Jerod Johnson is a Senior Technology Evangelist at CData Software. He and his team are responsible for creating and curating content that shows how easy it is to get real-time connectivity to all data, with CData's self-service data products and connectivity solutions. 

Through articles, videos, webinars, and in-person events, Johnson gets the chance to tell the stories of how CData enables advanced analytics, boosts cloud adoption, streamlines operations, and creates a more connected business. But he has apprehensions about the modern manufacturing sector, primarily regarding the supply chain.

“My biggest concern with the manufacturing industry right now is the ongoing supply chain disruptions. Localised shortages of materials often lead to lower supply, which increases demand and therefore price for the consumer. Just personally, I know it has been difficult for consumers to get their hands on higher-end computers and even gaming consoles because the manufacturers didn’t have the materials on hand to build the products,” he says.

“Personally, I’m navigating the supply chain disruption by postponing what I would call luxuries, like the aforementioned computer, a car, or even a big vacation. The supply chain disruption is making manufactured goods more scarce and more expensive, along with most other goods (like groceries and clothing). We’re lucky to be able to still purchase the things we need, but it often means going without the things that we want.”

How manufacturers can keep up with digital transformation

“Digital transformation has coincided with the ongoing cloud migration across all industries,” says Johnson. “In order to keep up with digital transformation, manufacturers need to embrace it.” 

This embrace could include adopting digital technologies, embracing agile methodologies in order to quickly adapt to changes in the digital landscape, and investing in talented workers who are up-to-date on the modern technologies. 

“Manufacturers can also expand their partnership programmes to include technology providers who will help them modernise and stay ahead of the digital curve.”

Data connectivity can help manufacturers in analysing and connecting data

Digital transformation has brought with it an enormous expansion in the number of digital services available. Each organisation has access to the best-in-breed solution to meet their needs, whether that’s a CRM, an ERP, an accounting solution, an inventory management system and beyond. 

“Adopting the best solutions ensures that manufacturers are getting the most from their investments, but it can also lead to siloed data, or data spread across disconnected systems. Siloed data adds new challenges around accessing an organisation’s data. Getting real-time value from your enterprise data used to mean a heavy burden on IT teams, but with the self-service, universal, real-time connectivity provided by solutions like CData’s, every stakeholder in an organisation can continue working with their data wherever they want, no matter where that data is, without taxing the organisation’s IT resources. With data available to the entire organisation, it is easier to perform meaningful analytics on connected data and gain actionable insights.”

2022 taught Johnson to continue to anticipate the unexpected. 

“Organisations, families, and individuals that are building responsive, flexible attitudes and cultures are going to be best equipped to identify key priorities and focus on those to find success in the continually shifting environment we find ourselves in,” he says. 

In 2023, Johnson hopes to continue to learn how to lead and manage his team as they strive to create more engaging and compelling content. 

“I’d also like to explore the impact that artificial intelligence and machine learning will have across all industries. What can AI do to help solve the worlds’ problems? From supply chain disruption to software development to data and analytics, it feels like AI and ML are on the cusp of becoming ubiquitous and entrenched in a global way.”