Why Automation Is NOT the Goal with Stephen T. Hopper of Inviscid Consulting

In this episode, we’re joined by Stephen T. Hopper, Founder and Principal at Inviscid Consulting. Stephen brings decades of experience in supply-chain operations and shares valuable insights on optimizing processes before introducing automation. He explores the importance of being requirements-driven rather than solutions-driven and highlights the need to extract the maximum potential from existing resources before considering automation. Stephen also emphasizes the role of on-the-ground workers in generating the best ideas for process improvements and draws attention to how businesses can benefit from their insights.

Key Takeaways:

(01:51) Inviscid Consulting’s unique name origin explained.
(05:09) Two buckets of supply chain, planning vs. execution.
(08:54) Automation should be a tool, not a goal.
(12:45) Shipping and fulfillment is the least automated area.
(24:14) Engage the workforce to uncover hidden efficiencies.
(25:23) The plank parable — environment matters in performance.
(33:39) Focus on small, incremental improvements.

Resources Mentioned:

Stephen T. Hopper -
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevehopper/

Inviscid Consulting -
https://www.linkedin.com/company/inviscid-consulting

Georgia Institute of Technology -
https://www.gatech.edu/

Tucker: The Man and His Dream - IMDB -
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096316/

ProMat Trade Show -
https://www.promatshow.com/

MODEX Trade Show -
https://www.modexshow.com/

Enhancing Operations and Customer Engagement with B2B Workflow Automation - https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0cdkPL0

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