In a move to address the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI),
The Right Place Manufacturers Council has introduced an AI roadmap designed to guide local manufacturers through this complex and rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The initiative stems from the council’s recognition of AI's growing importance and the need for a framework to help companies navigate these uncharted waters.
The Manufacturers Council unveiled the AI Roadmap on Aug. 14.
“When we refreshed our vision and mission, AI emerged as a key topic,” says Chris Bardeggia, vice president of operations excellence at Steelcase and chair of the Manufacturers Council. “We surveyed our members and found that while they were very interested in AI, they also rated it as the area where they had the least experience.”
This knowledge gap underscored the necessity for a comprehensive strategy. To address it, the council partnered with Twisthink, a Grand Rapids firm specializing in strategy and new product innovations. Twisthink’s human-centered approach was instrumental in ensuring the roadmap, which runs more than 70 pages, was not just technically sound but also tailored to the real-world needs of manufacturers.
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Courtesy The Right PlaceRandy Thelen discusses The Right Place's AI Roadmap during the group's Manufacturers Council Aug. 14.
Incorporating manufacturers’ needs
“We designed the project to develop an AI roadmap by first starting with manufacturers, understanding who they are, what their problems were, and even exploring ideas they already had in mind about how AI could be used,” says Taryn Kutches, vice president of brand and business development at
Twisthink.
Over several months, Twisthink led workshops to gather perspectives from more than 60 manufacturers, identifying common themes, opportunities, and innovative concepts.
The roadmap that emerged from this collaborative process offers two distinct paths. The first path is focused on individual businesses, helping them identify where AI can be implemented within their specific operations. The roadmap breaks down the possibilities into three key areas: proactive workforce development, optimized manufacturing systems and predictive business intelligence.
For example, in the area of proactive workforce development, AI can enhance recruiting processes, drive data-driven talent decisions, and develop predictive labor planning models.
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Courtesy The Right PlaceThe Right Place Manufacturers Council unveiled the AI Roadmap Aug. 14.
“There’s often a concern that AI will take the human element out of hiring, but what we’re seeing is that AI can actually serve as an assistant, helping to better match candidates to the needs of the business,” says Brad Comment, senior vice president of strategic initiatives at
The Right Place.
The second path outlined in the roadmap is more collective, encouraging regional collaboration among manufacturers. This approach is designed to benefit not just individual companies but the entire region, fostering an ecosystem where AI is embraced and supported.
“This roadmap is meant to be an action tool, not just a piece of information,” Comment emphasizes. “We’ve provided worksheets for each section so that manufacturers can work with their teams to identify where and how they can leverage AI. At The Right Place, we have resources and experts ready to connect companies with the tools and support they need.”
Encouraging the first step
Twisthink’s approach ensures that the roadmap is both practical and forward-thinking. By helping organizations identify their unique needs and match them with actionable AI opportunities, the roadmap aims to give companies the confidence to begin their AI journey, despite the uncertainty often associated with new technology.
“I hope it motivates people to take action with AI,” Kutches says. “There's a lot of talk and buzz, but it’s scary to get started because it's unknown. We hope that the AI roadmap gives people enough confidence just to get going.”
Kutches praised the region for taking the initiative on the roadmap.
“If we could give any regional organizations a key takeaway, it is just to get started. You need to adopt an experimental mindset with AI. The longer you wait, the further behind you position yourself two, three, or five years from now.”
Bardeggia says the roadmap is designed to alleviate some of the anxiety around AI and provide a perspective of what West Michigan can be as a region.
“Most importantly, we want to offer an onboarding path that is accessible to companies of all sizes, whether they have experience with AI or not. We’re trying to provide enough on-ramps to the roadmap that companies can identify who they are, where they are, and what they should do next,” Bardeggia says.
He adds that his employer, Steelcase, has already begun integrating AI into its operations, exploring its potential in manufacturing, uncovering sales insights, and optimizing pricing strategies. Bardeggia emphasized the importance of sharing these experiences to help other companies understand the tangible benefits of AI.
Seeking individual and regional success
Bardeggia and the council are keen on ensuring that the roadmap supports companies in becoming more prosperous while fostering a collaborative environment where regional growth is a shared goal.
“We’re thinking about this as a two-tiered thing,” Bardeggia explains. “We want to support companies in becoming more prosperous, and we think AI can be an enabler for that. But we also want the region to be more independent and able to solicit help within our region. If we each go on our own journey without benefiting the region, we don’t consider that success. Similarly, if the region becomes a hub but individual members aren’t prospering, that’s not success either. We’re trying to manage both.”
Both Bardeggia and Comment see the AI roadmap as a way for other manufacturers to join in regardless of where they are on their AI journey. The roadmap identifies different stages – experimenter, integrator, collaborator, and champion – allowing companies to find the right starting point and gradually increase their sophistication in using AI.
Comment and Bardeggia say the roadmap is intended to evolve as local manufacturers implement AI and share their experiences.
“This is going to be a living document,” Comment says. “We want to keep updating it with examples from local companies so that manufacturers can learn from one another. The willingness to collaborate is one of the great strengths of our region, and this roadmap is designed to harness that spirit of cooperation to help all our manufacturers succeed.”