At Dassault Systèmes, we don’t talk about the Internet of Things, but rather about the Internet of Experiences. Why? Because we believe that the business of every industry is rapidly transforming from “delivering compelling experiences” – which defines the Age of Experience we have spoken of for three years – to “delivering compelling and connected experiences” capable of enhancing people’s lives.
This is the challenge: create experiences that enhance people’s lives, my life.
Although the objects or “things” we own have ears (recording devices), eyes (cameras), voices (speakers), and some even have touch, this silicon nervous system does not send all of its information to a single brain, but rather to far too many brains: company platforms, city platforms, government platforms and individuals’ platforms, which in the end makes my experience cumbersome rather than enjoyable. Applications (both business and consumer-facing) that are single-device, single-purpose, and run on closed systems do not enhance our lives. They can even be gimmicky.
The test will be to “connect” those brains. This is why Dassault Systèmes is developing powerful solutions for the Internet of Experiences that permit manufacturers, communication providers and me to see, analyze, dashboard, program and optimize my things from within one simple, visual environment; solutions that enable companies to track and understand my specific behavior so they can offer me meaningful, personalized experiences.
The Internet of Experiences approach requires choices to avoid the “Internet of Stupid Things” syndrome. It requires simplicity on the front end with computing sophistication beneath. Businesses and people want the big picture: the simple, the visual, the game-like and the essential. Not complicated smart-city grids, but 3DEXPERIENCE cities. Not complicated smart homes, but 3DEXPERIENCE homes. Not complicated smart factories, but 3DEXPERIENCE factories.
The Internet of Things, as it is being built today, is an Internet of smart things that don’t always live up to their name. When companies that build the “things” fail to have your and my experience in mind, the Internet of Things is destined to stumble and fall. On the other hand, businesses that take an “Experience Thinking” approach to design and leverage the power of the Internet of Things are rising to the challenge of creating experiences that genuinely enhance people’s lives. They’re also reaping the rewards of the Internet of Experiences.
