Big Data and Advanced Analytics
All the rage today. It’s viewed as the next generation solution for process improvement, and no doubt, having a better set of analytic tools may deliver insights that were not readily apparent. But as they say, is the juice going to be worth the squeeze?
For most of the automation world, processes are well known. There is little added value that can be derived through advanced analysis. Putting your data in the cloud may make it more accessible, but it may still not be in a form that is actionable, and the location of your data doesn’t matter if it isn’t being viewed.
Information Delivery is the First Step
For most of the automation world, increased reliability and improved performance and quality comes through the vigilance of your employees and their understanding of the process. They will identify something that is unusual. They will identify patterns in operation and can route out paths to process improvement. But they can only do that if they have visibility into the information.
The key is to deliver to them, the visibility into the process in a way that is easily viewed and acted upon. The key term is DELIVER. KPI Portals are not the answer. A Portal requires the user to be proactive in its use. In today’s busy work environment, out of sight is out of mind, and an action item to log-in and review an information portal is the lowest priority on your list.
What is needed, is a layered solution. First, deliver KPIs in the form of a report, via email. Let that report include both raw data, and key statistics that will help to drive understanding. Let that report show current conditions and a comparison with past conditions. Then, deliver this report to all that are even peripherally involved in the process. You’ll provide an ongoing education and reinforce goals through a regular distribution of results. This can be a weekly summary, batch complete data, machine downtime or asset management data.
Advanced Analytics are Important Too
Yes, the better your tools, the better your insights to improvement. But these tools are typically used as a step two. Step 1 is to know there is something to analyze – the need. Step two is to pull out the tools you need for that detailed analysis.
Dream Report is Your Next Step (Before Big Data)
Dream Report is the solution for bridging the gap from process automation to process analytics and big data. Dream Report will capture your valuable process information, perform analysis on that data and distribute that information. Dream Report will also deliver that information to a Web Portal, enabling users to click a link in a report that they received via email, and immediately launch into a portal that delivers the option to view other reports, or interact with the data set of this report. Finally, if advanced analytics are needed, and you have specialized tools for that function, links in a Dream Report or the Dream Report Web Portal can launch your analysis and Big Data solutions, with the context of this report (batches, times, dates, etc.), enabling you to offer a seamless integration of disparate technologies.
Thanks to www.automation.com for the use of their Comic!