Continuous Improvement (CI) is something companies have been doing for many years. The tools, the concepts, what it takes to be successful – these are all very familiar to organizational leaders. CI is a multi-dimensional opportunity that impacts both people and processes with the goal of driving alignment with business strategies. Enter Smart Manufacturing where data can now be structured in an actionable and insightful way, and in less time this same data can add real business value.

This discussion is centered around the ‘Digital Lean’ Dilemma – where our panel discusses whether the attention on data inadvertently shifts the focus away from people who drive continuous improvement.

Top 5 Takeaways

1. Data is the engine for all things CI. It tells stories that inform, empower, and drive the business to invest resources in the areas with the biggest impact.
2. How people engage with data is shifting – in part from initiatives like Smart Manufacturing (SM). Without an emphasis on the people side of CI, results won’t be sustainable. When it comes to people, make sure to set the right pace because the rate of change is much higher for data than it is for humans.
3. Leadership plays a key role in building trust across functions. IT and OT are just two of the teams that need to work together to problem solve. Leaders should seek out forward-thinkers in their organization and encourage them to bridge the gaps between teams.
4. Smart Manufacturing is making it faster and easier to access contextualized data. Teams spend less time analyzing data and are empowered to use the data to drive real improvements.
5. All good things come with challenges. At its core SM is people, process, and technology – don’t lose sight of the people and process side. If divergent points arise, recognize them and address each one uniquely.