works with global companies to help
them develop their strategy within diverse market
opportunities emerging from disruptive shifts in
society and technology. The Internet of Things is
one of these market opportunities.
Contact us:
hello@claropartners.com
+34 931 786 332
Carrer de Provença, 290, 3-1A, Barcelona, Spain
Download a copy of this guide from our website:
www.claropartners.com/project/internet-of-things
Find us online:

28. A Guide to Succeeding in the IoT is licensed under the
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