ThoughtWorks, a global software company employing more than 5,000 people, has identified “security and mature engineering practices” as “critical success factors for internet of things ecosystems”.
The company published its views in a report which also highlights cloud complexity, browser capabilities and trust verification as emerging trends.
The IoT ecosystem, from on-device operating systems to connectivity standards, cloud-based device management and data processing, is evolving at a steady and strong pace, says Thoughtworks.
While much has been made of challenges such as security and compatibility, the growing maturity of the IoT ecosystem bodes well for its development.
ThoughtWorks has highlighted this trend in the 18th edition of Technology Radar.
The bi-annual report sets out the current changes in software development – things in motion to pay attention to based upon ThoughtWorks' client engagements.
Dr Rebecca Parsons, chief technology officer of ThoughtWorks, says: “The types and number of connected devices is growing rapidly.
“Navigating the complex world of networked and connected things requires technology leaders to evolve how they think about the architecture of their systems and their approach to providing solutions for their organisations.
“If you want to unlock and exploit the value of IoT in your organisation, you need to think creatively about potential solutions, and use mature engineering practices to achieve software excellence.”
Mike Mason, global head of technology, ThoughtWorks, says: “When it comes to IoT, it's a mistake to focus solely on the devices.
“The real key is creating an ecosystem where devices can collaborate and where cloud services can capture and analyse data coming from those devices in real time.
“Insights from IoT can drive highly differentiated user experiences in a competitive market.”