Manufacturing Excellence at Nouryon – why user-centric design matters

When a piece of software is developed, maintained and enhanced over a number of years, it develops and becomes highly functional. The reasonable expectation is that there will be a high level of user engagement, right?  

In fact based on a Forbes article, 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail. 

One key reason for this is digital transformation projects in manufacturing environments are delivered from the top down rather than bottom up. Functionality and tools being delivered are not defined with users in mind. Instead there is a high level of focus on technology, platforms and system architecture rather than people.

We found a clear example of this while developing our Cyzag Whiteboard Manufacturing Excellence platform. In a combined initiative, Nouryon and Cyzag set out to understand and increase user engagement with the legacy tool used for measuring Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE). Our pilot project used a more incisive approach, where design thinking principles were employed to identify true user requirements.

The pilot took two and half months from conception to proof of value. Within 6 months of the pilot being complete, the tool had been rolled-out to a further 23 plants, with an ongoing initiative to deploy globally. 

WHY DOES A FOCUS ON THE USER MATTER? 

With OEE becoming an industry-wide focus, it has become imperative that the OEE tools being used have a high level of real user engagement. With low user engagement the quality of data being captured and used for decision making will in turn be very low, if not completely unusable. In our view, this just undermines the manufacturer’s efforts.

In close collaboration with Nouryon, we launched an experimental initiative to explore the possibilities of trying something new for the company. Our team conducted multiple sessions with operators on the shop floor to try to understand the specific issues that were being experienced. It became apparent very quickly that, while the current system was functionally capable, it was missing the necessary contextual information that would help operators perform their tasks more efficiently!

Several pitfalls in the tool were identified: 

1. The data structures created, while theoretically sound, were challenging for a user to understand.  
2. Users needed to use multiple tools to collate the data to perform one action. 
3. The context of the manufacturing process did not exist in the current tool.  
4. Users did not see the value in using the tool or in the underlying manufacturing excellence processes. 

The compound effect of all of these is frustrated users, untapped investment and, of course, missed opportunities for efficiencies. 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR INVESTMENT COUNT 

 The underlying philosophy was to develop a tool for users that: 

1. Was intuitive i.e. without need for an associated training budget. 
2. Allowed them to perform the necessary actions, with all information in one place. 
3. Ensured the integrity of the data being produced. 
4. Would be easy to install at a new site. 

It was also imperative to use what was already familiar. Modern manufacturing facilities are already data rich environments and there are multiple data visualisation concepts that operators are familiar with – it became apparent early on, at Nouryon, that a shortcut to a successful outcome would be to not stray away from these familiar concepts.

ON THE GROUND 

Following the development of the first prototype, the solution was implemented at one site as a pilot project. It was clear from the outset that there was value in the tool for the operators – at first presentation, the operators spent 10 minutes familiarising themselves with the tool, before using it to launch into a debate about a specific loss in the production process.

These interactions with the operators were invaluable – we saw them speak about the efficiency of the physical manufacturing processes by using the tool as a visual aid, giving the team confidence that the tool was having an immediate impact.  In addition, by observing the operators using the tool it gave further insights as to how the tool could be improved.

THE RESULTS 

At the sites where the tool has since been installed we found: 

• user engagement has substantially increased 
• the integrity of the data being produced is infinitely more reliable, and 
• manufacturing excellence processes are being adhered to. 

BONUS SUCCESSES 

In addition to the main success factors being attained, there were also several unforeseen successes:

1. Overall increased knowledge and visibility of process efficiency for the operators.
2. The tool was being used as a process troubleshooter – operators were able to prevent losses before they happened.
3. Transfer of decision making to the shop floor – operators took responsibility for root cause problem-solving from the process engineers.
4. Increased data integrity for decision making and management reports.
5. Batch plants were initially unwilling to change to a new system, however, once the operators started to use the tool, it was used extensively for problem solving and process troubleshooting.
6. Overall time savings in completing tasks.

As with all projects one of the key milestones is proof of value, and this initiative was no different.  When consulted, the operators were clear that the tool was not only saving them time but they also volunteered several examples where, through improved process understanding, the new tool was helping them prevent losses. 

The return on investment has proven to be well within requirements of the company.

THE CYZAG METHOD 

Cyzag’s approach is to incorporate design-thinking at the core of helping all our clients achieve their business and manufacturing goals. In this instance, the approach of incorporating users in the process yielded primary and secondary successes that will allow Nouryon to springboard towards their goal of manufacturing excellence.