Process-aware Decision Support Model for Integrating Internet of Things Applications using AHP

Following the trend of Industry 4.0 and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), many industrial companies perform costly projects to integrate Internet of Things (IoT) applications aiming at beneficial business process improvements. However, deciding on the right IoT projects is challenging and often based on unilateral assessments that lack the required profoundness. A suitable method for deciding on specific IoT applications is required that incorporates the desired goals and considers the underlying process details. We therefore propose a structured decision model that considers IoT application clusters, anticipated Business Process Improvement (BPI) goals, and details of the process where the application should be implemented. At first, specific IoT application clusters are developed by conducting an extensive literature review. These clusters are examined regarding several characteristic such as their value proposition or technical aspects. Using this information, an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model is proposed, that incorporates the main objective, relevant BPI dimensions, and the formulated application clusters. To validate our approach, we applied the model to an actual business process of a leading industrial company.