Big Bang or Step by Step? Choosing the Right Digital Path for Your Factory
For many manufacturers, the decision to introduce digital tools is clear - the spreadsheets have become monsters, the whiteboard is out of date by the afternoon, everyone has a different version of the design drawings and you can't read the signatures or the dates on the quality check sheet.
At some point, most manufacturers reach the same fork in the road: do we change everything at once, or do we improve things one step at a time?
There’s no single right answer. But there is a right answer for your business.
The “Big Bang” Approach: Starting Fresh in one go?
A “big bang” digital transformation usually happens when there is no significant digital system in place, or when the existing setup is not heavily relied on.
In this scenario, manufacturers may choose to implement a single, end-to-end system that covers orders, production, inventory, and delivery in one coordinated move.
It can seem like a natural desire to think this is the easy option - but tackling a single change in a fast moving factory means thinking about every aspect of the factory ahead of launch.
The time to analyse every little corner of your business, so that you can decide how to digitise it all in one go, is almost a never ending task. Lining up all the ducks and then switching over just doesn’t take into account the reality of the many moving parts of a busy factory and team trying to get orders out the door, your integrations with suppliers, HR, finance and other systems.
When big bang can makes sense:
You have a small team, or one that picks up new things quickly and can make time for their training
You have significant time to commit to a full discovery of the whole business operation ahead of launch
You don’t currently have a big reliance on digital tools - you are moving from paper and whiteboards
The challenge is creating time to change. Big bang can feel disruptive if it isn’t well scoped and supported. It works best when leadership is aligned, processes are already simplified and understood, and the focus is on improving flow — not digitising complexity.
The Step-by-Step Approach: Building on What You Already Have
If you already have some digital tools in place or you have a factory that doesn’t slow down, you’re far more likely to be successful in a step-by-step implementation approach
This is common for manufacturers using a mix of accounting software, inventory spreadsheets, and whiteboards. Things work — but only with effort, manual updates, and a lot of double-handling.
Rather than replacing everything at once, businesses focus on replacing one key area that sets the foundation for other areas giving the staff time to learn the first piece first.
A common starting point is production management — gaining visibility of what’s on the floor, what’s late, and what’s coming next. Once that’s working well, attention often turns to inventory, then order tracking, quoting, or scheduling.
When step-by-step works well:
You already have digital tools, perhaps some that you heavily rely on
Your current tools don’t solve some key problems for you.
The team is nervous about large-scale change, or need a little more support with learning new ways of working
Your operations are so busy that you need to introduce changes step by step
This approach can reduce risk and builds confidence. Each improvement stands on its own, while preparing the business for the next step.
The key is intent. Step-by-step should still move toward a coherent system, not create a new patchwork of tools that don’t talk to each other.
Thinking about the New Year - is it time for a change?
The Real Question: Flow, Not Software
Whether you choose big bang or incremental change, success depends less on software features and more on keeping your business operations flowing and jobs going out the door.
Choosing the Right Path
Before deciding how to move forward, ask:
What software are you currently relying on most?
What problems are the most pressing for your operations?
How comfortable is the team with change?
Digital transformation doesn’t have to be dramatic to have big effects but you do need to make the first step. If you already have tools in place then you may achieve better results by biting off one module at a time moving steadily towards the new approach.
The best approach is the one that improves flow, sharpens decisions, and gives you confidence that the factory can run — even when you step away.
Talk to Takticians about how your factory runs and we can tailor an implementation plan that suits your operations.
