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Pragmatic Open Building Automation Systems

By Anto Budiardjo, Clasma, Inc.

Back in 1991, Geoffrey Moore wrote a very powerful book called Crossing The Chasm. In that book, Moore examined how technology is adopted in various industries. This article will focus on a small part of Moore's theory-specifically how building automation technology is embraced by "Early Adopters" and "Pragmatics" throughout the facility management profession.

With the recent hype about open systems, it's no wonder many facility managers and consultants are confused about how this technology can benefit them. At times, it appears as though the purveyors of these concepts are pushing the technology for its own sake (as well as their obvious commercial sake).

The question remains: is this healthy for the building systems industry? And more importantly, how does this influence the managers and owners of commercial buildings?

The Benefits Of Technology

Let's face it, technology can be useful. In fact, it can be very useful to a complex business such as running a building.

There is nothing wrong with technology adoption, per se. It's all a question of timing and how open systems (whatever flavor) are adopted by the building systems industry en masse.

The key phrase here is en masse. A technology used by a small minority has little benefit to the industry as a whole, especially if it's primarily used by techno wiz kids who think the technology itself is more important than the daily chores of constructing, owning, and managing buildings.

The Adoption Curve

Early Adopters are users of technology early on, when the technology is less developed. These customers are typically more aware of technology and keen to use new approaches because they're "cool".

Early Adopters like to be on the leading edge, and they regard the prospect of using something new-in spite of the risk and additional cost-as being more important than doing their job, though they often won't admit it. (Note: The author is a self-confessed Early Adopter in all manner of technologies.)

The world needs Early Adopters. Without them, technology would not be developed effectively.

Pragmatics are customers who are more concerned about the results than the technology itself. These individuals will not accept the risk of using cutting edge products or concepts, since they are the kind of people who measure the cost of technology by normal return on investment (ROI) methodologies.

Pragmatics want to hear about the use and benefits of technologies from their peers. They value this advice because it is formed based on the same criteria they would use themselves to justify an investment. This group forms a significantly larger user base than Early Adopters as they are the first mass market of any industry.

Laggards are basically individuals who have to be dragged into using technology. These are the super skeptics; they are the kinds of people who would still use a typewriter, even today!

There is nothing wrong with Laggards; their focus is just different. Laggards represent a significant portion of the market, and they are often the best in their field as they are not distracted by technology. Since this article is about the adoption of building automation technology, this group will not be discussed much in this article.

Can Early Adopters And Pragmatics Live In Peace?

It is very easy to see that the attributes of Early Adopters are exactly opposite to those of Pragmatics. To put it another way, Pragmatics do not consider Early Adopters as good user role models. In fact, most Pragmatics view Early Adopters as crazy! According to Pragmatists, Early Adopters often do the very thing that they avoid, making them an antithetical role model.

This is what Geoffrey Moore defines as "The Chasm." This is essentially a metaphor for the gap in behavior between the Early Adopter and the Pragmatic. Moore explains that if technology vendors solely target Early Adopters, they will not succeed in communicating value and relevance to the industry sector that will actually grow the technology-the Pragmatics. If not careful, the technology could fall into the Chasm and fail.

Open Automation Systems And The Chasm

The people proposing open building automation systems today are mainly technologists-those who have developed and used the technologies. In other words, these people are generally Early Adopters.

Many of the discussions, articles, and case studies about open building automation systems are presented by-and more importantly, worded for-Early Adopters. It is no wonder that people in the industry who are outside of this realm (in other words, the Pragmatics) simply "don't get it."

Early Adopters see the growth of a market as exciting. Their analysis is that things are going well, the technology is working well, and it is obviously being adopted-a natural and logical analysis. The obvious behavior of the Early Adopter is to do more of what they have been doing in the past, but this is wrong!

Satisfying Pragmatics

According to Moore, one of the most important attributes of the Pragmatics is the need to see a "Complete Product." A Complete Product is an industry delivering to the market all the pieces that make the technology in question complete and, therefore, useful. In Moore's terms, "Complete" means that the underlying technology, supporting tools, services, supply chain, experts, competition, press, price comparison, and most importantly, views of the technology are developed by the peers of Pragmatics. For instance, consumers buy traditional fossil fuel powered cars because they are Complete Products. All aspects of purchasing and running this kind of car are in place, and there are no uncertainties regarding manufacturers, dealerships, service centers, gas stations, insurance policies, and so on. This is a classic example of a Pragmatic industry. There is little risk.

However, the electric car is a different matter. Pragmatic buyers are unlikely to purchase them because of concerns over power sources and service stations. There is little comparison and competition information for an electric car, thus making it a high risk for Pragmatics and a classic technology in the Early Adopter stage.

With open building automation systems, Pragmatics need to see a more concrete, established picture, much like the first car analogy. Buyers (facility managers, building owners, operators, and consultants) need the industry to deliver the Complete Product-with minimal risk and a solution delivering the value that Pragmatics see as essential. In order to succeed with the Pragmatics, the building automation industry must look at how it brings value to the mass market. If it is ever going to be accepted by the mass market, the industry needs to focus on building the complete solution that the Pragmatic seeks.

All elements of the solution need to have the risk factors (including discussions about new tools and skill sets necessary in order for the technology to be successful) removed as much as possible. In addition, the perceived battle between the building automation systems-LonWorks and BACnet-needs to end now!

Stop The War

Currently, there are two predominant open building automation systems. These two factions, LonWorks and BACnet, are incompatible, although some manufacturers make gateways between them as well as with proprietary systems.

Both factions seem to behave as they are in the midst of a war. They talk about LonWorks versus BACnet in terms like "us" and "them." They use any weapon at their disposal to prove that they are ahead of the "other side." For those in the two techno-religious factions, this is serious stuff.

Interestingly enough, all this inward-looking activity is not necessarily bad. In fact, it is an essential part in the development and evolution of open building automation technology.

However, as long as there is a war, the Pragmatics will see risk, and this will prevent the industry from providing the Complete Product. Consequently, the broad adoption of open building automation systems will fail to occur.

Tried And True

Meanwhile, the real alternative to the aforementioned standards are good-old proprietary concepts. Indeed, proprietary systems are doing well these days, and they have moved into the Pragmatic and Laggard phases of the adoption curve. Pragmatics are happy to use proprietary technology in lieu of the risky alternative. The proliferation of gateway solutions is extending the life of this old fashioned technology.

In the minds of many consumers, Internet-based TCP/IP and XML technologies are also safe. The Internet-with regard to its Early Adoption phase for building systems-has the perception of being a mature technology, since almost everyone knows how the Internet works. It does not propose a great risk.

Technology Is Irrelevant!

For the technologist or Early Adopter out there, technology is important. It's cool, creates new ways of doing things, opens markets, and ultimately provides real and tangible value to an industry. Having said that, Pragmatics assume the technology is there and that it works, but they demand technology invisibility. In other words, they don't want to see it; they just want to use it and get value out of it.

To satisfy the Pragmatics with regard to the development of open building automation systems into the mass market, it is safe to say that technology is actually irrelevant. It is also important to note that vendors need to understand that promoting technology-essentially for technology's sake-doesn't work for Pragmatics.

What will work is a complete open system solution with little risk, at costs that can be justified, and where the Pragmatics can compare notes with peers on issues the Pragmatics deem relevant. What may be even more telling-and relevant-will be the industry's ability to talk to each other and communicate a unified message that conveys the values and benefits of open systems to the Pragmatic mass market-values that will make the dream of interoperability a reality.

While this dream has been around for a couple of decades, the technology is here now. The Early Adopters have proven it works. All that's needed is an open building automation industry that can fulfill its promise to the audience that really matters-the Pragmatics.

Author's Bio:

With more than 25 years of experience in technology development, Budiardjo is currently president of Irving, TX-based Clasma, Inc. (www.clasma.com), a marketing, events, and media company. He is also founder of BuilConn Forum (www.BuilConn.com), an event focused on the networked low voltage electronic systems in today's buildings.