Involving all employees in the digital transformation – is that even possible? The Herne public utilities have done it!
How can all employees of a company be involved across departments in the expansion of digitalization and introduction of AI and provide valuable insights to guide the digital transformation?
They have been providing care for more than 120 years Herne public utilities your customers reliably with energy. A traditional company has become a modern energy service provider – always looking for new ways to supply and generate energy – for the benefit of customers and the environment.
Challenges and advice needs
Like most public utilities, the Herne public utilities will have to prepare for severe skilled labor shortages in the future. They are trying to counteract this development, among other things, by expanding digitalization and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The work of the municipal utility is characterized by a large administrative effort, a high volume of customer questions, constant data collection and complex testing procedures. In addition, a secure energy supply and a competitive price level must be guaranteed. In addition, Stadtwerke Herne is characterized by a wide range of citizen-oriented tasks and a very diverse corporate structure. This results in a very individual and heterogeneous approach to new technologies by various departments.
The company therefore sought a company-wide approach to an overall digitalization and AI strategy. This is exactly where the KI NRW Future Center came in, supporting this process with several offers. The various elements of the developed process, which was designed specifically for the Herne public utility company, are presented below.
“The collaboration with the KI NRW Future Center was very enriching for us and the personal exchange was always very pleasant.”
Holger Hansmeyer (Head of IT & Digitalization – CIO & CDO)
Strategic support from the KI NRW Future Center
The collaboration was characterized by a variety of activities, all aimed at supporting the municipal utilities’ AI and digitalization strategy development.
The introduction was with the KI Center of Excellence A workshop was held on various cross-departmental exchange and steering formats. As a result, the circle format should be introduced at the municipal utilities.
- Getting started with the introduction of an AI circle
The introduction to the AI Circle work started with a basic introduction to the functional principles and fields of application of AI. Afterwards, a group of around 20 people (as representatives and multipliers from all departments) were introduced to the theory of circle work, including success and framework conditions.
Workshop result on the framework design of the Herne municipal utilities’ AI circle
In order to define the multiplier role of the participants, expectations and needs were worked out and compiled through so-called “persona” developments. Personas are imagined images of a typical user. Finally, our own framework and conditions for success were developed and the concept of KI-Circle-Stadtwerke Herne committed.
Circle team in the discovery phase
“The KI NRW Future Center has supported us in bundling all areas of the company across the board and establishing a new form of exchange within the company. With the KI Circle, we have already been able to further advance seven projects that are very important to us.”
Holger Hansmeyer (Head of IT & Digitalization – CIO & CDO)
- AI day for all employees
The KI NRW Future Center provided support and advice KI Center of Excellence Furthermore, when organizing an AI day. The AI Day was aimed at all employees of the company. Through the lectures and workshops offered, as many employees as possible were informed about future topics and were involved in the development of digitalization potential and AI application ideas on their own initiative and participatory basis.
Ulrich Koch, CEO and CEO of Stadtwerke Herne at the AI Day in the foyer of the main building
The KI NRW Future Center also conducted semi-standardized interviews with representatives from all departments on AI Day. The aim was to find out where the use of AI could make sense for the company and the different workplaces and where there is a high need and benefit from the workforce. During the subsequent evaluation, the ideas from all departments were identified and condensed into a report. As a result, the subject areas were transferred to the KI NRW Future Center KI Center of Excellence passed on.
On this basis, the AI Circle was able to define seven application areas that will be implemented in the departments with the help of internal and external support. The AI circle introduced by the KI NRW Future Center will continue to support the departments in the implementation and design in the future.
In addition, it becomes a higher-level task of the KI Center of Excellence be to develop a cross-company guideline for the use of AI in the company. This was the wish of many employees in order to give everyone more security when dealing with innovative and new technologies.
“For us as a company, the AI Circle is an exchange platform about the different challenges of AI projects and creates synergies between the departments. Through this exchange, we can specifically tackle the projects that are specific and relevant to our company.”
Holger Hansmeyer (Head of IT & Digitalization – CIO & CDO)
Conclusion
The AI Circle format has proven to be a good exchange format for exchanging information on current and innovative trends within the company and for controlling digital development in the company across departments. With the help of the Future Center KI NRW, the company was able to build a structure that enables it to find its own answers to the ongoing challenges that arise in the context of digitalization and AI. The Future Center KI NRW is convinced that the Herne public utility company will succeed in an efficient expansion of digitalization and a targeted entry into AI through this cross-departmental form of exchange, through which they may also be able to overcome the upcoming shortage of skilled workers and will continue to be available to support future projects.
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