MAKO Strategy: Should Your Product be IoT?

What is IoT?

In product design, IoT simply refers to products that are part of or include the ‘Internet of Things.’ The Internet of Things is devices that connect wirelessly to networks and have the ability to transmit data. In this case, we would use IoT to incorporate wireless digital connectivity to products that are traditionally known to not have internet-enabled options.

Instead of only desktops, phones, and tablets, incorporating IoT makes your product digital and connects it to the staple items in our current society to help make our lives more efficient and easily accessible through all the products we use.

Incorporating IoT in Canadian invention design has become one of the most popular ways to create innovative product designs across multiple fields and industries, and further progresses both technology and design into some of the most revolutionary products that we see today.

Examples of IoT Products

As life with technology and staying connected has become the norm, more innovators are looking towards ways to make our everyday items somehow digital and connected. There are many products across multiple industries that have been connected to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Clouds in order to help improve communications, convenience, and productivity.

Within Canada’s invention design, some of the biggest consumer fields and industries that have seen immense popularity with the integration of IoT have been the home and automobile fields. Some examples of popular consumer products that integrate IoT are smart door locks, Bluetooth trackers to keep tabs on the location of your keys and phone, smart kitchen products, plugs, thermostats, sprinkler systems, AI products (Alexa), and more.

Our client’s product, The GoFish Cam, designed by the MAKO team, incorporates IoT through Wi-Fi connectivity to share fishing videos.

Should Your Product be IoT?

Product Goals

As a Canadian invention design company, we recommend that any new innovator or inventor approach their product design process knowing what goals they plan to achieve within their product design process. Having a clear idea of what goals you’d like to accomplish and see for your product can help you create a clear and determined path for your product.

Understanding your goals will make it clear whether you want to incorporate IoT and when. If you want to integrate IoT, understanding how it will connect and in what way can influence both the ways you want to highlight the functionality of your product and how your design can work to encompass focusing and highlighting the IoT functions on your product.

MVP Method

A product design strategy that Mako Design really abides by as a Canadian invention design firm is the ‘MVP’ method. The MVP method stands for ‘Minimal Viable Product’, which explains that your product should be as minimal as possible in its design, details, and main functionality in order to make it easier to use.

Although IoT is a trendy way to innovate new products, sometimes it can be an unnecessary addition to a product that is already sufficient with its one main functionality. A simple product that is efficient in what it does is the key to creating a successful product, therefore integrating IoT may actually complicate the user experience of your product.

If you plan to incorporate IoT, make sure it is for a true purpose and reason that aligns with your product’s functionality and is not just a trendy detail to help add a pseudo-appeal for audiences.

If you have a great new invention and you’d like to learn more about this process, get in touch with MAKO today and visit our website to find out more. Or feel free to give us a call at 1-888-806-MAKO, and we can set you up on a call with our product strategist!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!