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Preparing for Technology Convergence in Manufacturing

Leave the past behind and build a culture of collaboration.

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  • Information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) teams have a long history of misalignment and poor communication.
  • Stakeholder expectations and technology convergence create the need to leave the past behind and build a culture of collaboration.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • IT/OT convergence drives true business advantages. Better decisions, increased flexibility, reduced costs, and focused innovation are only a few of the benefits that come from successful IT/OT convergence.
  • Maximize the experience and skills of the IT and OT teams while leveraging synergies and eliminating waste and duplication.
  • The industry is changing and the IT and OT teams need to work together to lead the way, demonstrating collaboration and operational value.

Impact and Result

  • Build and deliver an IT update that focuses on what is most important.
  • Achieve the buy-in you require while driving business value.
  • Gain clarity on your scope, goals, and outcomes.
  • Validate IT’s role as a strategic business partner.
  • Tear down silos by identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and potential synergies between the IT and OT teams.
  • Gain clarity on the current state and target state of IT/OT convergence maturity within the organization.
  • Build effectiveness by defining roles and accountabilities within the IT and OT teams.
  • Identify risks and benefits related to IT/OT convergence, guaranteeing the right balance.
  • Ensure success by building a convergence plan with detailed initiative profiles.
  • Prepare for plan approval, while developing clear communication and plan refreshes as needed.

Preparing for Technology Convergence in Manufacturing Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our Executive Brief to find out why IT/OT convergence is essential to drive business value in a quickly changing industry. Review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand how we can support you in completing this project.

1. Determine current state

Build clarity around the current state of convergence within the organization. Understand where the strengths are and how to build synergies.

2. Define target state

Prioritize the necessary tasks related to increasing the level of IT/OT convergence maturity within the organization while building clarity around roles and responsibilities.

3. Build a convergence plan

Build a convergence plan that closes the gaps between your current and target states. Define the necessary steps for approval, communication, and refresh of the plan.

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Member Testimonials

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.

9.3/10


Overall Impact

$500,000


Average $ Saved

63


Average Days Saved

Client

Experience

Impact

$ Saved

Days Saved

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

Consultant was very helpful and knowledgeable in his area of expertise. Provided guidance on how to take it up and proceed with next steps.

Spartan Controls Ltd.

Workshop

8/10

N/A

20

Jean was great as usual. We had some changes introduced in the workshop that required Jean to pivot and make some changes to the topics being discu... Read More

Cascades, Centre des Technologies

Workshop

10/10

$500K

105

Best : Following a predefined path to be able to define our objectives Worst : Difficulty of getting everybody involved 100% during the 4 days, b... Read More

Yamana Gold

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

10

Discussion went quite well and I truly believe that Info-Tech is capable to help us in Yamana with OT Strategic Roadmap.

Rosens Diversified

Guided Implementation

6/10

N/A

N/A

Apogee Enterprises, Inc

Workshop

8/10

N/A

50

The Info-Tech team did a fantastic job of facilitating the IT-OT Convergence workshop. The output from this workshop has helped our organization ju... Read More

Virginia Department of Transportation

Workshop

10/10

$123K

20

The session was excellent. The ITRG team did a great job of compressing the essence of the IT Strategy workshop into an Operations Technology fram... Read More


Workshop: Preparing for Technology Convergence in Manufacturing

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Determine Current State

The Purpose

  • Determine the current state IT and OT landscape.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • A clear understanding and analysis of the IT and OT current state.

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Current state evaluation – SWOT, synergies, IT/OT convergence maturity.

  • Completed self-evaluation and maturity determination
  • IT SWOT analysis
  • OT SWOT analysis
  • Review of synergies
1.2

Identify current state roles and responsibilities.

  • Current state RACI chart
1.3

Identify current state risks and potential benefits.

  • Prioritized risks
  • Prioritized benefits

Module 2: Define Target State

The Purpose

  • Define the target state accountabilities and maturity.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Defined target state for IT/OT convergence.

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Target state maturity analysis.

  • IT/OT convergence maturity task prioritization
2.2

Target state roles and responsibilities and action areas.

  • Target state RACI chart
  • Target state action areas

Module 3: Build a Convergence Plan

The Purpose

  • Build a convergence plan.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Completed IT/OT convergence plan.

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Define and prioritize initiatives.

  • Prioritized list of initiative profiles
  • Convergence plan with accountabilities, budget, and timing
3.2

Prepare for approval, communication, and plan refresh.

  • Approval plan
  • Stakeholder communication plan
  • Refresh plan
Preparing for Technology Convergence in Manufacturing preview picture

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

MEMBER RATING

9.3/10
Overall Impact

$500,000
Average $ Saved

63
Average Days Saved

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve.

Read what our members are saying

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
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Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 12 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Determine current state
  • Call 1: Drive clarity around the current IT/OT landscape.
  • Call 2: Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and potential between the IT and OT teams.
  • Call 3: Define roles and responsibilities.
  • Call 4: Identify risks and benefits and prioritize.

Guided Implementation 2: Define target state
  • Call 1: Prioritize tasks related to IT/OT convergence maturity.
  • Call 2: Determine target state accountabilities and responsibilities.
  • Call 3: Review action areas related to IT/OT convergence RACI.

Guided Implementation 3: Build a convergence plan
  • Call 1: Create a prioritized list of initiative profiles.
  • Call 2: Build a convergence plan with accountabilities, budget, and timing.
  • Call 3: Prepare for plan approval.
  • Call 4: Create a stakeholder communication plan.
  • Call 5: Create a refresh plan.

Author

John Burwash

Contributors

  • Richard Lambert, Manager of Information Technology, Loewen Windows and Doors
  • Steve Harper, Vice President of Information Technology, LGI, Inc.
  • Several anonymous contributors also provided their insights in this research
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