6 The Impact of the Internet of Things on Project Management

[metoc15411]

Author, speaker, and futurist Jacob Morgan wrote in a Forbes article that “The Internet of Things (IoT) is a growing topic of conversation both in and out of the workplace. It’s a concept that could impact not only how we live, but how we work.”

The Internet of Things has also become one of those tech buzzwords that loses a little more of its real meaning every time a Silicon Valley wannabe casually throws it around.

So what is the Internet of Things really and how does it intersect with project management?

Internet of Things and Project Management
Internet of Things and Project Management
The Internet of Things is essentially a global network of the benefits of using our teacher database devices that can communicate with each other and end users via the Internet.

Just two decades ago, that network consisted almost entirely of computers. But in the last decade, the Internet of Things has exploded, with the proliferation of everything from smartphones to microwaves, refrigerators , and even toasters communicating with each other and the world around them.

“Gartner, Inc. predicts that there will be 8.4 billion connected devices in use worldwide in 2017, up 31 percent from 2016, and that number will reach 20.4 billion by 2020.”

Gartner

That's almost three devices per person, and each of those devices will measure data and facilitate communication.

Many large tech companies are developing their own IoT platforms, such as Amazon Web Services , Microsoft Azure , and Google Cloud .

But preparing for the IoT isn’t just a mega-corporation problem. Project managers and small business leaders also need to be prepared for the connected workplace.

IoT intersects with project management in everything from collaboration to data collection. You can expect real-time status reporting via the Internet of Things to usher in a new era of dynamic planning and revolutionary project execution.

Data collection will be seamless and continuous, allowing managers to make more informed decisions. Inventory and resources will be easily monitored at all times.

Devices can automatically detect and respond to what is happening around them or on their network, reducing the need for human intervention, lowering operating costs, increasing response times, and minimizing errors. What’s more, customers can expect better, faster service.

From a project management technology perspective , the Internet of Things will fundamentally change the speed of project delivery. Organizations that benefit from the Internet of Things will complete projects faster than those that do not, and organizations that fail to adapt to the IoT revolution will be left hopelessly behind.

At least six things will change that will require technical and systematic adaptation by project managers.