We love to innovate, digitally we struggle
As a species, we love to innovate, to create, to build.
During my time in industry, I was heavily involved in two transformations – the first was Lean Manufacturing, the second Digital Transformation.
The ethos of lean was built around autonomy – giving the workforce the tools, skills and time to solve problems and develop improvements. It encourages innovation.
Move on to digital, and sadly we see the opposite. Very few people can create. Innovation is limited to buying software. Or learning to use an application.
What happened to autonomy?
A successful business is driven by the creativity and ideas of its employees.
During my time in industry I set out a vision to create a data driven culture – one where the workforce is trained and encouraged to see digital as an enabler for innovation. A culture where they are free to create, test and innovate.
The results were dramatic – a motivated workforce developing the digital infrastructure from machine operators and upwards.
This was true digital transformation, and the most rewarding experience I have had in my career to date.
Richard Allbert, 2024
