The biggest mistake: digitization must start perfectly
For many companies, digitization on the Shopfloor seems like a mammoth project: incredibly complex, certainly expensive and, above all, too risky. Because there are usually far too many systems, data sources, dependencies and informal communication channels at the start – where should you start? And that is precisely why often … nothing happens. And that is precisely the most inefficient decision. While projects are postponed, processes continue to run as before: with media disruptions, manual coordination and delayed decisions. The price for this is rarely immediately visible, but it is high. Many IT managers and production managers implicitly assume: “If we tackle this now, we have to do it right.” This often leads to lengthy concept phases, extensive target architectures and large, risk-prone projects. Shopfloor digitization is never a big bang project, but a continuous improvement process. In production, it is not just technology that determines success, but speed. Every unused optimization opportunity has a direct impact: There is lower output, response times are disproportionately long in the event of disruptions, unnecessary downtime paralyzes the overall system and operating costs continue to rise. In other words, those who do not improve digitally are consciously accepting inefficiency.
The better way: step by step to digital production
Successful companies approach Shopfloor digitization differently: not as a major project, but as a structured development. Getting started almost always begins with a concrete, tangible use case: whether it’s fault management, digital shopfloor boards, mobile data collection or digital work instructions – these are the topics that are tangible and can be implemented in the short term. Small enough to be implemented quickly and relevant enough to deliver immediate added value. The decisive advantage of this approach: because results become visible earlier, processes become more transparent overall, response times are shortened and initial efficiency gains become measurable. This also changes the organization: digitization is no longer perceived as an unmanageable risk, but as an effective tool.
From pilot to scalable solution
What begins as a single use case develops step by step: solutions that have already been implemented are reused for analog cases, standards are created, the level of integration grows and an end-to-end digital process landscape gradually emerges. Digital tools such as low-code or AI, which remove the complexity and “closed nature” of the actual application development work and combine process knowledge with programming individuality, are a prerequisite for such an approach.
Technology is important – but not the starting point
Many digitalization initiatives start with the question: “What technology do we need?” The better question would be: “Which problem do we want to solve first?” After all, success depends less on the tool and more on how quickly companies take action. The fact is: Shopfloor digitization will never be “finished”. So it’s not about making everything perfect straight away. It’s about getting started and improving with every new insight. It is therefore primarily about taking the famous first step. Those who take it quickly realize that digitization can be done efficiently even in complex system landscapes and under diverse framework conditions if projects are not “over-engineered”. It sometimes helps to ask yourself a simple question: “Which Shopfloor process would I digitize tomorrow if I had to start today?” – This puts the focus first on what I need instead of what we can do. There are technologies, tools and partners for designing, implementing and integrating digital Shopfloor solutions. The mind change begins with the awareness that not everything has to be perfect from the outset, but can become perfect over time.
