Shaman: a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces.
You know this man. He’s got years, likely decades in your plant. He’s the one you count on.
Most of what he knows is tacit. Though sometimes even he can’t tell you why, he instinctively knows what dials to turn, and he’s the first to sense when something is about to go wrong. He’s rigorous and even-tempered – and usually his hunches are good. Not every time, but more than most.
Ask yourself why you depend on these kinds of leaders and a moment’s reflection will yield both the reasons they are so good, and why, with full respect for their accumulated wisdom, factories are embracing Manufacturing Analytics.
The human mind instinctively matches patterns – the most disciplined, curious and observant among us internalize what we see over periods of years. The limits, of course, are the four walls of the plant, maybe close parts of our supply chain, because that’s all we can ever see.
Manufacturing Analytics makes explicit for everyone the Shaman’s instincts and at the same time it gives him superior tools. It tells you why things are happening and with precision, and it allows you to relate data from different worlds – data from parts combined with data from process, combined with data from different plants.
The hype around Big Data is ahead of itself in many industries. But there’s no question there’s something there that’s real. Take the judgment and wisdom of your best people, give them insight they’ve never been able to access, and watch your operations soar.
When placed in the hands of experts you already trust, Manufacturing Analytics moves the needle.
