INDUSTRY 5.0: THE RIGHT QUESTION

During my career, I was multiple times reminded that it is enough to ask 5 times WHY. Especially during the five years working in the environment of second-largest Japanese corporation it seems like without the FIVE WHYS, no solution can be found.

To be honest I hate it

I never use it myself and don´t like some of the Japanese managers apply it to me.

Just a few days after I left the company I hold a speech on a conference and this was the first time to say the following sentence

IF YOU SPEND MORE TIME ON FORMULATING YOUR QUESTION, YOU DONT WASTE TIME TO ASK FIVE TIMES WHY

It was such a relief

Not because my boss was Japanese, but because I prefer all the time I remember to ask the right questions. In INDUSTRY 5.0 this would be the same important.

One of the questions we have to ask is not

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

but

HOW MUCH WOULD BE CONSUMED

I would like to use the words of one of the leading European experts for advanced business planning Pavel Cerny, words he uses to comment the comparing between INDUSTRY 4.0 and INDUSTRY 5.0

Here is his comment

“Definitely produce to use, or produce to meet the demand if you will. Not to push to sell. A demand-driven supply chain will not only boost your profits but also make your efforts environmentally friendly…”

These are words of a man who can with his team deliver predictive tools which can with almost 100% accuracy say what would be sold tomorrow, thanks to analytical tools and big data processing.

To do that, “all he needs” is TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Not only people have to be asked, but computers and memories

People like Mr. Černý know how to ask.

HOW MUCH WOULD BE CONSUMED = DEMAND PLANNING

It is not important not only spend time on the question but on the right and correct definition of “DEMAND” because for many, especially sales force the answer is “EVERYBODY NEEDS IT”

With this approach, people started the HUNTING SEASON FOR MORE and there is no DEFENDING TIME.

The find and define the right question is not easy, in the contrary, it is very hard. You have to spend a lot of time, but if you do, the right question can change the mindset of many.

The right question can help us to avoid the mistakes of the past.

There is only one question

DO ALL WANT IT?