Development Methodologies
Some of the most commonly used methodologies in IoT development are:
Lean
Agile Development Waterfall
1 2 3 4 5 6
DevOps Scrum Hybrid
Approaches
Go ahead to learn about each of them in some detail.
1. Agile
Methods like Scrum or Kanban are ideal
for IoT projects because they use an
iterative approach, allowing teams to
adapt quickly to changes and deliver
working software early.
Example: A team building a smart home
system might first release a basic lighting
control feature, gather feedback and then
gradually add more functions like
thermostat or security camera integration
Alt text: Smart humidifier in a smart home
based on user needs.
2. DevOps
DevOps is a culture that promotes collaboration
between development and operations teams,
focusing on automation, continuous integration,
and continuous delivery (CI/CD). This approach
is vital for IoT projects requiring frequent
updates and deployments.
Example: A smart thermostat company uses
DevOps to automate the deployment of
firmware updates, ensuring all devices receive
Alt text: DevOps symbol patches and new features seamlessly and
without downtime.
3. Lean Development
Lean principles aim to maximise value by
minimising waste. This methodology can
streamline IoT development processes.
Example:A company developing smart
sensors for agriculture may use Lean to
quickly deliver a minimum viable product
(MVP) and then continuously refine it
based on farmer feedback.
Alt text: Smart agriculture farm
technology concept
4. Scrum
A framework within Agile, Scrum is ideal for
IoT projects that need regular feedback
and teamwork. It focuses on small, cross-
functional teams and short, fixed
timeframes (sprints) to deliver
incremental value.
Example: For developing a wearable
fitness tracker, Scrum allows the team to
work in sprints, delivering core features like
step counting first, then iterating based on
user feedback to add new features like
Alt text: Checking progress on fitness watch
heart rate monitoring.
[Link]
A linear approach that is suitable for IoT
projects with well-defined requirements
and minimal expected changes. However,
it may not work well for projects needing
rapid prototyping or frequent updates.
Example:An IoT solution for a factory's
automated conveyor system might use
the Waterfall model because the
requirements are clear and unlikely to
change during development.
Alt text: Industrial automation for packages
6. Hybrid Approaches
Hybrid approaches combine aspects of Agile and
Waterfall to leverage the benefits of both flexibility
and structure. This is particularly useful in IoT projects
where some components require iterative
development, while others follow a more linear path.
Example: In a smart city IoT project, initial sensor
deployment might follow the Waterfall model due to
strict hardware requirements, while subsequent
software features like data analytics and user
interface updates can be developed using Agile for
Alt text: IoT smart city concept ongoing improvements.
