It is common for manufacturing businesses to think of technology implementations as magic.
In other words, technology is often understood in terms of its inputs and outputs, without any knowledge of its internal workings.
To exaggerate this condition, technology retailers create marketing campaigns – like Industry 4.0 – that package up and sell that magic as a desirable future state; in which all known problems can be easily solved, using AR, VR, Robotics, Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, or other sufficiently advanced sounding terms.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke
How Made Smarter is responding
Part of our mission at Made Smarter is the ‘widespread adoption of technologies across supply chains, especially within SMEs.’
Often, SMEs come to us with the technology-as-magic mindset. They want funding from us to help them buy the technology to make things happen. It's my job as a Specialist Adviser to pull their desired future apart and think practically about the steps they need to take in order to get them there. This always starts with people not technology.
It's easy to think that developments in technology make people less important, in fact the reverse is true. People, not technology, meet challenges. Technology allows for options and opportunities, but it is how we choose to use those technologies that determines success.
How is Made Smarter putting people first?
We aim to involve people in all steps of the problem-solving process. Firstly, we learn directly from the manufacturers we work with by immersing ourselves in their operations, to deeply understand their needs. We then make sense of what we’ve learned, identify opportunities for intervention, and whenever possible prototype possible solutions. We give structure to this strategy in the form of a Technology Roadmap. This is a statement of intent. It isn’t a set-in-stone plan but rather a living document, which can change in-line with the findings of our work. The technology roadmap acts as the foundation for on-going support. This can take the form of expert technical advice or grant funding to kick-start investments.
Please get in touch if you want help to realise the magical promise of technology in your manufacturing business, through our people-first approach.
How can you get your business ready for Digital Transformation?
As well as being able to support your business through grant funding, Made Smarter offers skills and leadership training to help you implement real change.
The Leading Digital Transformation programme is designed to get managers and senior leaders in the industry prepared to lead their manufacturing businesses to make the most of opportunities that digital transformation can offer.
Find out more about the programme here.
