ENABLING INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) transforms business and society by accelerating the adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), announced the publication of the Enabling Digital Transformation with IIoT Performance and Properties Measurement White Paper. Written for all IIoT stakeholders, the White Paper explains why measuring the efficiency and efficacy of industrial digital transformation solutions across industries is essential. Jacques Durand is Technical Director IoT technologies Fujitsu America and Member, Steering Committee, the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). Here, he discusses the White Paper

- Pradeep Chakraborty

How essential is measuring the efficiency and efficacy of industrial digital transformation (dX) solutions across industries today?

KPIs and performance measurements are not new, but a culture of measurement becomes essential for Dx solutions. In many cases, Dx is about transformations taking place in an existing industrial system that has already its established processes. A proposed upgrade is in the challenger position: there will be uncertainty on the value, concerns about risks, skepticism and resistance. A consensus between the different stakeholders involved in a Dx solution can only be reached based on some measurable agreed-upon objectives.

Assessing “efficiency” has several dimensions: while improving performance of a particular operation or quality of its output (speed, productivity, throughput, error and defect rate, etc.) may be at the forefront, other aspects need be measured as well. These aspects have their own objectives: non-functional properties such as security, safety, robustness, flexibility. These properties are harder to evaluate, and take more time. Finally, the impact (or “side effects”) of a solution on other operations must be assessed as well. Only then can we assess in a well-rounded (a well as consensual) manner the value and viability of a solution.

There is an investigation side to deploying Dx. The case for digital transformation is rarely clear from the start. Digital solutions rely on the recent or emerging technologies that may or may not work for the situation at hand. A problem to be resolved may be agreed upon, but its causes may remain obscure.