Sunday, May 10, 2015

Increased Automation of Tasks/ Decisions over the next 10 Years is Foundational, but that does not mean “Lights out Manufacturing”.

In order to deal the increased complexity of the operational opportunity of today, the flat world of competition from around the globe, and the complexity of the Operational System, the production increase dramatically. Requiring higher qualified people, or take the approach that we must constantly simplify the operational experience, so the required skill level does not increase with the complexity of the Operational Scenarios the system is applied.

The diagram below shows the critical drive to sustain productivity margins, by increasing the productivity, while flattening the hourly rate for that productivity. This can only happen through increased effectiveness of the systems, and use of people, without adding more people, or requiring highly skilled people.

So many of the programs have this drive to increase automation of tasks, with some people jumping to the conclusion that means we moving to “lights out manufacturing” an old concept. That is not the case, we need the human brain to deal with the exception and edge decisions and actions where the model has not been created. With agility increasing velocity of products through the supply chain, while increasing the volume of new product introductions, combined with the complete value supply chain managed as one, the role of workers is key.
The table below shows one version of the 6 levels of automation. The key is as a decision and action become predictable and well known, then it must be rolled into the system as “knowledge “and “Wisdom”.

The goal is to get to “Manage by Exception” (level 5) vs all decisions, this is what is done in a aeronautical industry with pilot/ plane control, and is why it is key to take on principles like “situational awareness” so a worker is able to see the ever growing scope of responsibility, in an insistent.

Where does you design principles apply in this landscape?

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