Follow your pathImproving the precision of business processes using the Internet of Things

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Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe | Internet of Things

Digital transformation is one of several hot topics for many enterprises, and digitization and automation of business processes are key elements for this transformation. Indeed, according to a recent research article from Quocirca1, many enterprises have the need for a twofold approach: on one side they need to digitise paper-based processes, on the other there is a demand for process automation technologies and platforms. Although almost 70% of the enterprises interviewed by Quocirca recognize the importance of paper digitization as part of their overall information strategy, today the majority of them depend on paper to support their business critical processes.

The three main process areas that both large and small enterprises usually target for digitization are:

• Administrative processes such as employee on-boarding, expense approval, or contract archival;

• Production processes including warehouse and inventory management, demand or supply planning;

• Operational processes with examples such as team communication or meeting room booking.

For each of the above-mentioned areas various Business Process Management systems are used in different contexts such as Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Collaboration Tools (CT).

1 Digital transformation: bridging the paper and digital gap, Quocirca 2016. http://bit.ly/Digital-Transformation-Quocirca

2 http://www.konicaminolta.eu/en/business-solutions/products/applications/product-pages-applications/dokoni-process.html

3 The evolution of Artificial Intelligence in workplaces, KMLE 2016. http://research.konicaminolta.eu/pdf/KonicaMinolta-AI-Whitepaper.pdf

Automation of Business Processes

“Organizations in any industry depend on

automating their document workflows in

a rapidly changing environment.”

This paper presents the concept of a Process Sensor: a near-term opportunity for digital transformation that is based on the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) hardware components with dokoni PROCESS2, one of the existing products in Konica Minolta’s portfolio for Business Process Management. This integrated solution offers full business process automation, rather than a silo approach to digitization using isolated systems. Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe (KMLE) proposes to link customers’ information management systems, such as the ECM, ERP or CT already provided by Konica Minolta, with IoT devices connecting the network of people, devices and spaces within the workplace3 of the future.

The KMLE Process Sensor will extend the capabilities of information systems and create a unique infrastructure that is capable to support enterprises with their administrative, production and operational processes. It will establish a common ground for future Konica Minolta’s decision support systems and services for distributed intelligence with applications in both industrial and office environments.

Follow your path: Improving the precision of business processes using the Internet of Things

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Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe | Internet of Things

Our approach aims at introducing IoT devices within Business Process Management (BPM) system. Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe (KMLE) has developed a “Process Sensor”, a small device configurable to provide various functions and that easily integrates with dokoni PROCESS by Konica Minolta and other commercially available BPM software.The device is only 4 cm × 4.5 cm and is connected over a long-range wireless technology. It is powered by a regular coin cell battery and includes:

Push button capable to distinguish short and long clicks and double-clicks;

Motion sensor capable of detecting movement, free fall and orientation (up-down, left-right);

Thermometer for basic measurement of environment temperature between -20ºC and 70ºC;

Light indicator (red, green, orange) for providing visual feedback to the user.

The battery can sustain as much as 3 years of operation based on daily monitoring. When the button is pushed, or the device detects a movement, or the temperature exceeds a limit, the system inserts or updates a list item in dokoni PROCESS that automatically starts the workflows associated with this list.

“KMLE Process sensor uses wireless

technology and provides input to various

steps of business processes.”

KMLE Process Sensor

KMLE Process Sensor can improve the management of a business process and the following are just two tangible examples of applications.

As a Business Process button it can be used to start a workflow, for instance to place a new order or to request assistance. This use-case is suited for activities where smart phone applications are inconvenient such as receiving input from random visitors or from people that are busy with another task.

As a Sealing Device it can monitor items that are not actively used, but must be ready when needed (first aid kits, fire extinguishers). It triggers a process when the box is opened or when someone grabs the item. It can also confirm that the sealed item remains safe by triggering a warning if the item is stored in inadequate conditions (e.g. in too hot an environment), or carelessly handled (e.g. turned upside down).

The current prototypes integrate with dokoni PROCESS, but KMLE Process Sensor can be integrated with other business process management systems and can provide additional functions beyond those listed in the examples above. Other uses may be identified upon specific request of our customers and a new range of valuable services will soon become available.

Follow your path: Improving the precision of business processes using the Internet of Things

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Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe | Internet of Things

dokoni PROCESS is a generic Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution by Konica Minolta for automation of administrative processes. It can store documents along with related metadata such as the author of the document or the date and time of its last modification. It also enables users to create general lists, such as an inventory list or a list of employees, and associate the lists or document folders with specific workflows. It thereby defines a set of actions and conditions to be performed with the document or other entity within a list.

Konica Minolta’s Solutions for Business Process Management

Dokoni PROCESS is versatile and able to meet many specific needs. The business processes are created from generic components that are linked together for each individual customer without any programming skills required.

Follow your path: Improving the precision of business processes using the Internet of Things

Task, Calendar,E-mail

WorkflowDocuments

dokoni PROCESS

Trigger

Update View

Store

Forms

Multi-Function Devices(prineter, scanner)

In dokoni PROCESS a typical process starts when a document is acquired through a Multi-Functional Device, it is then stored in the dokoni PROCESS database and can be distributed between several users according to a defined workflow. Users can also access electronic forms to enter/modify the list items or document metadata. The workflow can also send e-mail notifications or generate tasks in Outlook for the involved users.

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Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe | Internet of Things

Connect your process

BusinessWorkflows

dokoni PROCESS

Trigger

Trigger

Trigger

Trigger

Drive

Drive

Feed

Feed

Documentsand lists

ID readers

Knobs

ButtonsWearables

12:25

Sound Indicators

Light Indicators

Eletronic displays

Motion sensorsThermometers

“Konica Minolta envisions a set of universal

sensors, that are easy to integrate with

existing business process solutions and

tailorable to meet specific needs.”

KMLE Process Sensor can be easily integrated with dokoni PROCESS or other business process management systems and thereby enables our customers to further automate business processes that are specific to their industry.

KMLE Process Sensor improves the quality of business operations (by increasing precision and reliability). The process automation can be extended to cover three different levels:

Parameter acquisition provides details about the status and location of assets, resources and surrounding environment (measure waste material, water or electricity).

Parameter auditing detects a failure to comply with certain rules (storage conditions, device vibrations) and provide reminders to the user to mitigate against this.

Permanent parameter monitoring provides more insights into the business operations. A data analytics system is able to identify frequent failures, predict necessary maintenance, or recommend an optimal work sequence.

Enterprises are characterized by different kinds of business processes: vertical sectors such as healthcare, retail or manufacturing have many processes that are not document-based. Addressing customers’ specific needs with tailored solutions may be expensive and require introducing and using more office tools and devices.

Instead of developing multiple customized solutions, Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe has developed a flexible solution composed of a set of pre-fabricated building blocks that require only 10% for the integration/customization efforts.

Follow your path: Improving the precision of business processes using the Internet of Things

The hardware components can be used as either an input to a workflow system, or as an output. Data provided by the sensors can be stored in dokoni PROCESS and then triggers workflows or populates information dashboards. Similarly, information stored in dokoni PROCESS can drive a display or other indicator.

Konica Minolta Laboratory Europe | Internet of Things

Talk to usExploiting Konica Minolta’s long history of innovation, research and development is taking place at our laboratories in Europe (KMLE). Our objectives are to improve and develop new products and services for the digital workplaces, keeping customers’ needs at the heart of our focus. We validate new ideas through experiments, proof-of-concept and demonstration and the results of our activities support further development of the solutions.

Konica Minolta is working hard to make business better for its clients through innovations, especially for the office environment: a clever combination of hardware sensors and data analytics of collected information is key to the delivery of successful solutions.

What are the physical devices and environment that you are involved with or responsible for in your business? What are the typical gaps or mistakes that occur in your current workflows? We would like to hear from you, and therefore we would like to invite you to take part in our “Follow your Path” http://research.konicaminolta.eu/follow-your-path-KonicaMinoltaSurvey.html survey. The results from the survey will enable us to better define common patterns in business use cases to develop broader future solutions.

http://research.konicaminolta.eu/research@konicaminolta.eu

@KMLabsEU

https://www.linkedin.com/company/konica-minolta-laboratory-europe

“We are keen to know more about your

challenges. Share with us your idea to

build new business process solutions

for your business processes.”