Success Best Practices

 In this series of posts, we will dive into the building blocks for a personal TrendMiner Coach Success plan. The topic of this third post is Knowledge. Previous posts: Awareness, Desire Question: How do you handle knowledge sharing in your company? Let us know in the comments below! Why focus on making users knowledgeable on TrendMiner?Knowledge on using the TrendMiner platform transforms into the ability for users to gather insights to fuel process improvements. From a change perspective, it’s vital to give users a sense of experience with the TrendMiner platform as it gives them peace of mind. When asking people to change, we ask people to leave previous ways of working behind. This can be scary as it also means people are asked to give up their built-up experience - and comfort - with a promise of benefits after adoption. Definition of KnowledgeThe information, training and education necessary for people to know how to change.​ Knowledge & enablementWe’ve created awareness and

Hello 🙂 I’m sure most of you have used popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and others. Based on personal experience using these chatbots, I’ve discovered a few key aspects to keep in mind when prompting them to generate a summary or refine an article.  🔎 Here are three important ones:Be precise when crafting your prompt. The clearer your request, the better the output. ☝ Define your audience. Specify who the article, email, or content is intended for. 🕵🏼 Set the desired complexity level. Indicate whether you want a simple explanation or a more sophisticated, in-depth response.  My own experience 👇🏼Recently, while installing cabinetry, I turned to ChatGPT for advice since I'm far from a woodworking expert. After I described my project, it recommended the right screws for the job and even provided a clear step-by-step guide. We’d love to hear about the unique ways you’ve used different chatbots! Share in the comments below!

TrendMiner delivers significant value across various operational areas, enabling organizations to achieve measurable ROI. By addressing key questions, sponsors and project managers can identify and quantify the impact of TrendMiner in their processes. Below are just a few critical areas where TrendMiner drives efficiency, quality, and cost savings.1. Process EfficiencyKey Question: How has TrendMiner reduced downtime or prevented unplanned shutdowns? Impact: Even a 1% improvement in process efficiency can result in substantial cost savings.2. Product QualityKey Question: Has TrendMiner helped reduce product variability or defects? Impact: Improved product consistency minimizes raw material waste and enhances process reliability.3. Energy ConsumptionKey Question: What is the most energy-intensive process in your operations? Impact: Optimizing energy usage reduces costs and supports sustainability goals.4. Accelerated Troubleshooting and Root Cause AnalysisKey Question: How has TrendMine

TrendMiner Home PageThe TrendMiner home page is more than just a starting point—it’s a powerful tool to drive user engagement and adoption.Next to recent items and favorites section, the help center provides access to useful resources that can help you to use TrendMiner effectively. Including links to user guides, FAQs, contact details for customer support, and other relevant assistance. It also shows upcoming trainings like the monthly basic guide and advanced level webinar.The admin message tile, often used for announcements like system updates or maintenance, can also be a creative space to boost adoption. Here’s how: 1. Link to Your Internal TrendMiner CommunityPromote collaboration by linking forums, knowledge bases, or shared platforms. A message like: "Join our Internal TrendMiner Community: Share insights, learn from peers, and discover innovative use cases!" ...can inspire active participation. 2. Highlight Rollout Leaders or Key ContactsShowcase rollout champions or TrendMine

Hello, 🖐🏻 Here is the recording of the presentation of Lauren Steven from Bayer at TrendLab Americas! In this recorded session, Lauren highlights how TrendMiner serves as a powerful tool to drive improvements in five critical areas: safety, environmental compliance, downtime, optimization, and mechanical integrity.  With TrendMiner, she created a search to generate context items that monitor the status of their unit and track each reactor’s downtime. This allows their team to quickly assess situations and respond accordingly, thus improving the overall agility in their operations. Additionally, she has implemented a dashboard using the red, yellow, green light method.This visual approach facilitates quick access to plant process information, improving the speed and accuracy of decision making. The implementation of these methodologies not only enhances the team's ability to monitor and respond to downtimes but also integrates safety measures and alarms that safeguard operational proc

Hello ✌🏻Here is the Arthur Fernandes' (@arthurfornari) engaging presentation at TrendLab 2024 Americas. Nouryon utilized DashHub to identify process inefficiencies and reduce waste, applying Lean Six Sigma principles. TrendMiner enabled faster data analysis through pre-set dashboards, allowing for more efficient decision making. By using data driven insights, they were able to pinpoint opportunities for improvement, optimize monitoring, and engage with process stakeholders for effective follow-up and validation of solutions.Additionally, they highlight the initial use of MLHub and outline plans to leverage machine learning algorithms further in the future. Arthur’s presentation was not just informative but also showcased practical applications and success stories, leaving attendees inspired to implement these strategies within their own organizations. 💡 Did Arthur’s insights resonate with you? We would love to hear your thoughts. Sharing your experiences can inspire and benefit the e

Hello 👋🏻Operational efficiency is crucial for maintaining productivity and reducing costs in any manufacturing process. LyondellBasell faced significant operational challenges, resulting in production losses and high maintenance costs. Their previous campaigns were inconsistent, with varying operational issues making it impossible to directly compare past datasets. To address these issues and prepare for future campaigns, they needed a reliable baseline.Fortunately, TrendMiner's MLHub was instrumental in addressing these issues. How TrendMiner helped?Analyzing past campaigns Identifying process variables that impact reactor performance Building regression models to identify performance independent of unit operational mode/regimeAdditionally, it has been key in helping to generate comprehensive reports, streamlining data-driven insights for improved decision-making.👉 For more information, watch the recording of the presentation by Sean Heffernan (​@smheffer) and Joe Zimny at TrendLab

Implementing a new platform comes with its share of challenges, especially when ensuring consistent adoption among users. Whether you're a key user or the project manager driving the implementation, here are five strategies to help you tackle adoption challenges effectively.Motivation: Intrinsic and Extrinsic RewardsIndividuals are motivated by different means - intrinsic (a sense of purpose or mastery) or extrinsic (recognition or incentives). Understanding the motivators for your team will drive better engagement. Frame adoption as an opportunity for team members to enhance their skills and contribute to organizational goals.Integrate Training into DevelopmentAdoption isn’t just about familiarity—it’s about mastery. Incorporate TrendMiner into your team’s training curriculum and ongoing professional development. Ensure training is role-specific and hands-on. I once came across a quote by Ben Franklin that reads, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

Encouraging TrendMiner users to present successful use cases not only highlights the value of data-driven insights but also motivates employees to maximize their skills. By offering an incentive for the best use case, showcased in a meeting with other colleagues, the company can drive collaboration and efficiency improvements across teams. Benefits for the CompanyEnhanced Motivation: Incentives encourage employees to explore new solutions and share impactful results, increasing their engagement and creativity with TrendMiner. Knowledge Sharing: Presenting top use cases enables others to learn from proven solutions, creating a culture of shared learning and best practices. Company-wide Efficiency: Replicating successful solutions across departments accelerates process improvements and increases overall productivity. Possible Incentives for EmployeesThe most impactful use case each year could be awarded the TrendMiner of the Year title, along with the TrendMiner Award as recognition for

Here is the recording of Marc Pijpers &Sebbe Lecocq (​@Sebbe) at TrendLab 2024 Europe, where they shared how Sitech used TrendMiner to optimize production, avoid quality losses, and proactively resolve issues.Sitech faced reduced production speed and quality issues when switching from product A to B. Using TrendMiner, they quickly identified off-spec periods, calculated the feed/production speed ratio, and analyzed the ideal operating curve with xy diagrams. New conditions were set based on this analysis, avoiding €0.5M in quality losses, decreased downtime because of good preparation. For an in-depth understanding of Sitech's application of TrendMiner and the results achieved, watch their presentation at TrendLab 2024 Europe: 

Implementing and evaluating new data tools often involves two main phases: Implementation and User Adoption. While the technical aspects of implementation are crucial, the success of a new tool ultimately depends on user adoption.Many organisations struggle with the second phase, user adoption and change management. We have already shared plenty of advices regarding adoption and change management, but from our experience, one crucial factor for a successful TrendMiner adoption is the creation of an internal SharePoint to track all actions, projects, sessions, and reports.Our most successful customers have found immense value in creating a centralised repository for TrendMiner use cases and investigations. This empowers both new and experienced users to learn from each other, multiplying the benefits of TrendMiner across your organisation.An internal SharePoint can act as a valuable toolkit for your team. Whether you're a new user seeking training, an intermediate user searching for use

Have you ever noticed how we’re more likely to jump on board with something when we see others doing the same? That’s the Bandwagon Effect in action—a powerful psychological phenomenon where people adopt behaviors, trends, or tools simply because others are doing it. Like everything in life, this has both positive and negative effects, but either way, it’s a proven behavioral insight that we can harness to make your TrendMiner rollout a success. 🚀 What is the Bandwagon Effect?The Bandwagon Effect happens when people feel motivated to join a trend or adopt a behavior because they see their peers doing so. In a workplace setting, this means employees are more likely to engage with new software if they see colleagues embracing it, achieving success, or simply talking about it positively. 💡 Using the Bandwagon Effect for TrendMinerHere’s how you can use this effect to ensure a smooth rollout of TrendMiner:Highlight Success Stories: Share examples of teams or individuals who have already

Increase TrendMiner usage and improve user skills by applying a skills matrix that provides key users with a structured path for skills development, providing a clear roadmap to progress from someone who is not aware to beginner, advanced, expert and finally to TrendMiner Coach level. Embark on the journey and reach the summit to become a TrendMiner coach! Follow these three steps to get started and benefit from the TrendMiner Skill Matrix yourself by improving your Skill Level:  Take our TrendMiner Quiz and see how many points you have scored.   Download the TrendMiner Skill Matrix, open the Excel sheet "Key User questionnaire", evaluate your skill level based on the points you have achieved in the quiz and the definitions of the Key Value Streams (General, Monitoring, Reporting, Dashboarding & Troubleshooting) given for each skill level (Not aware, Beginner, Advanced, Expert, Coach).  Refer to the second sheet of the Excel file "Trainingsmaterial per Key Value" for relevant t

Hi everyone,Here is the recording of Clariant’s TrendLab presentation. In this session, David Judersleben (Assistant Plant Manager) ​@DavidJudersleben presents an use case on Clariant's energy management system, highlighting how it efficiently optimizes energy usage, reduces CO2 emissions, and lowers operational costs.About Clariant's Energy Management System:The Knapsack site of Clariant in Germany, a producer of flame retardants for construction and coatings, uses TrendMiner for continuous improvement in energy monitoring.Key Benefits of Using TrendMiner:Identifying energy waste, generating project ideas for improvement Substituting traditional lab analyses with real-time process monitoring Enhanced predictive maintenance Effective management of energy top-load Comprehensive project visualization Alarm raising and deviation tracking to preclude penalties due to excessive energy consumptionOne of the most significant achievements realized through this system is the optimization of hea

In process manufacturing, especially in chemical engineering, collaboration between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) teams is essential when implementing software like TrendMiner. For the software to work well, data from physical processes needs to be integrated with analytical tools. This requires good coordination between the OT and IT teams. Here are three key concepts that can help make your work with the IT team more effective.Data Integration and AccessibilityTo make software like TrendMiner work effectively, the data from physical processes needs to be easily accessible. The OT team collects real-time data from sensors and control systems, while the IT team ensures this data is available for analysis by providing the right infrastructure and secure connections.CybersecurityWhen OT systems (which often use older technology) are connected to IT systems, cybersecurity becomes crucial. IT teams focus on protecting systems from cyber threats, while OT needs

Hi everyone,We're excited to share a recording from the recent TrendLab Europe event (TrendMiner Community event), where Yusuf Hamurcu from ICIG provided an insightful presentation on how they leverage TrendMiner for troubleshooting, monitoring, reporting, and daily dashboard operations.Using TrendMiner brings ICIG the following value:Enhanced Process Insights: ICIG uses TrendMiner to gain real-time visual warnings, quickly identifying any out-of-spec products or batches. Improved Quality Control: Since adopting TrendMiner's soft sensor, ICIG has eliminated out-of-spec batches in their lengthy distillation process (5-15 days). Reduced Raw Material Consumption: In 2023, a valve leak was detected that resulted in a raw material loss of approximately $350,000, but it was detected and troubleshooted it so that it can be avoided now and in the future. Optimized Operations: TrendMiner's performance tags and daily dashboards support better decision-making on shutdowns, maintaining high standa

Time to value is a key metric directly impacting the bottom line—profitability. The longer it takes, the more value is lost. TrendMiner can reduce the time to value down to a fraction when proper steps are implemented. Engineers struggle daily gathering data from various sources, stitching event information with process data, and using dated technologies built for megabyte-scale data. All this is done in addition to meeting the baseline operation and production at a minimum.Here are three simple steps your organization can implement for faster time to value.Clearly communicate the objectives and goals The organization's vision must be communicated from top to bottom. There is a reason the organization has selected TrendMiner! Objectives of the project must be aligned with the vision. Engineers involved in the day-to-day must be fully aware of the desired goals. The Sponsor, Project Manager, and the end-user must feel that they are integral to the set vision.   Streamline the train

Are you looking to discover where TrendMiner can bring additional value to your organization? By following these steps, you can follow a method that is used by TrendMiner customers to identify a scalable solution to implement across multiple assets, lines & factories. Step 1: Identify a strategic processThe identified process should be equipped with the required sensors to capture the data needed for analysis and monitoring. Choosing a high-value process ensures importance within the organization. A process that is similar across multiple lines or factories is preferred as that increases the scale at which the solution can be deployed. Step 2: Gather expert insightsThe process experts of the identified process have extensive knowledge on how the assets should operate to achieve optimal results. Gathering and organizing a conversation between the process experts yields the information we need for the next step. Step 3: Define Process limitsOnce the ideal operating zones for the proc