A while back, I wrote on here about how manufacturing software is beginning to incorporate social tools that improve information sharing and collaboration across the shop floor and supply chain. The social tools that are currently seeing the greatest incorporation are social activity streams like Chatter and Yammer.
A while back, I wrote on here about how manufacturing software is beginning to incorporate social tools that improve information sharing and collaboration across the shop floor and supply chain. The social tools that are currently seeing the greatest incorporation are social activity streams like Chatter and Yammer.
Incorporating activity stream data into manufacturing software UIs has important implications for collaboration manufacturing environments. For instance, it enables rapid information sharing between sales teams and production teams to provide instant updates on things like purchase orders. However, I think the impact that activity streams can have on manufacturing software Uis is potentially much more interesting. Activity streams represent a radically new take on ERP Uis and have the potential to change the way users interact with their systems.
Activity Streams Create More Social Manufacturing UIs
One of the things I find interesting about activity streams in manufacturing software is that it alters the dynamic of how users interact with their software. Historically, manufacturing software has been a place where transactional information is simply input and calculations are run. For example, the bill of materials had to be entered and stored so that the material requirements planning application could run and produce reports.
While this is still largely the function of all manufacturing software, activity streams add a twist to the mix. They allow employees and supervisors to share analysis on the reports that are generated and the transactional information that's input into the system. This offers users an opportunity to look at data and create an interactive conversation about what the data means and what action should given the results. It's a more human way of interacting with ERP.
Three Further Innovations Activity Streams Can Spur
Beyond allowing users to enrich transactional data, I think that activity streams carry three other important implications for manufacturing software UIs. If incorporated, these features could help to further improve the way that manufacturers operate their shop floors. Activity streams could be use to:
1. Automate reminders that keep projects flowing. A key benefit of an activity stream is that it automatically updates subscribed users with the latest action taken. An activity stream could be used to update every employee on their current and future tasks, directly from the system. This would keep projects flowing while enabling employees to plan ahead for future projects.
2. Stream educational reminders along with tasks. Activity streams allow employees to engage in a virtual conversation about a particular topic. Through these conversations, employees inevitably share educational information. Manufacturing UIs should aggregate this information and attach the bits of wisdom to tasks that employees routinely have to perform. While many systems have wikis built into their software, a stream with this information attached proactively delivers the right information at the right time to the right individuals.
3. Aggregate the most pressing tasks for immediate action. A final benefit I see in activity streams is that it keeps employees abreast of the highest-priority action items. Manufacturing UIs could create an automatically generated list of the most important tasks to accomplish on the shop floor. For instance, an order may need to be completed and rushed to an important client prior to starting on a new purchase order. A manufacturing UI that can order tasks by importance would help manufacturers become more efficient.
As this functionality matures, surely there will be more uses for activity streams in manufacturing software. For now, I'd like to turn it over to the reader. If you're a manufacturer and have an opinion on how activity streams can be used within the UIs of manufacturing software, please leave me a comment at the Software Advice website. You can find the original article at: The Benefits of Activity Streams in Manufacturing UIs.
A while back, I wrote on here about how manufacturing software is beginning to incorporate social tools that improve information sharing and collaboration across the shop floor and supply chain. The social tools that are currently seeing the greatest incorporation are social activity streams like Chatter and Yammer.
Incorporating activity stream data into manufacturing software UIs has important implications for collaboration manufacturing environments. For instance, it enables rapid information sharing between sales teams and production teams to provide instant updates on things like purchase orders. However, I think the impact that activity streams can have on manufacturing software UIs is potentially much more interesting. I'd like to elaborate
Three Extensions of Social Activity Streams
In the same way that activity streams can change the way that manufacturers share information and collaborate, I believe they can be used to change the way projects and tasks are managed. The automatically updated, real-time nature of activity streams has great implications for pulling system data and keeping projects flowing. Here are three ways that I think activity streams can positively impact manufacturing software UIs.
- Update employees on current and future tasks. A key benefit of an activity stream is that it automatically updates subscribed users with the latest action taken. This same functionality could be used to pull assign and update tasks to each employee in the company. This would not only automate the delegation of tasks, but it would allow employees to stay up to date on the tasks that need to be completed now and prepare for those that are upcoming.
- Provide educational information along with tasks. The conversations that occur in an activity stream often yield valuable lessons. These lessons should be incorporated directly into the system with an automatic feed that assigns an educational reminder for employees to view as they completing assigned tasks. Streaming information in manner delivers the right information at the right time to the right individuals.
- Organize tasks according to importance. A final benefit I see in activity streams is that it keeps employees abreast of the highest-priority action items. An activity stream could be used to prioritize the most pressing actions for employees so they don't have to wonder which task should be completed first. Such a system could greatly improve efficiency and the way that projects are handled.
As this functionality matures, surely there will be more uses for activity streams in manufacturing software. If you have any thoughts on other ways that activity streams might improve manufacturing UIs, please leave me a comment on the Software Advice website by visiting the original article at: The Benefits of Activity Streams in Manufacturing UIs.