Digital transition is one of the leading themes in the evolution of the manufacturing industry in recent years. However, often, in talking about digital transition  we are limited to technological solutions, with an approach that is very reminiscent of that used for the adoption of new machinery or supplies. This is why it becomes necessary to introduce the concept of Smart Transformation, which somehow goes beyond the mere adoption of digital novelties and technologies.

Smart Transformation is a concept that returns

Once again, but in the world of technology it happens quite often, the concept of intelligent transformation is not new per se and, indeed, over the years some companies have even made it the focus of their communication campaigns. In truth, in its “canonical” definition, we refer to the synergy work between data management infrastructure and devices to create solutions  end-to-end, as also described on Wikipedia. However, this is a concept that can easily be extended to all contexts where it is necessary to  Create synergy between different solutions, or between smart technologies of different natures.

This vision enables true integration, for example, between Industrial IoT, Big Data and Predictive Analytics to improve the performance of machinery and extend its life cycles, or in general to provide solutions that span multiple domains, harmonizing with the real needs of the business.

An orchestrated approach to innovation

The need to revise the approach to innovation in favor of smart transformation also stems from an observation of the mistakes made during the pioneering period of the current technological revolution. We are talking about those areas where, for example, rigidities imposed by an inadequate digital infrastructure forced an overhaul of business processes, introduced new costs or, in general, reduced or left unchanged the productivity of companies.

This is why in Regesta Lab we have developed the conviction that, in addition to being digital, transformation must be intelligent. The underlying theme of this new paradigm is actually borrowed from the above definition of Intelligent Transformation: where in the consumer world we talk about end-to-end development, thus customer-centric, in the world of technological innovation we can say that it is essential that  the company that wants to transform itself remains at the center.

How to deal with smart transformation

The founding principle is very simple: smart transformation brings typical smart industry technologies into the company’s production processes and organizational procedures, making sure that innovation involves all levels and all departments, without distorting the company’s vision and approach to business, but rather supporting and enhancing it.

This approach offers some important opportunities:

  • It opens up the possibility of creating new business models or identifying weaknesses in existing ones;
  • It enables the design of new services;
  • It improves competitiveness;
  • Enables sustainable growth of the company

Back, again, to another of the themes that constitute the “mission” of companies involved in technological innovation: putting it into practice by bringing benefits real and measurable to companies. One of the main issues is ensuring that the technology solutions adopted  extend the benefits to the entire company across the board, not limited to specific departments or lines of business.

A path of development

Adopting a smart transformation approach requires, once again, that the transformation itself is not exclusively technological. It is no coincidence that the ongoing digital transition is referred to as the  the fourth industrial revolution: to reap its full benefits, it is essential to manage change at all levels, starting with people and allowing them to touch the benefits. In this way, digital transformation will give us all the best opportunities.

We discuss this on Thursday, September 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., during our free webinar dedicated to smart technologies.