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DIGITAL JOURNEY: START SMALL, FAIL EARLY, AND REVISIT The barrier to digital journey is not technology but it is the culture. Change Management is a must with strategy & vision along with a new operating model. People, Process & Technology (PPT) is taken as a three legged table to march on this digital journey
D VIVEK GUPTA
JOINT VICE PRESIDENT & HEAD INSTRUMENTATION & DIGITALIZATION DCM SHRIRAM LIMITED
igitalization or digital transformation is top of the agenda for the majority of chemical companies globally and in India. Digital initiatives must be led with a commitment from the top, with a clear communication at all levels to ensure its success. Digitalization is making a lot of noise but when it comes to implementation a lot of challenges come up and then a clear RoI (Return on Investment) is needed for investment. Digital chasm is required for its success. One needs to correctly identify the problem which needs to be addressed using technologies. When it is done, involvement of all stakeholders also starts, otherwise who owns it, becomes questionable. Benefits expected then pave the path for selection of right technology. In process industries where legacy of many years exist, rewards and recognition frameworks tend to reward the existing behaviours and individuals and groups will resist change if they do not believe the digital vision. It is therefore said that the barrier to digital journey is not technology but it is the culture. Change Management is a must with strategy & vision along with a new operating model. People, Process & Technology (PPT) is taken as a three legged table to march on this digital journey. PEOPLE Assets get depreciated over a time period but employees get appreciated with their knowledge and experience gained. That is where the digital journey helps. Experienced staff get retired and newer staff have to be trained on to the system. Artificial Intelli-
gence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) etc. play a vital role to make the system intelligent enough and vacate the time for operators to think strategically and get relieved of daily manual monotonous paperwork. Manufacturers have to do a lot for the engagement of their existing workforce and expand the careers of the people they already have. Capability building programs like knowledge upgrade with re-skilling & up-skilling, job satisfaction to build excitement in the current force and also the next generation who are computer and mobile savvy will need to be addressed. People should feel that technology has enabled them and it not an extra burden on them, this is very important. The change team consisting of cross functional team (CFT) members will then bring about the desired changes. Visible benefits increase the confidence level of the people to take more interest and participation. PROCESS It plays the role of change agent. One truth clearly visible is that just developing a new technology and putting them in the existing environment will not yield desired results. To reach its full potential, processes need to be redefined, re-written and re-implemented in a simplified manner. Then a revised criterion of performance tracking and management also needs to be looked into. It will help in driving this initiative as a continuous improvement system which later becomes part of the company's culture. This journey needs seed funding. Change Teams are expected to deliver the results too early and their failure is often seen as unsuccessful while in digital
