ITM211.
Lebanese American University
Dr Samar Aad
Cynthia Zebian/ Walid Salman/ Walid Rifai/ Hadi Khayat
Define the problem:
The problem is the need to embrace digital technologies to stay competitive in the shifting
market towards Industry 4.0, while facing constraints such as limited budget, varying digital
literacy among the existing workforce, and a short implementation timeframe of two years.
Identify decision criteria:
Criteria include:
Potential impact on efficiency, cost reduction, and competitiveness.
Feasibility within the budget and timeframe.
Relevance to the existing workforce's digital literacy levels.
Integration with existing processes and infrastructure.
Weight the criteria:
Efficiency, cost reduction, and competitiveness should carry the most weight, followed by
feasibility within budget and timeframe, relevance to workforce digital literacy, and integration.
Generate alternatives:
Potential alternatives include:
Integrating IoT for real-time monitoring of production processes.
Adopting AI for predictive maintenance to reduce downtime and maintenance costs.
Upgrading traditional machinery to smart manufacturing equipment for improved efficiency and
automation.
Implementing employee training programs for digital skill development to ensure workforce
readiness.
Evaluate alternatives:
Assess each alternative based on how well it meets the decision criteria. Consider the potential
impact, cost, feasibility, and alignment with workforce capabilities. For example:
Integrating IoT can improve efficiency by providing real-time insights into production processes,
but it may require significant investment in sensors and data infrastructure.
Adopting AI for predictive maintenance can reduce downtime and maintenance costs, but it may
require advanced expertise to implement and manage effectively.
Upgrading machinery to smart equipment can improve automation and efficiency, but it may
involve high upfront costs and potential disruption to existing workflows.
Employee training programs can enhance workforce digital literacy and readiness, but they may
require time and resources to develop and implement.
Make a decision:
Based on the evaluation, prioritize initiatives that offer the greatest potential impact on
efficiency, cost reduction, and competitiveness within the constraints of budget, timeframe, and
workforce readiness. Consider a combination of initiatives that address different aspects of the
digital transformation process while maximizing overall benefits and minimizing risks. For
example, starting with employee training programs to improve digital literacy can lay the
foundation for successful implementation of IoT, AI, and smart manufacturing initiatives, while
also helping to build internal expertise for ongoing digital innovation.
