What’s Holding You Back?

What’s Holding You Back?
The 5 Common Roadblocks to Digital Transformation

When it comes to digital transformation, many manufacturers have roadblocks—real and imagined—between themselves and the starting line. Here are the five roadblocks we see most often and tips on how to move past them.

1. LACK OF VISION: Establishing a long-term vision can be challenging when you’re focused on day-to-day operations, but it’s an important first step in the transformation process. An articulated vision is essential for planning the initiative, understanding the investment needed, and allocating resources to ensure a successful implementation. Working with an experienced consultant with fresh eyes can provide an unbiased perspective to help you see what’s possible.
2. MISSING METRICS: Accurate data is essential for identifying opportunities, establishing metrics, and measuring success – from the production line to top of the organization. The key is getting the right information to the right people at the right time. Data that supports your current state, plans for improvement, and actual impact are vital in establishing the return on investment and supporting ongoing initiatives. Contextual data speaks for itself; the focus should be on understanding what the data is communicating.
3. UNFAMILIAR TECHNOLOGY: Implementing new technologies always presents a challenge. This is particularly true when new technologies need to integrate with existing technologies and hardware, as is the case with many digital transformation initiatives. Identifying technical experts upfront will help ensure that existing hardware is fully leveraged, your technologies are compatible, and your plans are viable.
4. LIMITED BUY-IN: Digital transformation means change, and change can be uncomfortable. Strong leadership and collaboration are required to create alignment across the organization. Appointing a leader to champion the project and engaging others is essential. Getting stakeholders around the table early will also help to establish a shared vision, a collaboration mindset, and cross-functional buy-in from key areas both up and down the organization.
5. WORKFORCE SKILLS GAPS: Internal skills, expertise, and capacity are often seen as limiting factors. Many organizations lack the depth, time and experience to plan and execute a digital transformation vision on their own. Hiring a proficient partner and additional talent that can support the initiative and prepare your team will help drive your success.

Whether the path to your future is cloudy or clear, Polaris Automation can help you remove the roadblocks and begin the transformation process. We’ve been helping manufacturers build and navigate their digital transformation strategy for more than 40 years. Our approach provides focus, validates each step of your manufacturing process, and helps achieve excellence through the convergence of automation and technology. The contextual data we collect provides visibility, and visibility is the path to solving problems.

Change is inevitable.  We’re here to help.