3 Lessons I’ve Learned Helping Companies Navigate Industry 4.0

Every time I work with a client on industry 4.0 I am reminded how this transformation is more about people than machines.

Industry 4.0 is about collaboration between humans, machines and systems.

But if people do not understand how to design effective workflows, integrate the right tools or enable coordination between teams, the transformation won’t take shape

From my own experience in systems architecture, product architecture and business process transformation, I have acquired three significant lessons:

— Start with clarity on business outcomes, not tools

One should know what results they desire from their business, then build a roadmap to achieve those. The integration of tools into their business processes will happen alongside it. They do not have to rush in with the tools.

— People and culture drive adoption more than technology

Cultural resistance slows transformation more than technical complexity. A successful transformation takes into account the cultural values while designing new systems. It makes the adoption process smoother and sustainable.

— Integration matters. Isolated pilots don’t scale.

Scattered tools and one-time experiments do not bring long-term results. What aids in this regard is creating integrated systems that connect processes, teams and technologies.

I have observed that in successful OEM and SMEs they have learnt to design better systems which ensures an integrated workflow across various domains, an effortless collaboration between cross-functional teams and proper assimilation of tools.

These lessons have changed how I view every business transformation project. For me the success of Industry 4.0 relies heavily on systems architecture and product architecture.

What lessons have stood out in your Industry 4.0 journey?

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