Helping clients better organize, access and analyze their data is what we live and breathe at Triple Helix, so identifying data issues is second nature to us. For manufacturers who don’t pay close attention to their data until there is an issue, however, identifying underlying inefficiencies that are affecting their bottom line may not seem so easy.
All successful manufacturing managers have to be troubleshooters but, unlike machinery, workers, or processes, data issues can be difficult to track down or even identify when things are not running smoothly. For managers who want to get past “firefighting” data issues, here is a method for identifying data problems that can have maximum impact when addressed by a long-term solution rather than a temporary patch.
Make it Part of Your MBWA Routine
Managing by walking around is a great way to stay in touch with what is happening in different areas of your operation, getting to know employees at their workstations, and understanding what is working and what is not in each area. Why not make understanding the data used in each area a specific part of this exercise?
While you are talking with employees, bring the conversation around to information needs. Ask them what information would make their job easier and more productive. You may find that they already get the information they need, but the speed at which the information is updated holds them back. Others may reveal that the reports they get require further refinement before providing useful information causing them to spend time on the report rather than the job the report is supposed to inform.
Compile, Analyze, and Then Take Action
Take notes about these data conversations during your MBWAs and then compile them into categories like “missing information,” “slow information,” and “needs additional processing.” Take these lists to your ERP team and discuss the feedback. This should not be a finger-pointing exercise, but an opportunity to fix data issues that impact your operation. Work with your data team to identify ways to overcome these obstacles.
Manufacturing ERP platforms are extremely versatile, but often require a very high level of expertise to develop sophisticated reports or analysis using only the ERP. It is often much easier to use the data in your ERP to power a more user-friendly portal to deliver automated, live “feeds” of information to the people who need it most. Triple Helix has developed a number of cost-effective portals to streamline data analysis and reporting to help production, planning, sales, and accounting areas function at a higher level of efficiency.
Triple Helix has worked with manufacturers of all sizes over the years to assess opportunities in Information Management, Data Visibility, Data-Driven Processes, and Information Security. Contact us if you would like to schedule a risk-free consultation to see if Triple Helix can help your company better organize, access, and analyze your data.
