Our practical checklist for consideration when developing dairy technology
There are many applications available in the App Store focused on the dairy industry, illustrating how dairy professionals more and more rely on technology to make their work easier. In fact, market research predicts that the global smart agriculture market will grow from around $5 billion in 2017 to over $15 billion in 2025.
There’s a lot of hard work in managing a dairy business, which explains why industry professionals are eager to incorporate tech solutions to optimize processes, raise healthier animals, and increase sustainable production. Automated milk production, genetic selection, computerized milking and feeding systems are just some of the many technology advancements dairy owners are applying to their businesses according to the Journal of Dairy Science.
In the latest Dairy Tech Online conference, professionals discussed how technology could help them reduce toxic emissions in the environment and decrease their carbon footprint, while improving productivity and competitiveness. Another place where discussions centered on technology was the recent Animal AgTech Innovation Summit. Participants highlighted how digital solutions to automate processes and generate insights based on data were empowering farmers to make better decisions and were providing consumers with more transparent and traceable products.
If you work in the dairy industry, you are probably well aware of this tech revolution. Whether you are looking for existing apps or thinking about building a custom product, we want to share our recommendations. Over the last three years, we’ve built tailor-made software for dairy companies to fulfill different needs. We’ve studied the industry and learned from the reality. Keep reading to find some of our tips and download the complete checklist to inspire discussions and inform brainstorming sessions.
Delineate your strategy
Before purchasing or building a product, it’s important to have clarity on the strategy behind it. We don’t recommend buying or developing software just for the sake of having it – any digital product you implement in your business should have a clear purpose and contribute to your company’s growth. What you want to achieve and how this new product will support your business in getting there should always be considered.
Know your users
When talking about the dairy industry, there’s a vast team of people involved from farmers, milk processors, dairy managers and veterinarians to field workers, product distributors, retailers and consumers. Each one of these important roles has different needs, so your product must address every one. Users will adopt your product and become promoters only if the app really provides value, so don’t hesitate to visit the farm and interact with team members in order to gain perspective about their needs and goals.
List key functionalities
Once you have clarity on who your users are and how your product can make their lives and jobs easier, you can move forward to create a list of solutions your app should offer. It’s important to prioritize these features with your user at the center: focus on prioritizing the things they value most, and listing them at the top. Later, you can iterate your product and add more secundary features.
Talk technology
We’re getting closer to the exciting development phase, but there are still some discussions we recommend you have with your team. Since you already know your users and have an idea how you can help them, get together with your team to discuss potential technology constraints and opportunities. If you are looking for a tech partner to develop your product, it’s important to research their experience building successful products, especially for your industry.
Keep an eye on the agtech trends
In an ever-evolving industry such as dairy, innovations are always on the horizon. Stay informed about industry trends and improvements so you can incorporate them quickly and stay competitive. IoT, Machine Learning, automation, and analytics are just a few key areas in dairy technology that are disrupting the way businesses offer services. Keep an eye on your competition and stay connected to the industry media channels – this way ideas will keep coming!
If you are a dairy professional thinking about how technology can help you improve your business, we hope this article helps you to start visualizing potential solutions. Download our checklist for more insights on how you can incorporate tech solutions. And don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like a consultancy on dairy software development. We’d love to hear from you!
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