Making Digitalisation Fun: A board game to explore opportunities and challenges in the digitalisation process
Digitalisation is transforming manufacturing, but the process can be complex. Professor Milton Borsato’s research highlights the crucial role of people in this transformation, exploring the challenges and opportunities they face. To bring his findings to life, he created a board game that challenges players to manage digitalisation, balancing leadership, change management, budgets, and new skills in key technologies like data analytics and digital twins.
Digitalisation in manufacturing refers to integrating digital technologies and solutions into various aspects of the manufacturing industry. It is a complex process, and it involves using digital tools, data, and automation to optimise and enhance manufacturing processes, improve productivity, increase efficiency and enable better decision-making.
Last year, the P-LD was delighted to host Professor Milton Borsato, from the Federal University of Technology Parana, Brazil. During his time at the University of Bath he explored the importance of understanding both the risks and opportunities that come with digitalisation. His research focused on the people related aspects of this change, aiming to raise awareness and offer practical insights for successful digital transformation.
As part of his work, he created a board game designed to raise awareness of the key people-related aspects of the digitalisation process. In this game, players are encouraged to consider various factors involved in planning and managing digitalisation in organisations, such as change management support and effective leadership. At the same time, they must manage their budgets and acquire the skillsets needed to drive transformation. These skillsets are based on critical technological solutions for digitalisation in manufacturing identified by his research, such as data analytics, automation and robotics, and Digital Twins.
Successful digitalisation means smoothly integrating digital tools into manufacturing processes, which can lead to better efficiency, quality, and competitiveness. However, this journey can be uncertain and risky, so it is important to have a solid plan for managing those risks. The board game offers a fun and relaxed way for players to think about these challenges and opportunities.
Additional Resources
Author’s profile
Professor Milton Borsato is a Professor at the Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Brazil, leading the Intelligent and Sustainable Manufacturing Lab in the Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering and Materials, and holds a position as external member of the faculty collegiate for the Doctoral Program "Enzo Ferrari" at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
If you would like further information on this research please email: p-ld@bath.ac.uk
