THE PROJECT
A human-centric toolkit to support manufacturing setting reconfigurations
The project
The Manufacturing Toolkit
The Manufacturing Toolkit – A human-centric toolkit to support manufacturing setting reconfigurations was developed by Deep Blue as part of the deliverables submitted under the EU funded Horizon 2020 Project CO-VERSATILE. The Manufacturing Toolkit targets Manufacturing Settings (MSs) in need of assistance during several possible reconfiguration scenarios: It offers a structured, methodological guidance, to support organisations navigating different phases of a reconfiguration process. By taking proactive action during periods of regular operations, as well as by quickly reacting to sudden changes and reconfiguration needs through the identification of the right manufacturing context, the use of the tools, and the additional guidance provided through a reconfiguration management plan, any MSs or organisation using The Manufacturing Toolkit will be supported while facing a reconfiguration context.
Three Pillars
Contexts
The Manufacturing ContextsThe Manufacturing Contexts is constituted of three contextual scenarios that provide an overview on the key challenges and the impacts that may occur in manufacturing settings due to reconfiguration changes.
Tools
The Manufacturing ToolsThe Manufacturing Tools, is constituted of six generic tools (T1,T2,T3,T4,T5,T6), that can be used by MSs to prepare for, and better address, upcoming changes. The tools support the MSs through the identification of key areas influenced by the changes, identification of key tasks, skills, and competences required in the current and future (i.e., reconfigured) scenarios; skills self-assessments for identification of employees’ training pathways, and process checklists’ development to support workers in the execution of critical tasks.
Plan
The Reconfiguration Management PlanThe reconfiguration Management Plan, which is a guidance that helps planning effective management strategies during all the stages of a process of change. A big part of the guide is about communication and engagement, which are essential domains in a management plan as they help people move smoothly from current scenarios to a desired “future state.”
To promptly support an organisation through an abrupt reconfiguration scenario, The Manufacturing Toolkit should be taken into consideration in all its different pillars, following a temporal process constituted of three main phases, namely: 1) Define, 2) Prepare and 3) Embed.
Through the identification of the right context, the use of the tools, and the additional guidance provided through a reconfiguration management plan, MSs will be supported while facing a reconfiguration scenario.
However, MSs are encouraged to use The Manufacturing Toolkit especially during periods of regular operations: taking proactive action will ensure faster responsiveness to sudden changes and reconfiguration needs.
