Rational Automation >> The Right way to approach??

Automation is not only about Productivity, Pace and Precision, it is also about “PASSION & PRAGMATISM”

Many extraordinary advancements in technology, in past few years, enable any process in Factory Automation, starting from simple assembly-operations to labor-intensive complex operations, to be automated with great ease.

In order to offer benefit to the industries, by automating their processes, efficiently & systematically, there are various approaches projected. Unfortunately, some choose short-cuts and yield to the temptation of opting for highly “unscientific” & “time-consuming” methods, which, nonetheless, at the end of the day, put a substantial dent in their profits. However, a few scientific and methodical approaches also prevail in the market, to arrive at some credible solutions for any challenging problems. Such tactics necessitate consultative approaches from experts from different operation skills to work on them.

Let us have a closer look at three different approaches towards Automation:

1. “Ballpark”-Approach:

Some people have certain notions or concepts, which have been derived from some previously applied procedures & are inappropriately approximated. This approach is not intended to be stringently accurate or consistent for every situation.

Result of Ballpark-approach:

a) If things work well, we don’t know: why & how?? >> everything is based only on belief & assumption

b) If things don’t work well, we still don’t know: why & how?? >> no direction & no clarity for any course-correction

2. “Gut-feeling”-Approach:

Some people have an instant or basic-feeling without a logical justification. There is no methodical or scientific approach to reach a solution. They like to involve a lot of trial & error methods. The approach is: just do it with your “gut feeling”. Such approach is a “never-ending”-process.

Result of such Gut-feeling-approach:

a)     same as in Ballpark-approach, but also, b) lot of time is wasted with huge cost incurred

3. “Consultative”- Approach >> Based on methodical & scientific rationalization:

Very few people may deliberate over certain ideas or concepts, which, although, might have been derived from some previous experiences, procedures or events, but still have always a fresh methodical approach, using scientific measures, to arrive at a technically- as well as commercially-reliable & -competent solution.

Result of Consultative-approach:

a) If things work well, we know, why & how!! >> hence, paves way for further creative improvisation

b) If things don’t work well, we still know, why & how!! >> pertinent course-correction can be implemented

Before I deep-dive into the consultative-approach, let me touch upon a golden-rule:

“The role of a competent consultant is to empower the customers, not to make himself indispensable”.

Let one thing be very clear here that, the “consultative-approach” does not endorse the impression of “being Expert in each & every domain of automation”. However, this approach definitely encourages the notion of being “passionate” to solve the problems & finding solutions, as well as be “pragmatic” in implementing those solutions. While rationalizing the automation-solutions, one thought has to be constantly present in the back of the mind, we are ultimately dealing with the human beings and not the machines. Their needs, emotions, attachments have to be taken care, while dealing with automation solutions. As the saying goes in the corporate-world: deal with “EQ” (emotional quotient) rather than “IQ” for an enhanced “Customer Experience”.

Consultative-rationalization involves lot of discussions with the automation-Users and thorough background study of their existing problems, demands lots of domain-knowledge, encompasses exhaustive calculations, persuades the implementation of the state-of the art technology and creates awareness about futuristic technologies. The pace at which the markets are growing and the way, the ever-increasing demands on automation-players are posing challenges, makes it highly imperative for the Organizations to contemplate seriously over, whether to succumb to “Ballpark-approach” or the “Gut-feeling-approach”, which initially seem to be very lucrative, but, in the long run, are extremely non-profitable & time-wasting, or to gracefully embrace the “Consultative-approach”, with an attribute of passion and pragmatism, which gives everlasting benefits, in every aspect.

Lastly, “YOU”, as an Implementer of automation, are the final judge. You decide, what’s in it for you!! Does the consultative-approach translate into following advantages for your organization >> higher efficiency, cutting out low-impact-tasks and focus on high-impact-tasks, better consistency, risk mitigation, fewer errors, swift ROI, clarity of processes & their interdependency, alignment to Safety standards, reduce cost over time >>> then you are on a right path of Automation-journey.

Eventually, it’s all about: Your Organization > Your Business > & Your Success.