Intention Becomes Momentum: Mobile Apps For Industrial Operations See Huge Uptake

Intention Becomes Momentum: Mobile Apps For Industrial Operations See Huge Uptake

In the recently published 2021 Verdantix operational excellence global corporate survey, we asked 256 executives about their awareness and adoption rate for 12 technologies and found mobile apps to have the highest implementation rate. With a further 23% of firms looking to implement mobile apps in the next 12 months we expect this burgeoning market to flourish throughout 2022. This is in line with last year’s survey findings where operations executives mentioned mobile apps to be the most significant technology for their firms’ operational excellence initiatives and now they are turning intentions into actuality.

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the importance of digitization across the globe: industrial facilities make no exception to this trend. As firms look to replace paper-based processes to digital data collection mobile apps rise as prime candidates to help them on their digital transformation journey. Digital data collection on-site makes for low-hanging fruit for industrial facilities as it helps collect more accurate data on the field and in real-time. Workers can use mobile apps to instantly report on hazards and incidents. Step by step work instructions and other information can be delivered to field workers to improve their efficiency and productivity. Mobile apps reduce time taken for inspections and audits and elevate it by leveraging augmented reality for enhanced visualisation and provide remote assistance. JGC, an oil and gas megaproject developer, implemented mobile apps as their solution to create work permits, input inspection data and increase transparency. This was the first step in JGC’s digital transformation journey.

While uptake of mobile apps in high-risk industries such as oil and gas, utilities and mining for asset maintenance and industrial operations hasn’t particularly kept pace due to challenges such as fire hazard risk, security issues and poor connectivity, this is changing. Vendors are investing in their mobile apps to provide offline functionality as well as better user interfaces to encourage further penetration.

For more information on operational excellence technologies, visit the Verdantix website.