Why field teams resist IoT solutions

“Visibility without context is just data overload.” (Explanation with Case Study from GULF) Because knowing everything means nothing if you don’t know what to do with it. And in OT environments, information without relevance isn’t insight, it's interruption. Most OT tools show you everything except what actually matters to the plant manager, the engineer, or the vendor trying to finish the job without breaking the system. 📖 STORY: THE REFINERY MISALIGNMENT IN THE GULF We were working with a large industrial operation in the Gulf, a critical part of the region’s energy supply chain. The company ran multiple sites, from refining units to chemical plants, spread across remote areas with legacy systems and rotating field teams. Their IT leadership had just rolled out a sophisticated OT visibility and threat detection platform. They called it “total visibility.” The OT teams called it something else. Almost overnight, the SOC was flooded with thousands of alerts  triggered by routine maintenance, remote vendor logins, and unmanaged legacy equipment that had been running safely for years. The alerts weren’t just overwhelming. They were unactionable. Field engineers didn’t know what to respond to. The SOC couldn’t tell which alerts truly mattered. Vendor tasks were delayed. Access requests were denied. Production timelines slipped. No breach. No attack. Just friction  from tools that lacked context. 💡 INSIGHT Culture is what determines how people interpret urgency, ownership, and risk. And cybersecurity, especially in OT, isn’t just about controls. It’s about clarity  across: 🧠 IT and OT 🧱 Engineering and security 🤝 Internal teams and external vendors When that alignment breaks, even the best tools break trust. Because it’s not how much you see. It’s how clearly you understand what to do with it. 🔄 SHIFT IN THINKING ❌ Don’t start with dashboards. ✅ Start with context. ❌ Don’t lead with policy. ✅ Lead with partnership. What secures OT environments isn’t just more data   It’s purposeful visibility that respects uptime, safety, and operational flow. ✅ TAKEAWAYS 🔸 Tune your alerts to match operational reality, not just technical severity 🔸 Make risk language understandable across departments 🔸 Give OT teams the clarity they need to act  not just react 🔸 Build trust between SOC, engineering, and vendors before crisis strikes 📩 CTA If you're leading cybersecurity in critical infrastructure or industrial operations and struggling with alert fatigue, misalignment, or tool rejection  DM me. We’ll share the Context-First Visibility Framework we use to turn noise into action and finger-pointing into functional trust. 👇 Where have you seen too much visibility become the real vulnerability? #CyberLeadership #OTSecurity #VisibilityWithContext #OperationalClarity #ITOT #SecurityCulture

Your technology is innovative? Great. But without the people – it won’t work. Developing advanced infection prevention technology is a major achievement – but it’s only the first step. In the real world, success isn’t measured by regulatory approvals or lab efficacy, but by actual implementation within complex systems like hospitals. That’s why it’s crucial to understand: The team that will determine whether your technology succeeds or fails isn’t management – it’s the cleaning and maintenance staff. What seems simple and intuitive to an engineer might feel like an extra burden to the frontline staff. These teams operate under pressure, heavy workloads, and frequent changes – often without being involved in the decision-making process. Why does this matter? Because any new technology that doesn’t align with three basic psychological needs – will likely face silent resistance: Competence – Can I use this confidently? Is it easy? Am I at risk of making mistakes? Belonging – Am I part of this change? Was I consulted, or just told? Intrinsic Motivation – Does my work feel meaningful? Do I have impact? Field research in hospitals across the world shows clearly: When staff feel capable and included – cooperation and compliance significantly improve, as does the real-world effectiveness of the technology. But this requires investment: In hands-on, engaging training – not just technical instructions. In open dialogue with the people on the ground. In designing technology that fits humans – not just problems. If we fail to see implementation as a cultural and human process – the best solutions will remain in their packaging. Here’s the bottom line: If you’re developing healthcare technology – don’t forget those who will face it daily on the ground. When they feel included, confident, and valued – they’re the ones who will turn your idea into real-world impact.

When was the last time you visited a jobsite? Not to check in and say "hi" but to truly listen to the pains and problems the field is facing? I've seen so many "top down" tech mandates over the last few years that have fallen on their face as soon as it gets to field. Why? Because the office is so disconnected from what the field actually needs. Next time you are starting to look at a new technology, workflow, or tool for your tech stack, I'd strongly suggest you go ask the field FIRST, "What pains are you experiencing", and filter your decisions through their response... People often don’t remember what you do for them, but they never forget how you made them feel. And its time for our field teams to start to FEEL heard when it comes to the technology they use day in and day out.