The use of paper in industrial manufacturing environments can lead to a number of problems, such as damage to documents, time-consuming preparation and post-processing of paper documents and manual archiving. The digitization of processes and documents in manufacturing can solve these problems and contribute to improved efficiency.
In this article, we will look at the topic of paperless shopfloor and explain why companies in the industry are digitizing their processes. We will also show how companies can achieve paperless production in 120 days and what role Testify can play in this.
In today’s digitalized world, paperless processes are already standard in many areas of industry. Even on the store floor, the area of an industrial company where production takes place, the use of paper is increasingly being abandoned in favor of digital technologies.
The paperless store floor offers many advantages such as greater efficiency, less susceptibility to errors and more environmentally friendly administration.
Why a paperless store floor?
The use of paper in industrial production environments is associated with an effort that should not be underestimated. At first glance, going to the printer or distributing paper checklists doesn’t seem particularly time-consuming. However, it is worth looking twice. After all, it’s not enough to just do one thing. Paper has to be ordered, the paper has to be stored, documents have to be printed, distributed and collected again, the data has to be digitized, filed, archived and finally shredded.
In addition to the handling effort, there are several other disadvantages: Paper is susceptible to damage and can easily be lost. On average, between 2-5% of all documents are misfiled or lost every day. In addition, paper is exposed to considerable dirt and dust, especially in industrial environments, which can severely impair the legibility of documents… As far as the content of the paper is concerned, it is only possible to evaluate data and thus gain insights into relevant company processes downstream. As a result, errors or deviations only become apparent after the fact, which in turn entails considerable additional costs.
The digitalization of processes and documents in production can solve these problems and contribute to improved efficiency:
- The entire handling such as printing, distributing, collecting, digitizing and filing is completely eliminated
- Data can be recorded in a structured manner, ensuring a high degree of standardization and drastically reducing the susceptibility to errors
- Information and documentation of processes can be retrieved quickly, demonstrably increasing employee satisfaction.
How can companies achieve a paperless store floor in 120 days?
The path to a paperless store floor can be divided into the following steps:
- Define goals
- Create task force
- Identify use cases and workflows
- Select tool
- Start pilot project
- Go-Live
The largest part of this schedule is taken up by the implementation of the pilot project or proof of concept, which takes around 2 months depending on the scope of the project.
1. define goals.
An important first step in implementing a paperless store floor is to define goals. These goals should be clearly and measurably formulated to ensure that the company knows what it wants to achieve.
Examples of possible targets could be
- Reduction of the error rate
- Increase employee satisfaction
- Reduce throughput time
- Increase process conformity
- Reduce resolution time for defects
Having a clear picture of the goals and motivation helps in later steps, for example when selecting a software solution.
2. set up a task force.
The right team is one of the most important aspects of a change management project. The team should consist of managers, internal process experts and ideally digitization experts who know the workflows and have the digital affinity to efficiently implement a digitization project of this magnitude. If required, an external implementation consultant would also be helpful to assess the feasibility of the project from a different perspective and provide support to maintain focus.
It must be ensured that each participating department has a voice and that the objectives are coordinated with each other. Stakeholders often pursue their own interests, which leads to problems in the long term.
3. follow the paper trail: identify use cases and workflows.
Once the goal of a paperless store floor has been set, the next step is to identify specific use cases and workflows that need to be digitized. A good approach is to first get an overview of all current paper-based processes and documentation on the store floor. The aim is to take a close look at the current processes. What does a classic use journey look like? What are the limiting factors? What are the biggest pain points? It is important that everyone involved has the same understanding.
Start by going through the entire process:
- What initiates the process? A note, an e-mail, an order in the ERP system?
- Who is involved in this process step?
- What information is documented?
- How is the information documented?
- Where does the information then go?
- Who will be notified? Who has to approve the document?
- Where is the document stored?
- How can the document be retrieved afterwards?
Feedback from employees can also be very helpful here in order to better identify problems.
Common use cases and workflows include, for example:
- Work instructions in assembly
- Quality controls
- Quality assurance during production
- Instructions for audits
- Machine maintenance and servicing
- Checklists for tours or safety checks
- Machine loading
- Incoming and outgoing goods inspections
- and many more.
Once all current use cases and workflows have been identified, they can be prioritized according to importance and effectiveness. This way, you know which processes are best to start with in order to achieve the greatest benefits of digitalization.
4. select tool.
Take enough time to define the business processes that you want to digitize. The more preparation you put into this phase, the more efficient the subsequent project steps will be.
Once the goal and the use cases for digitalization on the store floor have been identified, the next step is to select the right tool. No-code platforms are a recommended option.
No-code tools have the great advantage that processes can be adapted to your own workflows independently and without programming knowledge. This in turn saves time resources and costs. For example, initial use cases can be tested quickly without tying up a lot of resources.
It is important that the selected tool is easy to use, that the workflows can be easily mapped in it and that it can be integrated into the existing system landscape. Once a suitable tool has been found that meets the company’s requirements and budget, this phase is complete.
5. start pilot project.
Once the goal, the use cases and the suitable tool for the paperless store floor have been defined, the next step is to launch a pilot project. The pilot project, also known as a proof of concept, is of great importance as it serves to test and evaluate the selected tool and the new digital process in a controlled environment.
The pilot project allows companies to test digitization on a small scale and ensure that it is successful before embarking on a broader rollout. The time required for a pilot project can vary depending on the size and complexity of the company, but it usually takes at least 2 months.
During this phase, you will gain a lot of valuable experience. This phase is also a good time to gather feedback from your employees.
Read here what the proof of concept with Testify looks like
6. go-live.
Once the pilot project has been successfully completed, the project can go live.
In this phase, the digital solution is rolled out from the pilot project to the entire store floor and replaces the paper-based documentation. It is important that all employees are trained and informed so that they feel confident in using the new software solution.
However, the introduction of paperless workflows on the store floor is not the end of the journey. This is where monitoring and analysis come into play. Ideally, the digital tool should have a reporting and analytics function to record and clearly present parameters such as throughput times, process conformity and the number of processes, etc. The results can be used to identify and immediately implement further optimization potential. Based on these results, further optimization potential can be identified and implemented immediately.
