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