What are the common barriers and challenges to implementing automation in your industry?

1 Technical complexity

One of the main challenges of automation is the technical complexity involved in designing, installing, integrating, and maintaining automated systems. You need to have the right skills, tools, and resources to ensure that your automation projects are feasible, reliable, and scalable. You also need to consider the compatibility and interoperability of your existing systems, processes, and data with the new automated solutions. To overcome this challenge, you need to conduct a thorough analysis of your current and future needs, invest in training and development, and collaborate with external experts and vendors.

2 Organizational culture

Another challenge of automation is the organizational culture that may resist or oppose the change. You may face some barriers such as lack of vision, communication, leadership, alignment, or support from your stakeholders, employees, customers, or partners. You may also encounter some fears, doubts, or misconceptions about the impact of automation on your industry, such as job loss, skill obsolescence, or ethical issues. To overcome this challenge, you need to create a clear and compelling vision for automation, communicate the benefits and risks, engage and empower your stakeholders, and foster a culture of innovation and learning.

3 Regulatory compliance

A third challenge of automation is the regulatory compliance that you need to adhere to in your industry. You may have to deal with some legal, ethical, or social implications of automation, such as privacy, security, liability, or accountability. You may also have to follow some standards, guidelines, or regulations that govern your industry, such as safety, quality, or environmental requirements. To overcome this challenge, you need to understand and comply with the relevant laws and policies, monitor and audit your automated systems, and ensure transparency and accountability.

4 Cost and ROI

A fourth challenge of automation is the cost and ROI that you need to justify and optimize. You may have to incur some significant upfront and ongoing expenses for automation, such as hardware, software, infrastructure, maintenance, or upgrades. You may also have to consider some trade-offs or opportunity costs that automation may entail, such as flexibility, adaptability, or customization. To overcome this challenge, you need to calculate and compare the costs and benefits of automation, prioritize and allocate your budget, and measure and improve your performance.

5 Human factors

A fifth challenge of automation is the human factors that you need to address and balance. You may have to deal with some psychological, social, or emotional aspects of automation, such as trust, satisfaction, motivation, or collaboration. You may also have to manage some human-machine interactions and interfaces, such as feedback, control, or coordination. To overcome this challenge, you need to design and implement automation with human-centric principles, train and support your users, and promote a positive and productive work environment.

6 Change management

A sixth challenge of automation is the change management that you need to plan and execute. You may have to face some difficulties or risks in transitioning from your current to your future state of automation, such as technical glitches, operational disruptions, or stakeholder resistance. You may also have to monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of automation, such as efficiency, quality, safety, or customer satisfaction. To overcome this challenge, you need to follow a systematic and structured approach to change management, such as defining your goals and scope, assessing your readiness and risks, implementing your actions and solutions, and reviewing your results and feedback.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?