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Implementing a Design Thinking Approach to De-Risk the Digitalisation of Manufacturing SMEs

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Listed:
  • David Mesa

    (Design Factory Melbourne, Hawthorn Campus, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn 3122, Australia)

  • Gianni Renda

    (School of Design and Architecture, Hawthorn Campus, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn 3122, Australia)

  • Robert Gorkin III

    (Eudaemon Technologies Pty Ltd., Sydney 2000, Australia)

  • Blair Kuys

    (School of Design and Architecture, Hawthorn Campus, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn 3122, Australia)

  • Simon M. Cook

    (Eudaemon Technologies Pty Ltd., Sydney 2000, Australia)

Abstract

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has proposed a significant shift in the way companies approach manufacturing. However, this new paradigm is not without faults. The integration of processes and equipment (‘digitalisation’) can be prohibitively expensive or too technically complex for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources and technical expertise. Another barrier to digitalisation lies in the ambiguity of not knowing what precise practices to adopt to improve productivity. Although these challenges have been identified in the literature, there is still little evidence on how to tackle them. Thus, we explore how design thinking can help overcome these challenges, given that it has been used in many organisations and disciplines to deal with complex and ambiguous problems. We do so by investigating the research question ‘How can designers and design thinking processes assist manufacturing SMEs’ digitalisation?’ We address this research question by presenting a case study of a university–industry collaboration where the authors utilised a design-thinking process to select and implement technologies to capture, process and analyse data for an Australian medical device manufacturer. By reflecting on the case study, we identified the user-centeredness of design thinking as crucial in selecting technologies for implementation that prioritised usability and brought value to all stakeholders. Furthermore, iterative prototyping was critical to scale up the required expertise and deliver a successful sustainable solution without investing vast resources. Our work suggests that designers and design thinking have the potential to help de-risk digitalisation. Finally, we suggest a framework that may assist in guiding other SMEs approaching digitalisation and provide a starting point for further design thinking research in this area.

Suggested Citation

  • David Mesa & Gianni Renda & Robert Gorkin III & Blair Kuys & Simon M. Cook, 2022. "Implementing a Design Thinking Approach to De-Risk the Digitalisation of Manufacturing SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:14358-:d:961424
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hans Zappe, 2013. "Innovation: Bridging the market gap," Nature, Nature, vol. 501(7468), pages 483-485, September.
    2. Mirco Peron & Fabio Sgarbossa & Jan Ola Strandhagen, 2022. "Decision support model for implementing assistive technologies in assembly activities: a case study," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(4), pages 1341-1367, February.
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