Digital Transformation & Innovation in Manufacturing
Since the beginning of the pandemic, demand has been increasing for innovation and execution within companies. Manufacturers are embracing disruptive technologies to reach innovation and transformation objectives. Some businesses do not possess the right vision, practices or capabilities to achieve these goals
Utilizing the right technologies, alongside refining procedures and methods can assist manufacturers align data and integrate agility into processes. Embracing digitalization within manufacturing is one way companies can overcome innovation challenges.
Developing an approach with the correct outlooks, procedures and difficulty to reach innovation and transformation aims. Digitalization enables many things, for example the generation of smart factories, intelligent supply chains and improvements to R&D.
How we perceive and think about digital transformation and innovation has changed and is continually changing. One factor influencing this is the availability of data, it is now much easier than ever to acquire data in real time, digitalization of information from paper to online have meant we can analyse it and make better strategic decisions based on it. Another influencer in how people see digital transformation is how readily available and accessible it is. In the past, innovation was perceived as a sector of research and development, a science which needed careful planning and long-term consideration. Now, innovation is seen more as a direct business outcome which can be achieved in the short term, it is not a long-term option as previously thought of. Innovation is now a disruptive aspect that can change business in the space of a few months.
Digitalization has brought a new level of complexity to global business, with increasing integration across data streams, industries, and segments. To succeed, it is beneficial to mask this complexity, and concentrate on value positioning and results for the end customer.
Digital innovation brings with it several challenges, it is a complex construct, in which everyone wants to achieve the maximum, in manufacturing, and everyone wants to be in industry 4.0, with a smart factory environment. With this objective, larger companies typically run several small projects in different factories, which are difficult to measure the effectiveness of, in terms of where the value is being derived from, as they are not connected efficiently enough.
The complex aspect to this is that businesses usually have several digital initiatives within their branches. What is best is to focus on one issue at a time which is solvable, thinking about the value from the beginning to the end customer. Keep in mind how is helps the end consumer, and work on one piece of the value chain at a time. Finding out who your main customer is, and what you can do for them, and create an initiative to solve it. Then consider at what rate they may adopt this.
COVID has had a huge impact on companies as a whole, including their digital transformation. Research has shown that a large majority of manufacturers reported COVID having a negative impact on their operations. This negative impact has almost pushed people forward. Overnight people reduced their road maps from years to months, even weeks. COVID accelerated this transformations, and made companies take action on the now, with the perception that waiting or making long-term roadmaps is no longer an option.
Thinking about the bigger picture allows organisations to become more resilient. Companies realise that disruption of a similar degree is likely to continue in the near future. It’s about being prepared and ready for that, acquiring the skillset required to support digital transformation over the next decade. COVID accelerated all the pieces of the puzzle, a plan is needed sooner rather than later.
Companies should consider what the future will look like, and how to become more resilient by leveraging resilience technologies.
When planning for digitalization, several aspects need to be considered
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- Do you have access to the data you need
- Are you able to use that data to create a digital twin?
- Combination of taking a problem, making it less complex, evaluating the data you have, take one of two or three pieces of the puzzle to connect the dots, not the whole puzzle.
We’ve had a massive awakening of the power of digitalization. Understand digitalization is touching every department of every industry. Take it step by step, understand what it is we are capable of.
Head over to www.haizolglobal.com to connect with one of our team today to see how we can help acheive your digitalization goals.