Post on 16-Apr-2017
Running head: TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 1
Transitioning Manual Operations to Automation
William C. B. Harding
Grand Canyon University
March 9, 2016
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 2
Transitioning Manual Operations to Automation
Moving from a theorized technological proposal to a realized solution requires less skill
with technology and a greater understanding of human factors. Moreover, skilled technology
integrators (i.e., project managers [PMs]) need to be able to translate customer needs and
facilitate interorganizational collaboration, while acting as the interface between
leadership/stakeholders and technologist, within an environment that is not forgiving of
mistakes. That being considered, it is posited that the most effective PMs are those who possess
knowledge of psychological theories (i.e., cognition, collaboration, motivation, and learning),
where an aggregated foundation of theories can be created, which encourages prosocial behavior
among peer collaborators towards a shared common goal of success and professional satisfaction
(Damon, 1984).
Correspondingly, before a PM considers taking the first steps in developing a project's
strategic roadmap/plan, a thorough understanding of organizational structure, stakeholder
motivation, and cultural influences will enable the PM to promote an environment of innovation
that is inspired and sustainable through the duration of the project. Accordingly, Perkins (1986)
proposes that the execution of a successful project cannot be realized without a well-constructed
strategic plan of action that melds the skills and collaborative alliance of individuals with a
company’s project goals. With that said, this paper will construct and examine a hypothetical
company, where various psychological theories will be considered with relationship to a
proposed problem statement, the organizational culture, and stakeholder/customer needs.
Organization, Leadership, and Cultural Environments
This paper examines a purely hypothetical company that is a composite of a number of
manufacturing constructs, folded into an environment that is transitioning from a manual process
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 3
to an automated solution. The Logistical Interpretive Pseudo Human (LIPH) device
manufacturing company, founded in 1992, is a 500 million dollar business made up of 200+
fulltime employees, who manufacture mechanical heart values and deployment systems for
patients with valvular cardiac disease. LIPH is the market leader in mechanical heart valves,
where the company desires moving into the newly emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India,
and China (BRIC), but realizes that they must transition their class 10,000 manufacturing
cleanroom from manual processes to automated solutions in order to remain competitive and
grow into those new markets. That said, the first step in fully automating LIPH’s manufacturing
environment is to shift their current paper based tracking solution to a computer controlled
product tracking system that uses vision sensor decoded symbolic serialized IDs (i.e., 1D and 2D
symbology).
Located in Minneapolis Minnesota, LIPH is not a typical business of Midwestern
Americans, such that the company’s highly educated employee base is a composition of
individuals from China, India, USA, Europe, and Africa. Similarly, LIPH’s leadership is a
structure of diverse cultural backgrounds, where the CEO is from India (educated in the United
States) and all members of Engineering, who have been with the company more than five years,
hold a master degree (or greater) in their respective disciplines. The remaining 75% of LIPH’s
employee structure is made up of Production Associates (PAs) and Floor Supervisors, who have
a minimum of a high school degree, with some PAs possessing undergraduate degrees.
Furthermore, all employees are required to have completed training in statistical analysis and
have all participated in at least one multi-day Design Thinking (DT) session that has focused on
process improvement and collaborative ideation (Lindberg, Noweski, & Meinel, 2010).
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 4
Additionally, the company purposely migrated from a flat reporting structure (versus
matrix organization) to a transformational style of leadership, which embraces open
communication, encourages mutual trust, and positive/professional behavior through the
conveyance of confidence and a clear corporate vision (Taylor, 2008; Grant, 2012).
Accordingly, LIPH has realized a number of benefits associated with using a transformational
leadership style, such as increased employee retention (27% with 15+ years at LIPH),
collaborative behavior, and an open exchange of ideas (Taylor, 2008). Those positive points
being considered, LIPH has selected three individuals (i.e., subject matter experts [SMEs]) to
lead the company’s transition to automation, where each of the SMEs are experienced in
integrating technology and have a proven record of success at the individual process level.
Project Theory and Strategic Plan Definition
Recognizing that LIPH will dedicate considerable funds and resources in order to achieve
the desired goals of increasing manufacturing quality and yields, decreasing human error, and
validating the new automated manufacturing line within 6 months, the SMEs know that to fail in
their effort is unacceptable. For that reason and before initiating the project kick-off the SMEs
have reexamined LIPH’s organizational structure (to be assured of alignment with project goals)
and surveyed the employees regarding change (i.e., using new technology).
Following examination of the survey results the SMEs have determined that there exists
some resistance to change at the PA level and knowing that the PAs are the end users/customers,
the SMEs will use the cognitive flexibility theory as a principle method for eliminating that
resistance. As proposed by Spiro and Jehng (1990), cognitive flexibility theory combines
methods and tools that enable individuals to recognize the benefits allied with intuitively using
technology, specifically within environments associated with healthcare.
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 5
Building off cognitive awareness that change may result in PA discomfort and embracing
a transformational style of leadership/learning related to shared goals (Merriam, 2004), the SMEs
postponed the official project start, so that they can involve key PAs within a week long Design
Thinking (DT) collaborative session, which focuses on the construction of a clear problem
statement and the creation of strategic plan of mutual accountability (i.e., between all
stakeholders). That being considered, DT is recognized by the SMEs as the best approach for
encouraging stakeholder engagement, sharing ideas, openly communicating, and promoting
mutual accountability, within a five step process of empathy building (with the customer needs),
problem definition, ideation, rapid prototyping, and concept testing (Lindberg, Noweski, &
Meinel, 2010; Taylor, 2008). Additionally, the SMEs are will organize the collaborative DT
session within a large empty warehouse, where cardboard material has been collected, such that
it can be used to construct a mockup of the new automated line. Along with providing numerous
other low-tech prototyping materials, the SMEs will encourage the DT participants to construct a
simulation that enables the visualization of automated process flow, while identifying any
concept flaws.
Lastly, the SMEs will use the results of the DT collaboration event, which embraces
cognitive flexibility theory, to construct a thorough and mutually agreed upon strategic plan
Perkins (1986). The strategic plan will enable all stakeholders to approve a method of execution,
where the project timeline, milestones, and deliverables are clearly defined. Specifically, the
strategic plan will clarify what is within project scope, requirements, schedule, barriers to
success (i.e., risks), testing/validation/deployment steps, and ongoing solution support. Within
the strategic plan, the stakeholders will be able to identify those elements that are critical to the
project’s success and plan their respective actions such that the project schedule is not affected.
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 6
Cognition, Collaboration, and Strategic Alignment
Consideration of LIPH’s movement from manual tracking to an automated solution
requires the creation of a heterogeneous solution that aggregates cognitive flexibility theory, DT
collaboration, and strategic plan development. That said, the positive attributes of using
cognitive flexibility theory would be realized through the theory’s ability to align individual
stakeholder and organizational goals, expressed during project discovery. Similarly and building
on the use of cognitive flexibility theory, the process of using DT collaboration enables
stakeholders to negotiated mutual commitments and agreements towards a common goal that
embraces creative innovation. Consequently, the use of both cognitive and collaboration
methods of individual reflection and stakeholder collaboration establishes the foundation from
which a clear and succinct strategic framework is developed. With that in mind, an effective
strategic framework, built off applicable psychological theories (i.e., cognition, collaboration),
incorporates stakeholder motivation and adult learning methods that recognize organizational
requirements and customer needs (Perkins, 1986).
Conclusion
Proposed within this paper is the creation of heterogeneous solution that aggregates
cognitive and collaboration methods for developing a hypothetical company’s (i.e., LIPH)
strategic plan, which enables the successful development and deployment of an automated
tracking solution within the exemplified mechanical heart valve manufacturing environment.
That strategic plan or technology roadmap, as inferred by Phaal, Farrukh, and Probert (2004),
will enable a company to intuitively navigate along a defined critical path, through individual
and organization roadblocks, towards a successful goal.
TRANSITIONING MANUAL OPERATIONS TO AUTOMATION 7
All things considered, the development of a project’s strategic framework/plan may
seemingly represent the most critical component for creating a successful solution, but without a
cognitive focus on stakeholder needs and the use of collaborative tools, the risk of project failure
will be increased (i.e., cost overruns, stakeholder disagreements, and goal misalignment).
Accordingly, the proposed heterogeneous solution establishes a clear methodology of
harmonious collaboration and removes the errors that will be realized when companies are
tempted to seek a tactical or immediate solution.
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References
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Grant, A. M. (2012). Leading with meaning: Beneficiary contact, prosocial impact, and the
performance effects of transformational leadership. Academy of Management
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Lindberg, T., Noweski, C., & Meinel, C. (2010). Evolving discourses on design thinking: how
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Merriam, S. B. (2004). The role of cognitive development in Mezirow’s transformational
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