Hybrid Manufacturing 5.0 aimed to improve working practices in a validation laboratory set within a large manufacturing company. To this end, a human-centric approach was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Indeed, employees working in the validation lab were initially involved in a focus group session to understand how they described their working routines, which tasks they considered more complex and whether they could identify any flaws. The outcomes from the focus group session allowed the researchers to arrange an observation session in the field.

During the observation the researchers videotaped the unfolding of work routines for an entire work shift with multiple cameras set up in strategic locations within the laboratory. Afterwards a structured computer-supported video analysis was conducted. The joint interpretation of data from focus groups and video analysis infomed a list of recommendations to innovate the work practices and routines, in particular suggesting the introduction of portable and wearable computers to enable employees the constant monitoring of the undergoing tests.

References:

Orso, V., Ziviani, R., Bacchiega, G., Bondani, G., Spagnolli, A., & Gamberini, L. (2022). Employee-centric innovation: Integrating participatory design and video-analysis to foster the transition to Industry 5.0. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 173, 108661.

Orso, V., Ziviani, R., Barattini, R., Bondani, G., Radu, R., & Gamberini, L. (2018, October). Employee-Driven innovation for improving working practices: preliminary findings from a case study. In 2018 Sixth International Conference on Enterprise Systems (ES) (pp. 69-74). IEEE.