Doing Industry 4.0 - participatory design on the shop floor in the view of engineering employees.
Pfeiffer S, Lee H, Held M (2019)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2019
Journal
Book Volume: 37
Pages Range: 293-311
Journal Issue: 2
URI: https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CRLA/article/view/66039/4564456552274
DOI: 10.5209/crla.66039
Abstract
Industry 4.0 features a cluster of diverse technologies. Implementing these in the enterprise
will require a considerable amount of participation. Current forms of participatory design (Agile
methods, design thinking, open innovation) more closely involve customers, but not generally the
company’s own production workers. We investigate if and how the production engineers who will
implement Industry 4.0 want to involve their colleagues on the shop floor. We present results of
qualitative interviews, a quantitative survey and Q-sorts conducted with around 230 engineering
employees of an automotive plant. Participating engineers were invited to express their viewpoints,
experiences and visions on how production workers could be involved in the implementation of
Industry 4.0. On the one hand, the data suggest positive attitudes towards, and experiences of
participation. On the other hand, participation is demanding: respondents report a lack of time
and opportunities. It may require more imagination and initiative to break through existing formal
processes often restricted to “catch-up” improvements.
Authors with CRIS profile
How to cite
APA:
Pfeiffer, S., Lee, H., & Held, M. (2019). Doing Industry 4.0 - participatory design on the shop floor in the view of engineering employees. Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales, 37(2), 293-311. https://doi.org/10.5209/crla.66039
MLA:
Pfeiffer, Sabine, Horan Lee, and Maximilian Held. "Doing Industry 4.0 - participatory design on the shop floor in the view of engineering employees." Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales 37.2 (2019): 293-311.
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