Short answer
Why you first need to build habits, standard and accountability, and only then automate data and reporting.
People and process first
Automation doesn't fix chaos. If operators, leaders and managers don't share a common standard and rhythm for responding to deviations, the system will only show the problem faster — a problem the organization still can't solve.
A day in the life
I start by working with the operator. I observe how the shift unfolds, gather data, talk about obstacles and separate real losses from assumptions. That gives material for a Pareto analysis and lets me choose the problems with the biggest impact on the result.
PDCA before the dashboard
The team solves priority problems in a PDCA cycle. It builds a standard, an owner and a way to control it. Only once the behavior is stable is it worth connecting machines, automating reporting and scaling the solution.
Why this sequence works
Technology becomes an amplifier of a good management system. Data becomes available faster, deviations become visible, and decisions get made based on facts. The organization doesn't waste energy producing reports nobody knows how to use.
Author
Andrzej Smoleński — production and operations transformation manager, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. More than 20 years of experience developing processes, teams and management systems.