We began thinking about GainSeeker as a platform for quality and manufacturing data a few years ago. The slide on the left is one way we talk about the platform. Starting at the top, clients achieve business outcomes by building solutions (Use Cases) to specific business problems on top of the GainSeeker Platform.
We starting using that platform language because it reflected how our clients were actually using GainSeeker. Even though we saw GainSeeker as an SPC (Statistical Process Control) software solution, our customers were using it for much more. They were solving all kinds of interesting and difficult data problems. From a technology perspective, there are a number of reasons for this, as I described in last month’s post.
But they all boiled down to creative work by our clients and our team to solve real world problems and provide real bottom-line value to our clients. You can read about some of these creative solutions in our Case Study Library.
Changing our language was an important shift, but it was just a first step.
It was just a first step because every solution, or Use Case, was more or less customized for every client. We’d sit down with the client and ask, “What are you trying to accomplish?” And that would start a conversation that would lead to a solution that was tailored to their business. Every solution was a lot size of one.
While the results were often stunning, you can imagine that the whole process involved some tolerance for risk on both sides. For some it was too big a leap of faith and we didn’t move forward.
So we’ve been wondering, “How do we make it easier – both for us and our clients? How do we reduce the risk?”
When we stepped back, we realized that even though each client’s situation was unique and special, there were certain patterns that emerged. For example, an overpack and weight control problem (Net Contents Management) is pretty much the same whether you’re packaging snack foods or chemicals.
And that got us wondering, how can we capture this knowledge from all of this experience and leverage that in service of all of our clients?
What emerged was the idea of a library of best practices dedicated to sharing these solutions.
We began working on this library in Summer 2017. After a few iterations we moved it to our public website and the result is the beta version of the GainSeeker Platform Library (GPL).
GainSeeker Platform Library Beta
This blog post and the next GainSeeker Tech Tips Live announces the beta release of the GainSeeker Platform Library. With this soft launch, the GPL is accessible only through the direct link provided here. When we’re ready to go live, we’ll make it accessible through a menu link on the Hertzler.com home page.
What is the GainSeeker Platform Library?
The GainSeeker Platform Library is wiki-like library of solutions. Each solution is a kit that consists of a collection of documents and supporting information about a specific use case. We’ve defined four levels of kit development:
| Level | Description |
| 0 | Wish List – this is our collection of ideas for possible Platform Library Kits. |
| 1 | Topic Page:The home page for a given kit. The Topic Page usually starts with a description of the purpose of the kit, and includes both System and Typical design consideration sections. |
| 2 | Topic + Subpages: Subpages add additional information on implementing the kit. Depending on the topic, these may include additional background and considerations. |
| 3 | Topic, Subpages + Rich Content: Rich Content may include Scripts, Dashboards, Sample Data, and so forth. Typically, there is still some customization required to implement a kit, but these specific examples are “pictures worth thousands of words.” |
At the time of writing this post, we have seven kits available at Level 1 or higher. Of course this will grow over time, both in range and depth. Here is what you’ll find now on the site:
| Kit Name | Level |
| Key Performance Indicators Across Silos of Data | 1 |
| Overpack & Weight Control | 2 |
| Integration | 2 |
| Overall Equipment Effectiveness | 2 |
| Multi-Plant Rollup | 1 |
| Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics | 1 |
| Gate Release Tracking | 1 |
More solutions are coming soon. Here are some that are in the works:
- Auditing and Compliance
- Defect Tracking
- Real-time SPC (Quick Start)
Our next GainSeeker Tech Tips Live will focus on one of the kits: setting up GainSeeker for OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
So here are two things you can do right now:
- Click here to browse the GainSeeker Platform Library. Poke around in it and see if you learn anything of interest. We’d love to get your feedback, and invite you to comment directly on the page, or email our sales team with feedback at sales@hertzler.com.
- Click here to register for the next GainSeeker Tech Tips Live webinar, scheduled for January 18th, 2018 at 2pm EST. The topic will be Implementing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Look for the “Register” link under the pictures. The password to register is GSTTL.
Hope to hear your feedback on the new GainSeeker Platform Library, and see you at Tech Tips Live.
