SIMATIC IT XHQ for Operations Intelligence

"Operations Intelligence" (OI) refers to an important class of information technology that enables better decision-making and improved business performance based on the ready availability of real-time status and performance metrics throughout the organization.  

OI typically applies to production, planning and asset management activities, but can also be applied to the internal supply chain, marketing and logistics.  Typical objectives of OI are to achieve higher levels of production against assets; to reduce the cost of production; and ultimately, to improve the bottom line.

An OI platform aggregates, relates, and presents operational and business data in real-time.  It does so in a manner that is intuitive and useful for every individual who plays a role in delivering business results.  It can be applied initially to an individual site, and evolved to include all sites, divisions, regions, and the overall enterprise.

To better understand Operations Intelligence, it is useful to contrast it with Business Intelligence (BI).  BI involves the gathering and analysis of historical data that helps enterprise business analysts achieve insights for medium and long-term planning.  BI traditionally serves Financial, CRM, and Supply Chain activities.  BI analytics and reports tend to be strategic in nature and do not require quick action. 

By contrast, OI focuses on the day to day activities of the production processes.  It answers questions as: How am I doing against objectives?  How are we doing collectively?  What should we do in this situation, given these current conditions?

More: Feeding Operations Intelligence