Manufacturing Magazine September 2024 | Page 81

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE to unlock a full picture of its progress . So , keep it simple and be clear with what success would look like .”
Communicating this return on investment and laying out a strategic roadmap is absolutely critical . Sam says he often sees clients with factory initiatives that are not expansive enough , keeping conversations with smaller vendors on a local factory level . Digital transformation implementation projects need to be executed across operations , which is where he believes Orange Business as a global organisation can help .
“ A lot of transition needs to be done ,” Sam concludes . “ And we have that broad view on what is happening , a truly global view that helps us address companies ’ needs on that scale .”
Anthony notes that considering impact at every stage of the digital transformation process is also crucial to executing and presenting projects successfully .
“ Financial metrics are always critical , but so too are qualificative metrics ,” he says .
“ Remember to consider the impact of the projects on your sustainability , resilience and cybersecurity capabilities , including more visibility , IT costs and shadow IT and managing legacy systems .
“ You should also consider the impact on employees , from upskilling to attractiveness to new staff . After all , the OMDIA research shows that almost all employees will be required to retrain to some extent following the installation of new workplace technology .”
Ultimately , digital transformation projects require end-to-end understanding of how to deliver on ROI while responding to impact on operations and employees . Deep domain experience and a holistic approach are critical to both securing buy-in and managing projects once launched . But planning can only take you so far .
“ Digital transformation will always involve a leap of faith to some extent ,” concludes Anthony .
“ Delivering the return on investment on the first use cases selected will require leadership and organisational commitment to transform the current way of working .” manufacturingdigital . com 81