In this electronic age, and all the possibilities it offers, there seem to be many things that actually obstruct our efforts to use the features of our technology for maximum benefit. Technologically advanced manufacturing companies, for instance, are sometimes hampered by their own IT departments, particularly in cases when it is desired to incorporate process data from the plant with the organisation’s higher level business systems.
Digital Control Systems are implemented in many manufacturing companies. Behind the screens are operators who might not be as knowledgeable about business processes as their IT counterparts, but they sure know their processes. They are able to start, stop and suspend production processes at the push of a button, and without logging-on to the DCS with passwords that change on a monthly basis and must conform to a certain minimum character requirement. Then, on the information system side, the same operator may be required to remember multiple complex passwords in order just to view historical data; they are not allowed to do anything else on the IT system. My point is simply this: in order to get maximum benefits from our modern electronic systems, benefits which cut down administration and significantly eliminate paperwork and red-tape, we need trust between the groups responsible for the different functions within an organisation. Most importantly, we need trust between IT and Manufacturing.
If we really want to advance ideals such as ‘mobile workforce’ and ‘paperless society’, then we have to consider technologies like cloud computing and all its potential benefits. Some companies allow the use of tools like Evernote and Dropbox, while others do not – on the grounds that the security risk is too high. I am well aware of risks like the Stuxnet attack and the way it has highlighted the need for security in process control. I keep wondering which is a more secure approach though, having sensitive company data stored in many ‘little’ folders on many different servers located all over the world, or all that data stored in one central repository – like low hanging fruit.
I think that a little enlightened thinking could go a long way towards maximising the benefit of all the wonderful technology that is available to us. For instance, in a general election we are not allowed to cast our ballot electronically because the risk of fraud is too high, yet on the other hand the banks have developed systems secure enough to transact billions of Rand every month. And how many still bother getting their statements posted to them in printed copy every month? Whether it is government or industry, organisations where Finance, IT and Production trust each other will flourish in a world of efficient automated systems. Those that do not – has anyone tried sending something printed on paper recently?
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