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INDUSTRY WATCH
Although some pilot projects may not be
suitable for mass rollout, they may still
yield vital lessons for future endeavours.
It is easy to be caught up in the hype of
robotics, but starting small and scaling up
deployments gradually will ensure they
remain aligned with key business priorities
• Build an ecosystem of partners: Such
is the complexity of automation, robotics
programmes are intertwined with far too
many systems for any single company
to build or supply a complete solution. To
solve this, manufacturers should participate
in a cross-industry ecosystem of partners
to pool expertise, which could include
designers, strategic advisers, systems
integrators and academic researchers
Prasad Satyavolu, Chief Digital Officer –
Manufacturing and Logistics, Cognizant
requires a re-evaluation of workplace
structure. Manufacturers should
conduct ergonomic studies to
envision how experienced, skilled
humans could work on a task with
smart robots, such as cleaning oil
from a part before assembly. Robots
and humans will also both require
new skills to cooperate and keep up
with the latest software. Therefore,
it is important that organisations
www.intelligentcio.com
incentivise and reward continuous learning
in humans
• Consider social factors: The introduction
of robot companions requires an
understanding of social context and how
these teams might communicate. To
address this, businesses could introduce
devices such as smartwatches, enabling
robots to instantly flag a slowdown in
productivity that a human would not
register. As people attempt to manage
the new emotions associated with robot-
human relationships, manufacturers
could even introduce machine colleagues
via Virtual Reality, to build familiarity and
simulate tasks
• Create a Centre of Excellence: Setting
up a Centre of Excellence can help
manufacturers pilot, manage, report on
and champion the role of automation
across the business. Taking input from
employees at all levels, this should be
aligned with the needs of the wider
business and led by a senior executive,
to ensure that initiatives drive the
organisation forward, rather than being
confined to individual departments
• Start small: Prioritise initiatives based
on specific products or market segments.
Undeniably, the combination of robotic
attributes with the experience and
dexterity of human workers is a formidable
combination set to dominate the
manufacturer of the future. As with any
change management project, understanding
the gaps between the current state and the
desired future is critical, before creating a
defined roadmap to close them. It is also vital
to understand the implications for the human
experience and create mechanisms for this
feedback to be delivered. Most importantly,
manufacturers need to understand that the
field of robotics and Machine Learning is
constantly advancing, meaning strategies
have to be fluid and adaptable. Through
human imagination, the establishment of
Centres of Excellence and beginning with
small pilot programmes, manufacturers can
take advantage of this nascent field. n
UNDER-
STANDING
THE GAPS
BETWEEN
THE CURRENT
STATE AND
THE DESIRED
FUTURE IS
CRITICAL.
INTELLIGENTCIO
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