Preventing operational knowledge loss as key workers retire

Another interesting article on AutomationWorld (http://www.automationworld.com/mes-and-competitiveness) highlights the loss of key factory process insight when older generations retire. One way to prevent this loss is to map out the ‘as is’ business process workflow before the resources leave. Easier said than done of course. The attempt to extricate a lifetime of process knowledge from an impending retiree could turn into the mother of all exit interviews. However, there is an easier way; HAL Software Spike, though primarily an S88 rapid prototyping software tool, is just as capable of rapidly capturing an ‘as is’ business workflow or industrial control process. Reverse engineering the prototype, in effect. The combination of cutting edge touch enabled drag & drop web interface, utilising the latest visual programming techniques, coupled with the power of windows workflow, allows the user to assemble the procedural process in a format that other people can visually grasp and interact with. Much like a dynamic swim lane diagram. So maybe it’s time to schedule that exit interview a little earlier this time. Spike will be available for demo download from March 2015.