The automation industry faces an unprecedented loss of knowledge over the next decade as seasoned workers retire in droves. Finding a way to retain departing workers' knowledge and provide the training, information and tools that will position new workers to succeed is a key driver in the design of digital user experience and the need for changes in culture and management, says Dr. Arnold Lund, GE Connected Experience Labs Technology Leader.
Sharing the stage at Minds + Machines 2015 with David Cronin, executive design director, GE Digital, Lund said the approaches of previous industrial generations—too often adapted from other sectors' business models—will not suffice. Industrial workers have specific needs that can only be addressed through intentional design, Cronin said.