Smart digitalization

Publication: October 13, 2025

New, lean and quickly implementable strategies for digitalization are needed to ensure future viability - especially in the SME sector.

Recommendations for a smart and agile digitalization strategy

Despite high levels of investment, many digital transformation projects fail. This is why new, lean and quickly implementable strategies for digitalization are needed – especially for SMEs. In this blog post, we show how manufacturing companies can gradually but systematically secure their future viability with a clearly structured digitalization strategy that builds on one another.

Digitalization must be measurable – both operationally and strategically.
Involvement of all relevant stakeholders and training to anchor digital competence.
Use and promote digital skills decentrally in your specialist department with Citizen Data Scientists.
Use change management to sustainably anchor the digital transformation in your company.

Many digitalization projects fail due to recurring structural hurdles that affect companies regardless of their size. One key bottleneck is the lack of digital skills.

Employees often do not have the necessary knowledge to work efficiently with data or digital tools.

The few specialists available are usually tied up in central IT, which makes it difficult to implement decentralized initiatives. This is compounded by complex system landscapes – outdated or non-integrated IT structures hinder access to relevant data and slow down necessary changes. The high implementation costs of traditional IT projects also pose a major challenge: Not only are they expensive and time-consuming, they often require external support. Finally, the resources in central IT are often heavily utilized with maintenance and operations, meaning that there is hardly any capacity available for innovative projects. Together, these factors mean that many digitalization initiatives come to a standstill or don’t even get off the ground.

“If you want to make digitalization smart, you don’t need a major project – you need clarity, structure and the courage to take the first step.”

Clément Ferry, Business Unit Manager at ifp consulting

Digital transformation with a plan – step by step

First the people in the company are empowered, then transparency is created through clear key figures. Building on this, information can be used effectively on the Shopfloor before tapping into technological potential such as AI and low-cost automation. This strategy creates a digital transformation that is driven by the organization itself. It promotes personal responsibility, uses existing resources and makes digitalization measurable – both operationally and strategically.

Citizen Data Scientists

If you want to accelerate digitalization in the long term, you have to bring data expertise to where decisions are made – directly to the specialist departments. It is not enough to provide digital tools; employees must also be empowered to use them effectively
Data Driven Management

Many companies today have a wealth of data at their disposal – but the potential of this data often remains untapped. The reason is rarely a lack of technology, but rather a lack of structures and unclear responsibilities.
Digital Shopfloor Management

Use the potential of your KPIs by transferring them to digital Shopfloor Management (DSM). After all, digitalization only becomes a measurable productivity gain when information leads to decisions.
Artificial intelligence

There are constantly new solutions for companies that make it possible to implement and benefit from artificial intelligence without specialist developer knowledge.
Low Cost Automation (LCA)

Automation is often equated with high costs and complex projects. However, reality shows that small, modular solutions in particular offer great effects – especially for SMEs. Low Cost Automation (LCA) significantly lowers the barrier to entry and therefore offers a realistic introduction to automation.

This strategy creates a digital transformation that is driven by the organization itself.

With the fields of action in our digitalization strategy, you promote personal responsibility, use existing resources and make digitalization measurable – both operationally and strategically. The order of the strategic fields of action on the path to digital transformation in the company is no coincidence but is based on experience from our consulting practice: We recommend empowering people in the company with digital skills and then creating transparency through clear key figures. Building on this, information can be used effectively on the Shopfloor before technological potential such as AI and low-cost automation is tapped in a targeted and gradual manner.

Whitepaper Smart digitization

Many digitalization projects fail due to recurring structural hurdles that affect companies regardless of their size. our experts for digital transformation explain how manufacturing companies can gradually but systematically secure their future viability with a clearly structured digitalization strategy that builds on one another. The white paper also contains practical tips from ifp consulting’s consulting practice.

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