Translating transparency into value: An approach to design IoT solutions

Purpose: This research proposes and demonstrates a framework that can be used to systematically address the idiosyncratic design of Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions, and to match the explorative aspects of introducing a new technology to the exploitative needs, to improve the performance of production operations. Design/methodology/approach: Due to the applied nature of this research, a design science research (DSR) framework was adopted in order to ensure both the rigor and applicability of the outcomes. Findings: A process excellence perspective, operationalized through a business process management approach, is applied to scope the solution space according to its exploitative potential. The mapping of the information flow that needs to be established defines the technological infrastructure of the solution. Research limitations/implications: The theoretical generalizability of the proposed framework is limited by a testing sample of a single case. The research implications are related to a call for the contextualization of IoT applications. Further research will involve the application of this approach to a diverse range of industrial settings. While the domain is far from saturated, a framework that can facilitate such investigations has been provided. Practical implications: The proposed framework provides practitioners with an approach to designing IoT solutions that can consistently address their needs for operational performance improvements. Originality/value: This research proposes a framework that links the enabling of transparency via the integration of IoT in production operations to contextual characteristics and business potential. Furthermore, it highlights the developmental drivers of IoT solutions, which emerged during the empirical demonstration of this framework.