Nikolai Kazantsev, Russell Goh, Bethan Moncur, and Chander Velu
Our project aims to provide a coherent interdisciplinary summary of established knowledge from academia and practice on the application and potential benefits, barriers, and risks of a metaverse in manufacturing, mainly focusing on bridging technical and social insights.
Metaverse is expected to provide numerous benefits, particularly in production process optimisation, employee induction and collaboration. The most surprising research finding so far is just how varied the definitions of metaverse are. For our study, we define industrial metaverse as” a sensory environment that uses extended reality to blend the physical and digital worlds to transform how businesses design, manufacture and interact with objects”.
The existing industrial cases reveal technological barriers such as immaturity, lack of sufficiently strong communication networks and sustainability concerns. Other cases include cybersecurity risks like cyberattacks and data protection/privacy issues. The social barriers include jurisdictional and legislative difficulties, lack of cooperation between companies necessary to achieve interoperability and the need to change worker and user mindsets.
Figure 1.Industrial metaverse as a new interface to the products’ manufacturing system
Although the data suggests immersion as a driving force of the metaverse[1], a full immersion can not be achieved without impacting the senses and feelings of a user. For example, in sensory marketing, similar impacts (experience stimuli) are used to trigger purchasing intention (Dewey, 1925; Schmitt, 1999), however, in the physical reality. Hence, we envision a similar trend in the digital world, where an industrial metaverse will extend the numeric and graphical data (such as reports) into coherent immersive experiences that will also affect feelings, Figure 2.
Figure 2.Industrial Metaverse as a combination of senses stimuli
Our conceptualisation efforts aim to prototype an industrial metaverse that activates several senses (sight, sound, temperature, and smell) and test how the extended experience triggers actions.
“Highly promising results are expected for the intersection of resilience and sustainability,” said Nikolai. “For example, based on the sensory marketing research that positions smell as the strongest attractor for purchasing decisions, we aim to virtualise the production conditions with sight, sound, temperature, and smell and enhance experience stimuli in the metaverse. We think it will better inform purchasing choice and support the demand pattern for clean energy, ethical production, and fewer emissions along supply chains.”
After the first results of the systematic literature review, we wish to explore the feasibility of the extended reality to shift decision-making towards more expensive but more sustainable decision-making along the manufacturing value chain[2]. Over the following months, our research aims to exemplify our concept using a scenario based on food manufacturing system for chocolate production. To do so, we will integrate the popular Augmented Reality platform with audio, temperature and smell generator devices to extend the experience for a policy-maker, manufacturer or customer making a hard choice between a cost-efficient vs. sustainable manufacturing system. This prototype will be used as a sensory dashboard for an extended representation of material sources, production conditions, carbon footprint and energy sources to better inform the stakeholder about the impacts of their decision.
“Carbon emission, working conditions, and energy consumption remain underexplored in the real world but visible in the metaverse. Hence, the metaverse can be used to raise awareness about manufacturing systems.”
Yet, It is unclear if being informed on carbon emissions in real-time will impact manufacturers’ use of their machines and shift the regulation imposed by policymakers. For example, would the smell of burning Amazon forests shift a consumer’s decision-making closer to more expensive sustainable purchase better than the printed carbon footprint number on the product package?
Figure 3. Industrial metaverse as a sensualisation of real-time data sharing
The project has an open innovation philosophy, so we wish to create a discussion space around the metaverse application for manufacturing and are open to collaboration with the InterAct researchers and the industrial community.
To disseminate the findings, we plan to run a public event involving technology providers, industry, academia and stakeholders from the local public administration at the end of 2023.
References:
Academic
Dewey, J. (1981). The later works, 1925-1953 (Vol. 3). SIU Press.
Schmitt, B. (1999). Experiential marketing. Journal of marketing management, 15(1-3), 53-67.
Petit, O., Velasco, C., Wang, Q. J., & Spence, C. (2022). Consumer consciousness in multisensory extended reality. Frontiers in psychology, 13.
This project explores the application of digital servitization business models in the context of UK Manufacturing Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), by empirically depicting its antecedents and firm-level implications. Following the completion of a large empirical study, the key contextual and organisational factors that determine successful implementation of business models have been identified. The study’s key findings suggest that SMEs can achieve high performance through adoption of digital servitization business models, depending on how well each model aligns with the organisation’s context and design.
To assist the UK Manufacturing community, in addition to the main report, the project’s deliverables are accessible to stakeholders through its dedicated microsite, SME toolkit, video training manual and practitioner webinar.
The microsite provides SMEs with a valuable resource that practitioners can engage with, to better understand digital servitization and its corresponding business models. Developed in an illustrative manner, the microsite provides a visual overview of the study’s data and key findings and constitutes the project’s primary means of impact on business practice.
A key project output, the self-assessment toolkit aspires to assist SME principal decision-makers in diagnosing the contextual and organisational conditions of their business and determine the suitability of digital servitization business models. Toolkit users are invited to complete an anonymised questionnaire and in turn, they receive a recommendation of which business model might represent the best match to their current conditions.
Video Training Manual
The video training manual represents a step-by-step guide to the toolkit and provides users with the key terms of interest and the process of answering the toolkit questions.
Online Webinar
As a primary dissemination activity, the project’s first ex-post webinar has been delivered in early August 2023 to raise awareness about the project, communicate the study’s findings and promote the publication of the main report and its accompanying intellectual outputs.
Insights from history on the new industrial revolution
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Ahmad Beltagui – Aston University
Co-investigators:
Dr. Brian Sudlow – Aston University
Dr. Miying Yang – Cranfield University
Project Outline:
The aim of the project is to communicate actionable insights from social science research on technology adoption, by creating a repository of digital stories on historical industrial transitions. The project will expand the Insights from History series of animated digital stories that resulted from a systematic literature review.
The project will use historical precedents to identify actionable insights about the factors that matter for IDT adoption. It will focus on conveying these insights to SMEs in particular, drawing on strong institutional links with SMEs. Creating short, informative and accessible videos has the potential to communicate findings most clearly to SME leaders and contribute to the desired impacts on successful IDT adoption.
The valorisation of the PrOH Modelling Methodology for the human-centred digitization of the Rolls-Royce Aerospace plc extended enterprise
Principal Investigator:
Professor Ben Clegg – Aston University
Co-investigators:
Dr. Krishna Balthu – Aston University
Dr. Ehsan Eslamian – Aston University
Project Outline:
This project will build on capabilities in systems thinking and action research developed at Aston University – specifically the PrOH modelling methodology – to increase its impact outside academia. PrOH modelling is a systems thinking action research approach used to understand complex organisational issues, stimulate innovative thinking to improve organisational issues and implement effective solutions.
PrOH modelling is a form of soft systems methodology specifically designed to affect change in organisational strategy, people, culture, technology and operations through a human centred approach. To date the PrOH modelling methodology has had in-depth success led by experts in small volume. This InterAct project is focused on commercialising the PrOH Modelling Methodology for training, teaching and practice, to achieve a more widespread use.
AI with Impact: A guide for CEOs
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Viktor Dörfler – University of Strathclyde
Project Outline:
The project aims to help business leaders with getting AI implementations right, as an astonishingly high proportion of AI implementations (various sources put it between 50-80%) are either a failure or do not deliver the desired outcomes. Examining underlying reasons that are fundamentally human not technological, the project team hopes to correct unrealistic expectations towards AI resulting from the lack of understanding of what AI actually can and cannot deliver.
Project outputs will help improve AI implementation quality and thus increase investment in AI in the UK manufacturing sector. Dr. Dörfler seeks to assist manufacturing in learning from other sectors and vice versa through increased understanding of the variety of AI solutions. Helping smaller AI solution providers make suitable offers to large, established companies and indirectly help increase the international competitiveness of UK organisations.
Design and evaluation of a brochure outlining the toolkit for responsible and inclusive digital transformation
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Vladislav Grozev – University of Sheffield
Co-investigators:
Dr. Hui Zhang – University of Sheffield
Professor Carolyn Axtell – University of Sheffield
Professor Karina Nielsen – University of Sheffield
Project Outline:
The aim of this project is to produce an extensive brochure informing relevant stakeholders about the availability and purpose of a toolkit for responsible and inclusive digital transformation, including:
(1) A structured process for involving multidisciplinary teams across different departments and stakeholders at different levels of an organisation in responsible co-design
(2) Exercises for co-creating acceptable future scenarios for working with the digital change (including consideration of job design).
(3) A survey tool for measuring digital attitudes, and generating action plans to enhance trust and adoption of the change.
The toolkit contains guidelines for organisations in relation to the structured process (i.e., the five-stage process, principles of responsible design/stakeholder involvement, guidance on potential action plans) – as well as provide guidelines for how to use the specific tools (scenarios tool and digital attitudes tool). Overall, the toolkit will help organisations action the insights gained from research on responsible innovation and socio-technical change.
Disseminating insights regarding the management and governance of Open Innovation projects for IDT providers
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Andrei Gurca – Queens University Belfast
Co-investigator:
Dr. Kate Broadhurst – Loughborough University
Project Outline:
As the complexity of IDT development projects increases and numerous, highly interdependent elements, components and subsystems interact to deliver functionality, many firms lack the knowledge and capabilities to complete their projects independently. Therefore, firms are increasingly engaging in purposeful, collaborative efforts with different business partners (i.e., open innovation) at various stages of their complex projects. The benefits of opening up to business partners include access to valuable external resources, risk sharing, reduced costs, and improved time-to-market.
The project aims to engage business leaders and representative bodies and organisations like the Chamber of Commerce, Local Enterprise Partnerships in the creation of their actionable insights through a series of workshops targeted at demystifying the processes of open innovation for businesses and policymakers. Further materials will be made available via the InterAct resource repository and at additional events in 2024.
FASHTRAX: Knowledge Exchange Platform
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Hilde Heim – Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University
Co-investigator:
Julie Hodson – Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University
Project Outline:
Researchers from the Manchester Fashion Institute’s Textiles Transparency Team (MFITT) are seeking to create an online knowledge exchange platform called FASHTRAX. The platform aims to be an industry facing, fashion transparency innovation exchange site for the dissemination of Manchester Fashion Institute’s research and innovations in the field of digitalising supply chain transparency.
The project is responding to findings that garment manufacturers are seeking guidance on how to adopt and integrate digital technologies in a non-disruptive way into their existing operations. The current fundamental lack of transparency and visibility throughout the various stages of the supply chain is one of the most significant barriers preventing organisations from implementing more sustainable, accountable practices.
The FASHTRAX knowledge exchange platform will signpost several emerging technology providers, such as those offering blockchain, AI, and sensors – that digitalise the supply chain’s key processes in addition to research on implementation to help organisations achieve these aims.
An interactive online tool for prioritising verification, validation and testing activities to support human decision-making
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Khadija Tahera – The Open University
Project Outline:
The development of new digital technology needs extensive verification, validation and testing (VV&T). An effective way of analysing the requirements of different stakeholders, i.e., the customer’s voice, regulations and business’s voice and how these requirements must be considered in the VV&T planning for new technology, is significantly challenging.
This project aims to develop a systematic method of analysing critical requirements and influences on the VV&T activity for new technology development and manufacturing, which will support the adoption of digital technologies and facilitate collaboration between SMEs and larger companies.
Dr. Tahera will be developing a tool designed to help manufacturers and SMEs map customer and regulatory requirements to technical requirements and VV&T activities, and prioritise VV&T activities based on risk and importance. The tool will provide actionable insights that will help manufacturers make informed decisions about testing, potentially saving time and costs in VV&T planning and decision-making.
Using the Reflective Goal Setting Model to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies by enhancing digital readiness in UK manufacturing
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Cheryl Travers – Loughborough University
Co-investigators:
Dr. Elaine Conway – Loughborough University
Sandra Huskinson – Coventry University
Project Outline:
Leaders’ personal and interpersonal skills and the ability to set goals are increasingly in demand due to the impact they can have on organisational success and employee performance, motivation, and wellbeing. The manufacturing sector is no exception. However, development of these skills often falls far short of expectations, with poor transfer of learning post-training. Traditional goal setting approaches have limited effectiveness in the development and utilisation of ‘softer’ yet crucial leadership and management interpersonal skills
The key purpose of this project is to take the established and evidence-based model of Reflective Goal Setting (RGS) and to develop actionable insights in the form of a toolkit, an animated video, and a discovery phase blueprint for an RGS app – specifically to facilitate the successful adoption of, and adaptation to, digital technologies. The project will explore the potential barriers to adoption that may result from a potential lack of suitable and relevant skills, lack of and/or prior experience, limiting mindsets, worry and anxiety, and unsuitable behaviours.
Enabling Digital Transformation for SMEs: an Industry 4.0 Open Innovation Platform
Principal Investigator:
Professor Beverly Wagner – University of Strathclyde
Co-investigator:
Dr. Natalie McDougall – University of Strathclyde
Project Outline:
The unprecedented changes of increasing digitalisation in parallel with the challenges organisations face in adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 are the driving forces behind this project. There is a need to enable collaboration and co-creation to drive digital transformation.
New requirements related to customer experience and needs alongside value and efficiency improvements necessitate digital transformation. This can be enabled via adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as big data analytics, blockchain, Internet of Things, intelligent products, sensors, robotics, adaptive manufacturing, and many others. However, whilst this is becoming an imperative for organisations, SMEs may be hindered by a lack of resources and capabilities.
The project team will develop a platform using virtual collaborative sharing tools, which will be accessible via an Open Innovation webpage. Key insights taken from the longitudinal study of Open Innovation adoption and Knowledge Transfer Partnership on Open Innovation practices will shape an interactive toolkit comprising the following:
A best practice guide to aid the business community select an appropriate open innovation business model and understand the process and requirements at each level for ideation through to commercialisation.
Case studies presented by key stakeholder organisations that detail factors that influence open innovation implementation and technological uptake.
Methodologies of Industry 4.0 adoption from keynote industry speakers.
Collaborative tools, activities, and co-creation spaces to support the development of relevant capabilities adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies.
The routine of commuting five days a week to and from an employer’s office now seems somewhat old fashioned. Flexible and remote working have become much more common – and popular.
One global survey found that 68% of employees prefer flexible working. In the US, when given the option of remote work, 87% of employees take up the offer. It has also been estimated that up to 25% of workers in some of the world’s largest economies could work remotely for three to five days a week without any loss in productivity.
Improvements in digital technology and better broadband connections have made this drastic change possible. COVID then sped up the whole process, with remote working becoming a necessity for many.
Traditionally – and during COVID lockdowns – remote working meant working from home. But research suggests that much of the recent uptake in remote work is occurring in “co-working spaces”, where people from different professions and organisations work side by side.
These spaces provide flexible access to shared workspaces, with a range of facilities such as decent coffee, good wifi, digital printing and postal services. They range from basic to funky in design, some with natural features or social spaces equipped with table tennis and pool tables, boxing bags and PlayStations. Dogs and other pets are often welcome.
Since they first emerged in the US in 2005, co-working spaces have seen significant growth in both urban and rural locations. They have also been set up in tourist hot spots, catering for workers who wish to combine their jobs with travel on “workcations”, while others are designed for specific groups such as female entrepreneurs.
Some are run by large global companies while others are set up by local independent providers. But they are all designed for workers in search of a flexible approach, a decent location and an appealing working environment.
Part of this appeal comes from the social interaction they provide, reducing the isolation of working from home. They may also be located more conveniently than traditional places of work, reducing commute times and helping parents manage childcare commitments.
Commercial collaboration
The main feature of a co-working space is that the people who use it come from different backgrounds and are not employed by a single company. Such a diverse community can open up new opportunities for collaboration and the exchange of ideas – and even the potential for new commercial partnerships.
Indeed, some research suggests that co-working spaces are similar to “industrial clusters”, where groups of businesses in similar sectors are concentrated in a particular location, such as the Square Mile in London, or the area near Silverstone in England nicknamed Motorsport Valley.
Co-working spaces can be good for employers too, broadening their geographical reach. They may be cheaper than traditional office space, and provide a flexible option to scale up or down depending on economic circumstances.
And while most co-working spaces are designed for desk workers, there are an increasing number of manufacturing and engineering companies getting involved. Spaces which provide access to things like CAD software, 3D printers and lathes are particularly useful for small design or artisan businesses.
A role for policy?
This ease of access to tools and technology can encourage start-ups, or promote the re-emergence of small scale manufacturing in “left behind” places. In the US, for example, there has been a political push to promote co-working spaces as seedbeds of entrepreneurship.
In Italy, a similar policy in Rome has received the same kind of encouragement, while Ireland’s government announced plans for investment in 400 co-working hubs in rural areas to create a national network of facilities.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has also expressed interest in the potential of co-working spaces to boost regional development.
But so far in the UK the role of co-working spaces has largely been absent from any political party’s vision for developing regional economies. Instead, it seems to have been largely left to local authorities and businesses to take the lead.
In Stoke-on-Trent, for example, a new co-working space development has been launched in a partnership between the local government and private sector investment. Elsewhere, Devon County Council coordinates its own network of co-working hubs.
They have understood that the move towards more flexible working is surely here to stay. For many, it provides a sense of freedom and independence in their working lives.
Overall though there seems to be a lack of strategic thinking from the national government on the funding and location of co-working spaces. In tough economic conditions, this may turn out to be a significant missed opportunity.
The InterAct Summer School, co-hosted by InterAct and Atlantic Technological University, at the ATU Letterkenny, Donegal Campus was a truly enriching experience. As a PhD researcher from a Creative Arts background, exploring human insights surrounding digital technology diffusion, I found the program to be incredibly valuable in expanding my knowledge and identifying potential collaborative opportunities.
Throughout the summer school, we had the privilege of visiting prominent industry players like Coca-Cola Ballina and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), delving into digitalization from both operational and strategic perspectives. We encountered examples of how digital transformation is having huge impacts on the ways these businesses operate and how they plan to develop their functionality in the future.
Attending the interactive workshops led by esteemed professors exposed me to cutting-edge concepts such as “IOT,” “Inclusive Growth,” and “Distributed leadership,” which broadened my understanding and inspired further exploration in my research.
However, the summer school offered much more than just academic knowledge. As a storytelling practitioner and pre-journalist, I make a habit of collecting feedback and stories while engaging with people. During the summer school, everyone I spoke to expressed fervent enjoyment, deeming it a “best ever” event. This was particularly resonant in this post-Covid era, where virtual gatherings have become the norm. The summer school provided an invaluable opportunity to reconnect in person, bridging the gap left by social distancing, masks, and hand gels.
Three key observations stood out as significant contributors to the strong bonding and collaborative culture we experienced throughout the five-day event:
Firstly, leadership through storytelling played a crucial role.Professor Janet Godsell and Professor Jillian MacBryde set the stage by sharing their personal journeys into engineering and manufacturing, inspiring authenticity, and trust among the participants. Professor George Onofrei with his wisdom gained from industry and academia, emphasized the soft skills: networking, resilience, and the importance of never burning bridges. These narratives not only fostered knowledge-sharing but also created an emotional connection among all of us within the organization of the summer school.
Secondly, teamwork was instrumental in our experience. For each workshop, we were randomly assigned to different teams to work on assignments and present our findings. During our industrial visits and sightseeing excursions, we demonstrated the spirit of teamwork through good timekeeping and looking after each other to ensure no one was left behind. Additionally, we formed an unofficial “social committee” to secretly collect signatures for a thank-you card for Professor George Onofrei and a birthday card for Anastasia Kulichyova
Lastly, the inspiration of creativity played a significant role. The warm hospitality of Ireland, represented by live music and Guinness, contributed to fostering a sense of togetherness. Our group ventured to local pubs, where the singer encouraged us to sing along with him. Our brave icebreaker Isaiah Nassiuma, a PhD researcher in Engineering, even took the stage to perform, creating a lasting memory. This spirited act was recorded and shared within our WhatsApp group, igniting more people to join in the celebration of Irish live-music-in-pub culture on day three, which coincided with Anastasia’s birthday. Dancing in a circle accompanied by fiddles and pop bands invoked a sense of trust and inclusivity, fostering an environment where creativity thrived. Such collaborative creativity reaffirmed the essence of our humanity, which may sometimes be buried as we grow older, but can easily be rediscovered when we come together.
As the summer school drew to a close, we found ourselves discussing ways to stay socially connected and eagerly anticipate InterAct’s next event. Even after returning to our respective cities, we continued to share personal news on WhatsApp and engage in thoughtful discussions on LinkedIn. Undoubtedly, the InterAct-ATU summer school stands as a highly successful event, with the true key to its success lying in “the success of people”.
In the digitalization era, where A.I. threatens human involvement in the workplace, I feel that I encountered a profound example of the power of human insight. Walking past a Turkish delight shop in the U.K., my mobile phone may instantly send me a pop-up advertisement, courtesy of A.I., catering to my preferences with collected data. However, it does not compare to the feeling when I receive a image of Pistachio Baklava, sent by my new friend Nader El Tibi from the airport, after our engaging conversation during the summer school gala dinner. The sweetness of human insight is something that A.I might never be able to replicate. This is the priceless reflection I took from the summer school.
The Interact tagline was carefully crafted when Made Smarter and ESRC stumped up the money to make this network a reality. That tagline being: “pioneering human insight for industry” with the spoken aim to create a “network that aims to bring together economic and social scientists, UK manufacturers, and digital technology providers to address the human issues resulting from the diffusion of new technologies in industry”.
Yes, yes and yes again – this is what drew me to interact in the first place. It makes perfect sense when you think about it; in our factories, to make things, you need to bring machines, materials, and a method of doing it together with people. People are the glue that make the 4Ms work in harmony. And yet, walking the halls of Smart Factory conferences – the exhibitor wares on show are 95% things or data.
IoT, Sensors, robots, cobots, AI and data analytics are all critical, in tandem with people. We need to concurrently invest in skills to get the best out of these innovations, especially if we want a long term functioning society to manage this nascent 4th industrial revolution, without unrest and social upheaval.
Ponder for a second on any investment you make in a manufacturing business. The following are likely to be true:
Somebody has to research the market
Somebody has to talk to vendors
Somebody has to negotiate and buy it
Somebody has to commission it
Somebody has to programme it
Somebody has to maintain it
Somebody has to load and unload it during the shift
Somebody has to change the kit over or update the programme/parameters
Somebody has to respond to it when the Andon goes off
Somebody has to act on that
Somebody has to interpret the data that comes out of sensors
Somebody has to troubleshoot
Somebody has to problem solve and…
…a number of people have to find kaizen to keep you competitive.
‘Somebody’ might be multiple people for each of these activities. What is clear is that ‘Somebody’ needs to considered alongside the physical and data innovation that Industry 4.0 has to offer. InterAct are, comfortingly, working in that space.
This raises an important question about where manufacturers should invest in digital manufacturing. Investment always warrants head scratching as capital dollars/pounds/euros and yen are scarce, but thinking is free. The mantra I’d advise you to adopt underpins the model below. Invest where you SHOULD, not just where you CAN.
This requires pausing, thinking and coming to the CapEx table with a business problem to solve – low productivity or persistent specific quality issues for example. Having said that, the lean start-up principle of creating proof-of-concepts means we can place multiple bets (run trials) on various technologies, as long as we treat them like little experiments to learn whether they’re worth investing in further.
A smart way of thinking about all of this is the Toyota style thinking that I experienced on my last two trips to Japan. They think of it as a numerator and a denominator. The numerator represents the equipment you use to create value that your customers will buy. The aim is to improve the equipment work. The denominator represents the people working in the manufacturing business and asks whether we can improve people’s work.
Within this model, the categories to invest time and resources in are those that:
For the Equipment – “predict problems” or detect “early symptoms” of problems (both of these are likely Safety, Quality or Delivery related)
For the People – “eliminate low value added work” (like walking around checking things at the start of the shift or the admin burden of logging results/performance) or “reduce variation in standard work” (as an example, think 2 setters on opposite shifts changing the same machine from part A to part B, but the first setter takes twice as long)
The real gold to be mined is in the 2 bubbles that serve both. Digital manufacturing done well can “visualise issues” that are hidden to the human eye or our current data harvesting and sensor inputs. Rather nicely, if you listen hard enough to the data, it can identify the next, best kaizen to take you forward.
The idea is this; if you focus on both Equipment and People you’re going to open up a bigger benefit by improving both the numerator and denominator. That sounds very much like competitive advantage to me. As Eddie Jones (yes, the former England Rugby coach) said in his recent book on Leadership “The only reliable advantage we’ve got is to learn faster than the opposition”
InterAct is the best game in town, looking into the future to secure the role of human skill in our bright digital future. Get involved, you can either snooze your way to 2040 and then stand, blinking into the sunlight, complaining about the outcome. Or you can help shape and secure the UK’s place in manufacturing’s coming world order. Interact is moving into an exciting phase in 2023/24 where the research bears practical fruit. There are various ways to get involved, and you can keep up to date with all the latest news and opportunities here.
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InterAct is pleased to announce the recipients of our second round of Systematic Review funding. These two projects are led by Dr. Dalila Ribaudo of Aston University and Dr. Nikolai Kazantsev of the Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge. The projects will focus on topics relating to ‘Manufacturing in the metaverse’ and ‘Perceptions of manufacturing’.
Manufacturing in the metaverse: Conceptual model and future research directions
Principal Investigator:
Professor Chander Velu – Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge.
Lead researcher:
Dr. Nikolai Kazantsev – Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge.
Project Outline:
The industrial metaverse uses ‘virtual and augmented reality to blend the physical and digital worlds to transform how businesses design, manufacture and interact with objects’.
The project aims to provide a coherent interdisciplinary summary of established knowledge from academia and practice on the application and potential benefits of a metaverse in manufacturing, mainly focusing on bridging technical and social insights.
The specific objectives are:
To clarify the terminology, technologies, and roles the metaverse can play in manufacturing.
To derive the barriers, drivers and benefits of adopting the metaverse for individuals, firms, the manufacturing ecosystem and the economy.
To summarise a conceptual model and outline future research directions of an industrial metaverse in manufacturing.
The industrial metaverse is often explored solely from a technological perspective despite being a fast-growing field of study in various domains. As a result, complex terms and concepts are misinterpreted by the industry, resulting in an overlapping stack of technologies and, therefore, unclear evidence of the application of the concept in manufacturing.
By investigating overlooked social and economic factors behind metaverse applications, the project aims unlock the virtual space for goods manufacturing and transaction, and discover how the interactions between firms and customers happen.
The team is open for collaborations on this research. Please contact nk622@cam.ac.uk if you are interested.
The purpose of a potential collaboration would be to better inform research on the positioning of the metaverse as a technological tool in manufacturing.
The team are keen to hear from:
Industrial partners who have already applied some elements of virtual reality or who want to do so soon, but are unclear on how to progress due to the perceived risks or unclear benefits of the technology.
This could be technology providers, such as Vuforia, Hololens (MST), Meta or creators of alternative augmented reality glasses.
How to make manufacturing charming again? It is everything, everywhere, all at once.
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Dalila Ribaudo – Aston University
Co-investigators:
Dr. Guendalina Anzolin – University of Cambridge
Dr. Jennifer Castañeda-Navarrete – University of Cambridge
Project Outline:
The aim of this project is to conduct a comprehensive literature review of the perceptions of manufacturing, with a particular emphasis on international industrial strategies.
The team plans to analyse how perceptions of manufacturing have been changing across countries and how governments are taking actions to bring manufacturing back into the policy agenda. One of the main areas where this is happening is the adoption of digital technologies, a field where the changing features of manufacturing are evident.
For example, policy makers need to design industrial strategies that address both the increasingly higher requirement for skilled labour, and firms’ adoption of digital technologies, while also developing strategic sectors, such as semiconductors.
This study will reveal how countries prioritize manufacturing in the context of national and regional industrial strategies (i.e., for example with the levelling up agenda in the UK and the Innovation and Competition Act in the US.
There are four main topics the team will examine that can be linked to negative perceptions on manufacturing:
It is believed to be a declining industry, replaced by services, especially in advanced economies.
Manufacturing is a low-skilled and low-paying employment environment.
Manufacturing is a dirty and polluting industry that harms the environment.
Ideological as well as practical barriers for policymakers to provide sufficient attention to manufacturing.
The InterAct team joined projects from across the Made Smarter Innovation ecosystem in June at Smart Factory Expo, part of Manufacturing and Engineering week. Part of the Made Smarter Innovation stand, InterAct showcased the initial findings of the ‘Perceptions of manufacturing’ survey from the Future of Work team.
Attendees also had the chance to hear from InterAct Co-directors, Professor Jan Godsell and Professor Jillian MacBryde across two sessions in the Innovation Theatre.
Professor MacBryde was invited to chair the Institute for Manufacturing panel discussion ‘Gender and Digital Technologies’, examining the barriers, challenges, and potential solutions to involving more women in the manufacturing environment.
Professor Godsell then delivered an insightful talk on ‘Delivering the digital future we want, together’. This presentation focused the need for self-sufficiency in critical production, lessons from the manufacturing past and the work of the Future of Digital Manufacturing Ecosystems team on analysing scenarios for the future. A full slide deck from the session is available for download here.
While hybrid working stole the limelight during the pandemic, we’re hearing about increasing numbers of employers with frontline staff that are now creating greater flexible working for people who can’t work from home.
The manufacturing sector is a case in point. Until recently, employers generally told us that flexible working just wasn’t possible where machine operatives and production lines were involved. And yet, we recently spoke at an event with InterAct at Strathclyde University about the ‘future of work’, and we heard from a range of manufacturing and engineering firms that are implementing different kinds of flexibility that support their people and their business.
For example, The Alex Begg Group, based in Ayr, has moved production staff that handcraft luxury scarves and blankets on to annualised hours. This means staff work four-day weeks at the start and end of the year, and five-day weeks in the busier middle period. Staff benefit from longer weekends in quieter periods, and the business benefits from having staff on hand when they’re most needed without increasing costs.
Livingston-based precision engineers, Almond Engineering, haveintroduced more flexible hours. Staff need to be in work during the core hours of 9am-3pm but people can start and finish before or after these times as long as they work their 39 hours in the week.
Energy solutions firm Aggreko is promoting more roles as part time, in part to retain older, more experienced workers who are key to training and supporting new recruits and apprentices.
In each case there are mutual benefits as workers have more choice and control over how they manage their work and home responsibilities, which we know boosts wellbeing, while employers benefit from retaining loyal, engaged and productive staff, and employers are more attractive to a much wider pool of potential new staff. Flexible working is very much part of the future of work for manufacturing firms.
If you’d like to create more flexible ways of working for frontline manufacturing staff, here are out top 10 practical tips. Many are seemingly very small changes but they can make a big difference.
1. Advanced notice of shifts
If you can plan ahead and give people more notice of their shifts, including specifics about location if this varies, it gives them more control over the rest of their life. They can book medical appointments, arrange childcare, or just know when they can go for swim or take the dog for a walk.
2. Reliable, predictable shift patterns
Creating a regular shift pattern also helps people have more control over work and life outside because they can anticipate shifts, and plan accordingly.
3. Know your team
Understanding someone’s personal circumstances can help you create a shift pattern that works. You might not be able to accommodate everyone’s preferences all the time. But knowing what employees prefer means you can design rotas that keep people happier in general, and need fewer swaps.
4. Direct rota input for employees
Have you ever tried letting your team put together their own rota? You might need to intervene if there are gaps. But you can be sure staff are getting more of the shifts they want if they’ve chosen them directly.
5. Easy shift swaps
Make it simple for people to change shifts with a colleague if they need to. There are good apps that can help teams communicate clearly, view rotas and swap shifts quickly, as well as email and group messaging.
6. Small adjustments
Allowing staff to make small, guilt-free adjustments when the unexpected happens – a broken boiler, poorly child or elderly relative who needs support, for example. This makes a huge difference to how stressed people feel, if it’s ok to make small changes to their working pattern to deal with something important happening at home.
7. Flexible hours and shifts
Would part-time hours work for some people in some roles? This can instantly open up roles to more people, especially parents, carers and people with disabilities who can’t work full time. It can also save the company money by only paying salaries for the time you really need. Would two people job-sharing be able to deliver the same outcomes for customers? Or compressed hours (doing fewer, longer days)? Would a twilight shift suit some people better, or fewer, longer shifts? Think about what sort of flexibility could work for your teams, and remember ost people only want relatively small amounts of flex.
8. Small amounts of working from home
Could some parts of roles could be done at home? Whether it’s admin tasks, some staff meetings or training. Even just a small amount of home working, where possible, can make a difference to someone’s busy week.
9. Talk about existing flexible working and wellbeing benefits
Many companies have brilliant support and benefits that some employees have no idea exist. It’s an easy win to shout about what you already have. Make sure your staff take their leave entitlement, and understand what’s available to support parents and carers. Remind them there’s an employee network that might be helpful, that there are mental health first aiders they can talk to, or simply flag lunchtime activity classes if you have them. Make sure your people know all the support they can tap in to.
10. Train great line managers
Managers who can communicate effectively and empathetically with their teams will get the best from them. This includes ensuring colleagues who aren’t always sat at computers have the information they need and the ability to share their opinion freely, as well was understanding changes in people’s circumstances and being open to sensitive discussions, such as people having too much work.
For more information about Flexibility Works and the support we provide to employers, please visit flexibilityworks.org
The InterAct Future of Work team carried out a survey of 2107 members of the public to find out more about the wider perceptions of the manufacturing industry and manufacturing jobs. Their early findings have been summarised in a series of infographics available for download below, and explored further in a series of blogs from Dr. Robert Stewart.
