The Internet of Things:

From Information to Insights

 Inside the Internet of Things
IoT is the digital You’ve probably heard about the Internet of Things (IoT). You’ve definitely benefitted
from it — even if you may not know that you have. That’s because IoT technology,
network of objects though still just emerging, already touches so many different parts of our lives.

that collect and So, what is IoT?

exchange information. IoT is the digital network of objects that collect and exchange information. Smart
Smart meters, meters, connected cars, and even your fitness tracker: This is IoT.

connected cars, and IoT is clearly not only enhancing our lives, but also helping us to work smarter.
Though mostly invisible to the eye, it makes up a complex universe of previously
even your fitness disconnected information: distances traveled, reports updated, statuses checked,

tracker: This is IoT. temperatures tracked, and so much more.

Altogether, IoT generates a truly vast amount of information — and an endless

number of opportunities to better your business.

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 2

The Big Picture of Big Data
A lot of things means a lot of data. At the scale of IoT, these immense data sets go
by a special name: Big Data. And looking ahead, as IoT grows, the amount of Big
Data from IoT will grow too. Exponentially, in fact: By 2020, there will be many more
connected devices than people — well over 212 billion.1

According to recent predictions, data from IoT alone will account for an incredible 10%
of the digital universe by 2020. Just how much information is that? 44 zettabytes.2 (To
put that in perspective, that’s a little more than the cumulative size of 44 trillion feature
films.) And with additional estimates projecting an
IoT market value of US$11.1 trillion by 2025, Big
Data is also clearly big money.3 212 Billion Connected Devices by 2020

Why the data deluge? Versatile new technology

has allowed IoT to rapidly expand its impact. From
cloud computing behind the voice-controlled
assistants in our homes, to the LTE networks
carrying our business calls, to the industrial
sensors that monitor manufacturing operations,
IoT is everywhere.

IoT plays an important part in many different

companies and sectors, and its impact will only
continue to grow as additional innovative uses are
developed.

1 Jim McKeeth, “The Internet of Things and You”

2 IDC
3 McKinsey Global Institute

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 3

The technology behind The Advance of Analytics
IoT is sophisticated, For many, the “Big” in “Big Data” refers less to the sheer size of these troves of
allowing for flexible information and more to the potential treasures that come from understanding
them. That’s where data analytics enters the picture — transforming Big Data into
responses that big insights.

facilitate the best Over the past few decades, the concept of IoT along with the role of analytics have
possible outcome of increased in importance as networks have grown stronger and nimbler.

any scenario. 1. Telematics. First came telematics in the 1990s. In these networks, one-way
information flows are used to control distant objects, as in remote satellite
navigation.

2. Machine-to-machine (M2M). Then M2M technology was developed, allowing

machines to communicate with other machines on their network. Prominent M2M
examples include traffic control systems, in which sensors weigh variables such
as speed and congestion and then “tell” signs and lights how to act.

3. Internet of Things (IoT). Now, with IoT technology, “things” send information
to a centralized cloud, where both operations and analytics take place. Unlike
the rigid, cause-and-effect M2M mechanisms, the technology behind IoT is
sophisticated, allowing for flexible responses that facilitate the best possible
outcome of any scenario.

With IoT, the answers are waiting in the data. But how do you find them?

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 4

Meet Qlik®
To move from Big Data to big insights — and realize the unlimited possibilities of IoT
— you need to scratch below the surface with analytics technology.

But where are insights unveiled in the IoT ecosystem? It happens in the analytics
layer, beyond the connectivity and operations layers where information is first To move from Big Data
collected and sorted.
to big insights, you
need to scratch below
the surface.

This is where Qlik creates opportunities — where you gain the tools you need to
reveal insights hidden within the information.

It’s not an IoT infrastructure service. Nor is it a solution for simply collecting and
cleaning up the data. Qlik is different.

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 5

 How Is Qlik Different?
To make the best possible decisions for your business, you need the right information
at the right time. But with so much information from so many disparate sources,
finding meaning in the mayhem can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The freedom to Of course, this scenario implies you already know what you’re looking for — that
it’s just a matter of clicking around in the information until you find it. Yet far too
explore, search, and frequently, our preconceived notions about how different data points are related are
incomplete or incorrect. This means that transformational insights can often remain
instantly pivot without hidden.

limitations: This is Qlik’s associative technology allows you to scratch below the surface to search
the Qlik Associative across your data quickly and easily — and discover the unlimited business
possibilities waiting within. At the heart of this work is Qlik’s unique ability to find all
Difference™. possible data associations, or relationships between values. With Qlik, you leave no
data behind, even when combining large numbers of sources.

For a manufacturer with Qlik, one association could relate the amount of power
consumed at the plant to the types and quantities of products built. Now, the
manufacturer can make intelligent decisions about how to lower energy usage
without impacting production.

This is just one hypothetical example of what Qlik’s data analytics platform
accomplishes: Giving users the freedom to explore, search, and instantly pivot
without limitations — in order to uncover previously unforeseen insights. This is the
Qlik Associative Difference™.

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 6

Dissecting the Qlik
Associative Difference™
Compare this to the approaches of traditional business intelligence platforms. Tools
that depend on SQL and a query-based approach as their fundamental architecture
for modeling data and supporting interactive analysis result in restricted
linear exploration and analysis. Some data is necessarily excluded —
leaving you with a partial perspective at best. Qlik empowers users of every skill level to discover insights
easily. Here’s how self-service analytics with Qlik works:
Here, if you want to pivot in your analysis based on
something you saw, you have to rebuild complex SQL 1. Ask a question. Users first ask open-ended
queries. Frustratingly, that often requires going back questions, exploring the information with interactive
selections and keyword searches. They do not have
to a more experienced data expert. This is called
to go back to experts and wait for new queries or
the “Ask, Wait, Answer cycle,” in which every new type of question has a aggregations. It’s all there, waiting to be fully explored.
waiting period.
2. Gain instant feedback. As the user explores, Qlik’s
powerful on-the-fly calculations and aggregations
Now, let’s imagine how these differences could play out. Suppose you’re
instantly update all analytics and highlight every
putting together a 10,000-piece puzzle — but without a photo on the
association based on user interactions.
box that shows you what it looks like. If you approach this situation with
a traditional query-based tool, you need to evaluate each piece one at a 3. Make discoveries. Relationships are highlighted with
time. The tool may be able to show you how some pieces fit together, but helpful visual representations.
it’s up to you to figure out the rest. 4. Repeat as needed. Sometimes, great answers lead to
ever-greater questions. When you’ve got Big Data at
But Qlik’s associative technology instantly makes a map of the pieces, the speed of thought, who knows where your journey
giving you a picture-perfect snapshot of the puzzle along with several will lead?
options for efficiently completing it. Thanks to Qlik’s visualization, you
quickly realize that something is amiss: The box actually includes two
different, smaller puzzles jumbled together. With this insight gained,
it’s now your call — which puzzle to piece together first?

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 7

 The Three Pillars of
Business Intelligence and IoT
Qlik forms three pillars of support for companies of all shapes and sizes, delivering
transformative IoT-related insights and a whole new point of view.

Analytics Revolution. Data Connected Relationships. In Intelligent Innovation. IoT is

doesn’t make the difference
— insights and outcomes
do. Qlik brings a fresh
perspective to your business,
exposing hidden gems within
mountains of information.
Thanks to Qlik’s self-service
capabilities, your entire
team is ready to lead your
collective analytics revolution.
the age of IoT, your company
has become connected
in ways that magnify your
understanding of consumer
behaviors and trends.
Deeper relationships lead
to better business offerings,
faster service, and improved
customer advocacy. Qlik allows
you to see your customers in
an entirely new way.
enabling bold new business
possibilities. But as a leader,
it’s up to you to create them.
Qlik enables you to unleash
the power of your business
to reach new business
opportunities, new revenue
streams, and new markets.

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 8

IoT Insights in Action:
Watch Qlik at Work
Analytics Revolution. Could insights from IoT technology improve
food supply systems, putting us on the path to a more sustainable
future? Consider the pioneering work of agriculture tech startup
mesur.io. Their smart “bulbs” are planted in the soil to track plant
progress and provide a perspective on growth.
“While we were piloting our
To see how they’ve transformed with Qlik, watch mesur.io CTO and Founder, Mike IoT solution we wanted to
Prorock, speak on stage with Qlik CTO and SVP of Products, Anthony Deighton, at
Qlik’s recent Qonnections conference.
act upon our customers’
feedback. Because of Qlik
For mesur.io and their customers, the grass is always efficiently greener on the Qlik Sense® we were able to
side. With Qlik, mesur.io has increased growing intelligence, minimized waste, and
make changes lightning
helped an analytics revolution in agriculture to blossom.
fast, which our customers
mesur.io’s customers have: could see instantly. This
• Reduced water consumption and manpower required for growing by 35% simply would not be possible
• Optimized staff and irrigation resources with real-time targeting without Qlik Sense.”
• Improved conservation of fertilizer and other supplies by integrating the bulb with MIKE PROROCK
water meters and feeds for both weather and temperature CTO and Founder
mesur.io

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 9


“Qlik’s platform will enable
Rentokil to gain a new depth
of insight from its data. This
level of data visualization will
be crucial as the company
continues to digitize and
extend its IoT services.”
PA U L D O N E G A N
IT Director
Rentokil
IoT Insights in Action:
Watch Qlik at Work
Connected Relationships. Rentokil Initial is a global leader in
pest control management. Since 1925, Rentokil has worked to
protect people from pests and the diseases they carry. Today they
are utilizing IoT through connected devices to predict and better
manage the risks of infestations for customers.
Now, with the connectivity power of Qlik’s information and analytical apps, Rentokil
is transforming data into insightful visualizations — and writing the book on pest
management with PestConnect. PestConnect is the combination of innovation,
expertise, and people that are using digitally connected IoT units to enable a
proactive pest risk management approach.
With PestConnect, Rentokil has:
• Used Qlik to develop real-time insights from 20,000 digital devices in 12
different countries
• Mapped weather patterns data with rodent behavior, a radically effective new
approach to pest control
• Deployed IoT-connected products that send automatic updates to customers
through an online portal
The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 10
IoT Insights in Action:
Watch Qlik at Work
Intelligent Innovation. Making data-driven decisions in a fast-
paced medical environment is no small task. Can IoT technology
breathe new life into healthcare analytics — and lead to faster,
more confident decisions? That’s what more and more medical
trailblazers are discovering. At the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
for example, real-time inventory tracking enabled by a network of weight sensors
lets the right staff know when supplies run short — from lifesaving medications to
adhesive bandages.4 1

Meanwhile, the doctors, nurses, and researchers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

(CHOA) have turned to Qlik to monitor and improve care for their young patients.
One result? By analyzing vital sign data, CHOA staff learned that neonatal intensive
care unit (NICU) babies who had undergone a certain retina procedure experienced
distress for longer than previously assumed. CHOA staff then worked to ease the
Hospitals are using
suffering of their most vulnerable patients by making changes to post-operative care. IoT technology to
These healthcare providers have: breathe new life
• Increased analytical capabilities to find insights among 1.6 million vital events
• Improved pain management processes for post-operative NICU babies
into critical medical
• Optimized medical supply chain to reduce shortages from lifesaving medications processes.
to adhesive bandages

4 Tim O’Connor, “Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia”

The Internet of Things: From Information to Insights 11

 What’s Next?
The Internet of Things is here, and the possibilities are endless. What
will you uncover with Qlik?

To find out more about transforming your business with Qlik,

visit qlik.com/us/bi/internet-of-things today.

qlik.com

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