IoT platform demo requirements

IoT platform software is complicated leading to project delays and frequent failures. To 

select the right platform for their needs, the customer has to learn and evaluate features such 

as data acquisition, analytics, graphing, database integration, alarming, etc.

Product evaluation is usually done in a couple of steps, starting with a survey leading to practical 

hands-on trial, each further filtering from the wide assortment of products. The initial evaluation needs 

to whittle down to a couple of candidates for deeper investigation before a proof-of-concept effort. 

Free brochures, videos, and other static marketing collateral can only go so far to get a customer

interested in the IoT platform software. What is needed is a more engaging, interactive format.

Thus, in order to best advertise platform features, an initial product demo has to be

1. free - to get the foot in the door, you should not be charged. Further, the customer
   should not need to give a credit card number, or any kind of personal information
2. immediate - the customer should get to the demo in a couple of clicks, and the instructions
   should not consist of more than a couple of lines. In total, the demo should be done in a
   couple of minutes.
3. always on - in a global economy, the demos should be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days
   a week.
4. interactive - the demos should go beyond replay of videos, and consist of live interactions
   for each customer.
5. dynamic - the customer should be able to view the features you want to show off in the
   most compelling way and be most realistic.
6. predictable - the demo should behave the same way each time they visit, so that you can
   control it, describe it, and it matches the customer's expectations.
7. diverse - every customer scenario is unique, requiring different platform features and
   types of sensor hardware. The demos should showcase the various features that the customer wants.
8. scalable - scaling up an IoT application is the hardest part. The demo should prove
   how the platform enables large scale applications.
   

For examples of demos with MIMIC IoT Simulator that we have provided to our partners 

• Cumulocity
• Losant
• Ubidots 
• TagoIO
   

see also this blog post .