HPE says businesses need useful data - not Big Data - to digitize

Representatives of Hewlett Packard Enterprise stated at the 2016 Manufacturing Forum that over 90 percent of manufacturing data is never used, because businesses are spending too much time trying to analyze big data instead of turning useful data into foresight.

The event, which brought together many huge global manufacturing leaders, explored ways in which manufacturers can digitize operations without neglecting their core business. The message was clear: turn your Big Data into useful data, and in turn make that into meaningful information which provides insight and foresight, with the end user at the heart of the digitization strategy.

And the message was clear – turn your Big Data into useful data, and then turn this into meaningful information that provides insight and then ultimately foresight, with the customer or end user firmly placed at the heart of your digitization strategy.

Martin Rainer, Vice President and General Manager of the Manufacturing Industry at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, stated: “Digitization is nothing new. Manufacturers have always tagged goods through the supply chain and mined data. The difference is that manufacturers now have the opportunity and technology available to them to turn this data into useful information, which can empower their people to make better decisions regarding operational excellence, help to shape new business models, and enhance the customer experience.

“The sector is being forced to manufacture individualized products as well as mass produced components, and the lines between B2B and B2C are becoming increasingly blurred. It’s because of this that the sector needs to understand where their customers see value and digitize their processes around this in order to remain competitive in the Connected Manufacturing ecosystem. 

“There’s no doubt that digital technology is increasingly changing the manufacturing landscape, but it needn’t be a frightening proposition to digitize operations. Businesses need to understand their business, their data models and standard platform architecture and start with smaller steps.

“Take on area of your business that can be improved and digitise that first. For example, fit sensors onto your production line in order to understand why failures occur and drive down the number of part failures. Then begin to digitize in other areas. Technology is already revolutionizing manufacturing, but it needs to be incorporated into existing business processes, not the other way around with processes built around the technology.”

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