Why a Leitz folder is not the hope for the future

Can digitalization be sustainable if we forget about people in the process? No! Those who view digitalization solely as a technical upgrade are building a shiny spaceship, but forgetting that someone must have the courage to get on board and take the helm. True digital transformation does not take place on the server, but in the minds and hearts of employees.

Have you ever been in one of those offices where a Leitz folder exudes so much authority that you almost want to greet it? We laugh about it, but in many production halls, this folder or its ultimate nemesis, the printed Excel sheet, is still the secret boss.

The analog dance around digital gold

Let's imagine that for a moment. We have high-performance machines that shoot laser beams with the precision of a surgeon, but standing next to them is a highly qualified employee. A professional. And what does this person do? They take a ballpoint pen whose refill is about to run out and manually transfer numbers from a monitor to a printed Excel sheet, clipboard included.

Later, this sheet is taken to a colleague who, you guessed it, types these numbers back into a system. That's not a process. It's a job creation scheme for people who actually have better things to do.

Is that really productive?

Let's be honest: it's the rhetorical declaration of bankruptcy of our time. We burn valuable human resources on tasks that a toaster could do more efficiently, simply because we're afraid to abandon the "we've always done it this way" mindset. We tie people down to mindless data entry while at the same time complaining about the shortage of skilled workers. It's like asking a Formula 1 driver to push his car to the finish line because you don't trust the engine.

Digitalization is not a tool, but an attitude

At Industrie360digital, I will be on stage talking about precisely this point. Because this is where the rub lies: many executives still believe that digitalization is a tool that you buy, install, and then "it just works." To put it bluntly: like a new coffee machine.
But software is not an end in itself. When we at tetys talk about MES or APS, we don't just mean more efficient algorithms and interfaces. We mean freedom for the people on the shop floor. We mean appreciation for employees, whom we relieve of the burden of pointless paperwork so that they can once again do what they do best: create value!

The three sins of transformation

Why do so many projects fail? I see three recurring reasons:

1. Fear and ignorance: Managers introduce tools without addressing their employees' fear of change. Those who don't feel included become a spanner in the works.
2. The "why" vacuum: They explain how to use the software, but not why it makes everyone's life better.
3. Tool faith: People think software solves cultural problems. Spoiler alert: If your communication wasn't working before, an app will only accelerate the problem digitally.

Looking in the mirror (and at the stage)

Digitalization without empathy is like a Ferrari without a steering wheel—it looks great in the brochure, but it will crash into a wall at full speed. We need to take the pain on the shop floor seriously. We need to understand that digitalization is a social task. I look forward to discussing this very topic at Industrie360digital. Without bullshit bingo, but with a clear focus on people. Because at the end of the day, it's not data that determines a company's success. It's the people who use that data to create something great together.

Maybe we'll just leave the Leitz folder in the closet that day. Or we'll use it as a paperweight for the old Excel lists. That would be a start, wouldn't it?
See you in the future. Or at least on stage.