Here's how you can mitigate the risks of overreliance on new technology in manufacturing operations.

To mitigate the risks of overreliance on new technology in manufacturing, start with a thorough risk assessment: Technology Audit: Review all technologies to gauge their impact on operations. Identify Vulnerabilities: Pinpoint potential weaknesses, like cybersecurity risks or system dependencies. Diversify Solutions: Implement a mix of technologies to reduce dependence on any single solution. Ongoing Training: Equip employees with skills to manage both new and traditional processes effectively. Contingency Plans: Prepare for technology failures with robust backup strategies. This approach enhances resilience and ensures smoother operations in the face of challenges.

Examining advanced technology is essential to determine its suitability for the organization's current business processes. It's crucial to assess the potential waste reduction and weigh the high investment required. A thorough understanding of the technology's strengths and weaknesses is necessary. Before implementation, consider the following questions: 1. Will it significantly lower costs? 2. Is it user-friendly for our team? 3. Can it be seamlessly integrated with other tools, such as spreadsheets or PowerBI? 4. Does it offer built-in protection against malware, especially in the repository? 5. Remember to use backup tools in case of any breakdown and consider the recovery time.

New technology in operations -> Remember people are your #1 asset. Diversify Technology Dependencies: Build plans after you've assessed feasibility and conducted a risk assessment. New technology executed well enables competitive advantage. Have redundancy plans. Continuously Train Operations Workforce: As new technologies are integrated, continuous training and upskilling for employees are crucial. By maintaining a knowledgeable workforce, organizations/ companies better manage transitions and reduce disruptions caused by technical failures. The right balance of technical advancements and empowered people leap ahead businesses.

Whenever you're introducing something new whether it be technology or a change in the process, get the right people involved in the learning process. Time should be taken maybe in the form of a meeting to go over the new features and functions. Once there's a form of understanding, now is the time to play around and see what issues may pop up and getting familiar with the new technology. This time could also be used to give feedback on what changes and tweaks to make to get it functional for manufacturing. Getting the most vital people trained will be important because once they have a good knowledge of how it works, they can start training whoever else will be working with it.

First, designate several staff members to become proficient in the new technology and explain the benefits of mastering it to prevent resistance. Next, invest time in training other staff members to avoid overreliance on specific individuals when using advanced tools. The third step is to train all staff to troubleshoot issues, as problems can arise suddenly and we need to be prepared to resolve them quickly. Finally, standardize the process by creating a comprehensive work instruction from A to Z on how to operate the technology and an SOP to address any issues that may arise.

Key points to consider for training staff when integrating new technology: 1) Tailor training programs to different roles within the organization. Not all employees will use the technology in the same way, so customized training ensures each team member can have the right knowledge, competency and confidence in their role. 2) Hands-On: I've seen multiple times practical, hands-on training is more effective than theory alone. Let employees interact directly with the technology/ new product, reducing the learning curve. 3) Encourage a Learning Culture: Foster a culture that embraces continuous learning, open feedback, ability to make mistakes and innovate. Fail fast forward.

In the short term, monitor the progress and identify areas that need improvement, since the devil is in the details. Once they have been identified, take immediate action. In the long term, look for opportunities to reduce working hours, which will provide us with more time to further improve our team.

Pilot Testing is often beneficial: 1) It enables the team to identify potential risks early. Pilot tests help spot technical issues, operational bottlenecks, or user challenges in a low-risk environment. This reduces customer / reputational risk and low. 2) Key Stakeholder buy-in: Engage employees, managers, and technical teams during the pilot to gather insights from everyone from Chief Science Officer to technicians. Feedback is invaluable for refining processes and ensuring the technology aligns with requirements and operational needs. 3) Test integration with existing systems: Pilot testing highlights compatibility issues, giving you time to fine-tune or adjust integrations for seamless operations.

Based on my experience, if we have a data repository such as SQL Server or Oracle Database, and we back it up regularly, we can still carry out our daily activities manually using spreadsheets, since it can be connected directly to spreadsheets. While waiting for the system to recover, it's important to consistently record every transaction and activity manually and thoroughly control it as a backup. Once the system has been restored, input all the backed-up records with backdated information and perform a thorough recheck. It's essential to take immediate action, as the longer we wait, the more data we will need to re-enter.

The vendor selection process should begin with a thorough risk assessment, taking into account factors such as cost, responsiveness, punctuality, and payment terms. Throughout the implementation phase, it is important to regularly evaluate the vendor's performance based on criteria such as compliance, responsiveness, and punctuality. This is crucial because the vendor's support services play a critical role in ensuring smooth operations, particularly when problems arise.

Key things to consider for Continuous Review: -Performance Metrics and KPIs: Regularly track key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess whether the technology is delivering the expected results. Conduct a Cost Benefit Analysis to ensure it delivers on expected business results. Evaluate metrics such as production efficiency, downtime reduction, cost savings, and employee productivity to gauge its ongoing value. -User Feedback and Adoption: Continuously gather feedback from staff to understand experience with the technology. Are they encountering issues? Is it enhancing their workflows? Frequent feedback ensures sustained user engagement. -Stay current with trends by reading articles, following technical papers, attending trade shows