An IoT System designed with a collection of sub-systems might end up like a Frankenstein System
Having designing and deployed many outdoor Real Time IoT systems before during my times in SysEng (S) Pte Ltd, I have come across many systems which end up buggy and could not meet the end user expectations on Quality and Reliability. Worse was the entire system was scrapped after investing so much monies, time and finger pointing.
As an example, this IoT system has the functional specifications with 5 sub-systems
The entire system has to operate as an integrated team, just like a Project Team with different departments.
The IoT system integration of all the sub-systems must have clear interfacing specifications with other sub-systems. Think of each sub-system as independent country and the country borders are passport control interfacing check points between countries to facilitate citizens or data exchanges. Only those with correct passports are allowed through.
What is not covered in each sub-system must be stated, also rather use a blanket sweeping specifications of system and state that all sub-systems must be able to work with each other. Such blanket specifications are obvious signs that the System Designer has no real working experience in Designing System.
When the sub-system designs were provided by individual parties. The system can end up as a collection of sub-system parts. In any organization, we need a team to function and NOT a collection of live bodies with each body working as individuals. In the diagram below, each of the well defined sub-systems work on their own. But the system also consists of the areas with dots with no clear ownership. It is like countries have their own borders, but there are no man land in-between ! Do expect chaos in the no-man areas.
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This is the same as a Frankenstein-Monster system as it is build up from different human parts. Each sub-system has clear specifications so that they can delivery and get a buy off to collect their payment only. But entire system might not work well still.
The Important part is the Deployment and Maintenance as the Design of System and Sub-systems is only a one time effort. But the Maintenance of system is a 24 x 7 recurring effort and cost. Many underestimate the OPEX cost of running such IoT system.
Unfortunately in such system, there is always the glorified project launches and photo taking. After that the design team moves on and then the baby is handover to maintenance. In SysEng, we designed and maintained the entire end to end system. This gave us a lot of experience to learn how to design and build robust IoT systems. Every mistake made, we had to resolve it. But if the Design team is separated from the Deployment team, deployment lessons are not feedback to improve the next system design. It is a Kaizen model.
Past working experiences are useful when Designing Robust Mission Critical systems. In such systems, the system designer who had corrected many failed systems is the best as he knows what not to do.
You are an excellent mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs/engineers. Sharing your experience accumulated over the years is a wonderful way ot giving back to society. Salute!
Manufacturing Digital Transformation / Industry4.0 / IIoT Product & Service Management
3 个月Interesting insightful wisdom Dr. Guan Hong Tan This problem exists everywhere and value streams have started to feel the heat. I share a very similar challenge now in factory wide digitization as well. Within a organisation there are many many startup’s having their own solutions built which would be consumed by customer as a sub systems of the entire iot system. Many a times these so called startup’s have built products but not team. Everything will be outsourced to a maintenance teams of other organisation. Most of time what they do is L1 support. The consumer or customer has to pay huge recurring fee for maintaining every sub system. On other side, if there is a real issue in working model, it takes huge time to identify which supplier sub system has the problem and bring the right resource to fix them because of unavailability of clearly defined specifications. Business critical or mission critical systems will get badly impacted by this multi party involvement having no clear defined specifications of sub systems.
Hobbyist
3 个月Thanks Dr. Tan for sharing your interesting view on the design of mission critical systems. I handled some mission critical systems some years back and always insist the end user be part of the system design team so that they involve from the inception of the project till the final commissioning and take on the subsequent maintenance roles. We can outsource the entire project and take over when system is ready for handing over. However with this approach, our own ream have no idea of what are inside such system. As mentioned, we are dealing with mission critical system and we, the end user must be ready to takes on the first line maintenance task. I hope everyone will not forget the lesson learnt during SARS and COVID time , where movement of outsourced labour were restricted !