BUSINESS
No Fear of Digitization:
Just Get Ready
Miroslav Marek
Digitization is a natural step that must be taken,
and requires preparation. The process is similar to
the introduction of reduced production systems
in the past twenty years. New methods, tools, and
instruments have appeared resulting from the emphasis
on efficiency. Nevertheless, their implementation has
been conducted in different ways, and the wrong
implementation causes waste and demotivation.
Standard practice has taught me three elementary
things:
• Reduced production process means shorter and
simpler streams of material and information
in a company, and a prompt reaction to a problem.
• The implementation of tools and methods of
reduced production is not the target, only a means
of higher productivity, quality, and flexibility.
• When improving any process, we must begin
with the preparation and development of people
to facilitate an efficient implementation of
innovation, and to keep these changes in operation.
The target of digitization is the shortening and/or
elimination of material and information streams, and
a quick response to a problem using new technologies:
an on-site 3D printer, on-line processing of huge
amounts of data for real-time management and instant
decision-making. A product will carry its information
on how to be processed, where to be dispatched;
a system will adjust its digital twin to the same
processing functions; a machine will announce the
necessary maintenance steps with a good advance.
The priority of introducing Industry 4.0 in businesses is
to increase productivity, quality, and flexibility resulting
in better competitiveness and a long-term increase
in economic results.
The preparation of people is a very important part
of such transformation. Placing emphasis on their
expertise and other competences, and placing higher
expectations on their innovative approach will all
demand people to keep growing:
Industry 4.0, digitization, innovation: words used
in countless speeches. Most people still find them too
difficult and too abstract to comprehend. Some are
worried, some anxious, only a few, however, actively
put them into operation in particular programmes and
system changes.
• Focus on the outside, not the inside cooperate with
customers and partners to design new solutions.
• Delegate, don’t control distribute decision-making
processes and competence across the organization
in the sites where things happen.
• Be bold, not careful be fearless and allowed to take
risks, promptly learn from errors.
• Make experiments, not detailed plans quickly and
actively seek solutions and adapt to changes.
• Collaborate, don’t force an individual’s will
communicate and collaborate with an open mind.
When we choose the traditional ways and focus on the
purchasing of new technologies and technical solutions,
we will only get “expensive toys” for a limited number
of employees to play with while most staff will not be able to
operate them efficiently and may even find them off-putting.
New Dimension develops steps which may support
businesses in this transformation. We have become partners
to small technological companies and start-ups, and
enhance our knowledge, experience, and skill in digitization.
We prepare and implement real projects of innovation and
digitization for small and mid-sized companies. We help
to define feasible strategies and digitize their products and
processes. We also search for low-cost solutions.
The greatest deal of work, however, always comes with
people: we work with a competency model of Industry
4.0, which we have developed with fifteen companies and
experts, our long-term customers. We mark the difference
between what people nowadays are capable of and what
that particular position requires concerning the coming
digitization. Consequently, we prepare the necessary
development and training plans. All these jobs already
help our clients to smoothly and efficiently implement
digitization.
We have learnt that all we do in this field is painstaking,
lengthy, and the result is not always obvious at first
sight. Nevertheless, I consider it the only sensible way
to approach digitization and the concept of Industry 4.0.
Text:
Miroslav Marek
Foto:
archiv
New
Dimension s.r.o.
POSITIV 4/2019 ǀ 35