IR4.0 technologies enable a fully autonomous and self-contained ecosystem
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, as a paradigm concept, received noteworthy attention in 2011 at the Hannover Trade Fair in Germany. Later in the decade (2016) Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum renewed the arrival of the fourth industrial revolution at the Devos, Switzerland event. This means most of us share equal starting positions in the journey forward into the industrial revolution 4.0 (IR4.0). It is an early period involving enlightenment, discovery, exploration and ample amounts of nervous reservation that have been further amplified by disruptive events.
It is important to affirm our understanding that IR4.0 consists of three (3) foundational pillars; smartness (intelligence from within), interconnectivity (ability to traverse services without intervention) and cyber (technology-enabled & facilitated). To establish these conditions, cohesion becomes a requisite enabler. Cohesion is defined as an action/fact representing a whole and the sticking together of elements made up of the same substance. This is decisively different from an interface as used in the context of IR3.0 where causal interaction exists.
The cohesiveness of technology, with minimal human intervention, is the defining element of IR4.0
Sticky Stuff
Cohesion occurs when intellectual bonding takes place between the elements of IR4.0, thus creating an interoperability state. It commences from a stable base and a deliberate determination pertaining to adoption extent. It is irresponsible to state that we are broadly adopting the paradigm; responsible behaviour reflects the extent of employment. Over the course of time, maturing will result in change and expansion, but at the onset, conservative care is taken as a means of controlling convoluted overachievement endeavours. This infers that a purposeful industrial engineering approach be used to achieve respectable positive value-based outcome based upon knowledge of conditions.
The sticky cohesive becomes the enablers by which element interchanges relationships occur. There is a tendency to think with a data mindset (IR3.0), but in IR4.0, this changes to one that requires a holistic and seamless internalised interchange focus. With this shift, we see that in addition to parsing data, the IR4.0 environment will encompass directives, action commands, rule modifications, alert/attentions and automatic stimuli that feed intraoperative continuous flow of cascading events. All of which occurs with minimum human intervention. Active and ongoing machine infused communications transcends the routine of momentary data exchange as we knew it.
As IR4.0 implementers, a predetermined extent must be established in order to set the degree of cohesion between elements. The more autonomous it is, the less intervention is required. At the same time, this implies that added attention be given to involved decisions. In highly dynamic IR4.0 paradigms, this creates the potential to impede productivity and inject human imprecision. Likewise, recognise that embedded autonomous rules and relationship formation also has risks resulting from design and adoption malfeasance.
An example involving the pervasive nature of IR4.0 involves retail orders. In the IR3.0 mindset, there are discrete service elements that involve purchasing, inventory, and sales. The shift in context to IR4.0 creates an amalgamation of opportunities and need expansion that envelops the full range of elements. Analytics for forecasts, big data activity tracking, internet-of-things for stock and order activity, AI to proactively adjust sales prices and controlling production in the smart/adaptive factory, blockchain control and a security blanket to stand guard ensuring protection. All of which creates a self-contained ecosystem.
IR4.0 is pervasive and dynamic, representing a paradigm that is built on cohesive unity.
As illustrated, there is some natural cohesion that occurs from natural relationships. For example, the relationships between AI and Analytics, Analytics and Big Data, New System Models and System Integration, etc. The extent and depth of formed relationship cohesion are influenced by your IR4.0 deployment vision.
Stuck on You
As previously stated, cohesion transcends the basic interface principals. It will embrace purposeful rights, rules, responsibilities, co-integrity, limits, authorities and control along with the traditional data interchange. This enables a contract of exchange that represents operative legitimacy.
Why is this needed? Etched in the fundamental concept of IR4.0 is technology-enabled service. To achieve this purpose, we define relationships but we also encapsulate checks and balances to sustain integrity. This level of defence can only be achieved by a cohesive adoption within the trust relationship. Trust then becomes a joint custodial trait that is shared by all participants. This results in resilience, synchronised coordination and ongoing integrity delivered through unwavering security.
The shift from IR3.0 to 4.0 has been taking place silently and without detection. Many companies have explored elements of IR4.0 with laser focus on the technology, but blind to their roles in the broader context. These endeavours – because of investments made – will need to be unified if a IR4.0 mindset has been adopted. This exemplifies the change in thinking from discrete services to one that utilises cohesiveness as a powerful dynamic contributor to value.
Many business leaders are too fixated on the technologies and lose sight of the broader context
Sticky Skills
The shift in paradigm involves the modification of resource needs. Technology still needs to be implemented in order to utilise and form relationships with other paradigm elements. At the same time, we need to contemplate and develop a state of comprehensive delivery. This shift in mindset suggests the need for adaptable creative minds and talent whose strength involves applied industrial and technical engineering.
Most human capital resources talent can be obtained from organisational repurposing, unless pre-conditions were such that disciplined behaviour did not exist. In this case, external resources (temporary, contractual or new hires) become a secondary source for consideration. Recalibrating mindsets is not effectively resolved via training.
IR4.0 may appear to some as a threat on livelihoods but it is in actuality a threat on those that are resistant to change. It is similar to the conditions experienced in the IR3.0 paradigm shift.
Flypaper
The only one who dislikes flypaper is the fly. But in the context of IR4.0, the flypaper of cohesiveness is what makes enablement possible. No element of IR4.0 receives full acclaim until it becomes a part of the much broader collective.
AI without purpose is just automated opinion; analytics without basis is just reports; IoT without enlightenment is wasted motion and a smart/adaptive factory without process insight represents mechanical iron. Do not overlook the value of cohesion, the role it plays, the importance it carries and the purposeful value provided by enabling our exploited embracing of IR4.0.
Jerry Durant is Chairman and Founder of The Clarity Group Global an established advisory consultancy committed to technological and organisational advancement. Clarity Group also is engaged in various progressive ventures involving challenged enterprises recovery, intelligent philanthropic investments and greenfield research.
