Enhancing IoT Dashboards & Data Analysis for Quext

Introduction

Quext, a North American technology leader in smart home and security solutions for multifamily environments, sought to enhance its IoT analytics capabilities. Specializing in areas such as home automation, security, energy management, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Quext approached Blue Orange Digital (BOD) to refine their IoT analytics dashboard, improve an existing MVP dashboard, and test enhancements for their historical data warehouse.

Challenges

Quext faced several challenges in maximizing the value from their IoT solutions:

• User Behavior and Product Performance: There was a need to better understand customer interactions with their products and the performance of IoT devices.
• IoT Dashboard Improvements: The existing IoT MVP dashboard, henceforth known as the “Control Panel Dashboard,” required enhancements to increase its utility and effectiveness.
• Historical Data Warehouse Testing: The feasibility of improving the update cadence or quality of historical data in the IoT Analytics dashboard needed assessment. This involved testing data replication methods and their integration with data analysis tools.

Our Approach

BOD proposed a comprehensive strategy to address Quext’s needs:

• Development of New IoT Analytics Dashboard: Designed to provide detailed historical data insights, this dashboard would serve as a cornerstone for understanding long-term trends and equipment performance.
• Improvement of Existing IoT MVP Dashboard: Enhancements were planned to transform the MVP dashboard into a more robust and user-friendly “Control Panel Dashboard.”
• Thorough Testing of Historical Data Updates: Conducted tests to determine the most effective methods for updating the historical data warehouse, aiming to enhance the reliability and timeliness of data available for analysis.

Outcomes

The collaboration between BOD and Quext led to significant advancements in IoT data analytics:

• Unified Data Analysis Framework: The new framework delivered comprehensive and accurate insights into user behavior and IoT device performance.
• Enhanced IoT Dashboards: The newly developed “IoT Analytics” dashboard, along with improvements to the Control Panel Dashboard, provided Quext with deeper insights into user interactions and device health.
• Advanced Tool Integration: Leveraging tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Airbyte, and Cube.js, the project achieved value-driven results that supported improved decision-making.
• Improved Customer Segmentation and Feature Utilization: The enhanced analytics capability helped Quext better segment their customers and identify underutilized product features, paving the way for targeted improvements.

Technological Tools Used

• Tableau and Power BI: Utilized for robust data visualization and dashboard creation.
• Airbyte: Employed for efficient data extraction and replication.
• Cube.js: Used for integrating query layers and improving data accessibility.

Conclusion

With BOD’s expertise, Quext was able to significantly enhance its IoT data analysis capabilities, resulting in a more nuanced understanding of customer behavior and product performance. The improvements to the IoT dashboards and the historical data handling processes not only optimized Quext’s product offerings but also enhanced the overall customer experience, setting a new standard in smart home analytics.

Blue Orange Digital has proven itself to be a valued and strategic partner. Their input and influence, especially early on in the life of a startup like Quext, has gone directly to improving our bottom line. Blue Orange’s roadmap helped Quext infuse structure with an eye toward scalability and sustainability. For us the outcome was efficiently developing lifetime valuation classifications and churn models. We are grateful that the Machine Learning and Data Science teams adopted our success as their own; our clients are thirsty for innovation and next-level thinking, and the work of Blue Orange Digital is helping us fill their cups.”

 — Shawn Massie, CTO/CIO, Quext