Making better and faster decisions to drive efficiency and promote safety has long been a prime goal within the manufacturing sector. In the past this has been achieved through analogue methods or collecting data, with good but error prone results. As manufacturing becomes more complex and the need for efficiency more pressing, many are turning to data. By becoming data-driven, manufacturers have the opportunity to harness accurate insights to inform decisions. If implemented and managed properly, initiatives can come from all workers to optimise the business from the factory floor up.
Becoming data-driven as an organisation requires more than just putting in new technology or digitising processes. To establish a data-driven culture and create a continuous cycle of value, it takes a holistic approach to systems, processes and organisation. When you try to change one aspect without changing the others, your data strategy will fail. Simply installing the appropriate systems will not get you much further. It’s the merging of systems with people and processes that creates a winning combination.