roadmap tools
Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Framework
While many organizations agree that smart manufacturing would benefit their business practices, it can be challenging to decide on a strategic plan of action. CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Framework aims to address this challenge by equipping organizations with a comprehensive blueprint to guide their smart manufacturing journey.
This framework was built by practitioners who have engaged in successful smart manufacturing adoption in their companies–their combined expertise is woven throughout each step to help manufacturers accelerate their own digital transformation.
It provides tactics to guide innovators through assessing their organization’s current state, identifying challenges and opportunities, and establishing a strategic roadmap specifically tailored to achieve the business goals.
Our Objective
If you are looking to jump start your Smart Manufacturing journey, align your business strategy, and increase operational performance, you’ve come to the right place.
You can start with a self-evaluation of your business practices. Our online Smart Manufacturing Business Practices Assessment tool guides you through questions that address critical business areas: Strategy, Culture, Processes, Systems, Workforce and Supply Chain.
You can either fill out the inquiry form at the end of the page to get more information on the tools and how to get your team started, or you can go ahead and start the process by taking the online assessment following the link below.

What’s possible?
Attend Events
Check Competitors
Understand Options
Challenges Addressed
Success Stories
Why SM for us?
Democratized Technology
Seek Demonstrations
Pilot Technology

YOU ARE HERE
Current State
Competitiveness
Market Readiness
People/Process/Technology
Current Opportunities
Educate Leaders

Challenges/Opportunities
Business Drivers
Value Proposition
Future State
Technology-enabled Strategy
Select Solutions, Path
People/Process/Technology

Business Drivers
Key Milestones
1-3 Year Plan
Project Definition
Scope, Business Case

SM Foundation
Establish Infrastructure
Implement Solutions
Quick Wins – Agile
People/Process/Technology
Change Management
Knowledge Transfer
Training and Adoption
Support

Validate Success
Business Value
Impact
Timelines


Smart Manufacturing
Business Practices Assessment
This is your no-cost starting point. You will come out with a better understanding of your operations, and insights into areas for improvement.
The Business Practices Assessment tool helps align your team around priorities based on the current state and the practical next steps for the business.
All answers are confidential to your company. Upon completion, we will email your results so you can take the next step in developing and executing your innovation roadmap.
CESMII Acceleration Process and Roadmap Tools Differentiators
CESMII tools and methods have the following important differentiators in contrast to Industry 4.0 readiness assessments developed in other countries, tools from technology vendors, and the typical engagement with big consulting firms.
- The process links business strategy to human and technology strategy.
- Lowers in-person time and cost for consultant/advisor so they can work with more manufacturers in parallel. More of the process can be coached remotely.
- Based on collaborative approach to create ownership. Process designed for manufacturer taking on more of the process themselves and consultant mentoring/coaching 1-2 internal champions within manufacturer instead of consultant doing it all themselves. “Roadmap is done with us not to us”.
- Assessment of business practices versus assessment of technology adoption, leveraging crowd sourcing throughout the organization instead of only using a few opinions.
- Assessment covers 6 dimensions (critical areas) of practice (instead of 16-20 dimensions) and uses straightforward questions.
- Benchmarking data available to manufacturers and consultants. CESMII has a growing database for benchmarking.
- Consulting engagement targeted at $8-$15K for typical small-medium manufacturer to develop roadmap and can be implemented quickly.
- CESMII ecosystem benefits for the consultant and manufacturer include collaborators that are providing consulting, solutions, and education in different specialized areas.
- Roadmap is prioritized based on business impact and strategy. Roadmap is not technology driven but is enabled by technology.
- Engagement to develop roadmap is separate from engagements/projects to help implement specific technology solutions.
- Designed to be revisited every year to check progress, impact, and alignment with changing business goals.
- CESMII and the acceleration process are vendor neutral. The process is about building capabilities in people, process and technology that drive and meet business needs and open new business opportunities.
Accelerating Smart Manufacturing: An Update from CESMII at EASTEC
Overview: Smart Manufacturing Roadmapping Tools
During the RPI Innovation Center Grand Opening, Jim Wetzel, Co-Founder, NxGen Group and CESMII member gave the opening keynote outlining the process of working with CESMII Roadmap tools and their value.
Smart Manufacturing – Building Your Strategic Roadmap
In this four-week, non-credit course, you will work with a world-class, experienced practitioner-mentor to develop a strategic plan for implementing smart manufacturing within your organization leveraging CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Framework.
Get in touch.
We look forward to hearing from you.