Design and Early Industrial Deployment of a Digital Continuous Improvement System for Manufacturing

Abstract

Manufacturing companies often register process deviations in operational systems while managing continuous improvement (CI) actions through separate spreadsheets, templates and meeting records. This fragmentation weakens traceability between detection, prioritisation, execution and verification. This paper presents Digital for Continuous Improvement (D4CI), a configurable digital CI system developed from eight literature-derived requirements covering event traceability, detection and escalation rules, transparent assessment, workflow routing, planning, verification and interoperability. The architecture combines data input, relational storage, application logic and user interfaces within a shared information model. Deviations are recorded against process targets or expected conditions, while recurrence criteria consolidate related deviations into occurrences. Impact, Effort and Waste–Cost inputs are stored with the calculated scores and used to recommend an Action for Immediate Improvement, Quick Win or A3 pathway. Planning, execution and verification records remain linked to the originating problem. D4CI was deployed in a metalworking company with established Lean routines and evaluated through implementation records, observation of system use and consolidated feedback. The requirement–function mapping confirmed coverage of the eight design requirements. Deployment evidence indicated centralised problem records, traceable prioritisation criteria, shared visual follow-up of open actions and retrieval of completed CI records. Operational effects require longer observation and comparative performance data.