In the 2000’s, digitization was understood to mean converting analogue information of individual areas of the workflow into digital data. Since approximately ten years, the term digitization was expanded to digitalization.
This much more complex term means the digital transformation of nearly all processes in industry, administration and in the private sphere and therefore in all areas of modern societies. Artificial intelligence and digitalization are merging increasingly as complex data volumes can be processed more efficiently. This development has long since even included the out-of-home market. By Dieter Mailänder
Dear Readers, have you once entered the following question into your search machine: “What can’t be digitized?” You were perhaps not really surprised that only a few areas were shown which cannot be digitized; at least not completely as, for instance, conveying recognition or appreciation, working creatively, exuding empathy or trust, answering moral and ethical questions or those that explore the depths of our human existence. It is good news for us as sentient and thinking beings that these areas exist. Thus, we are still challenged with our hearts and minds.
Digitalization – A Growing Dynamic
From this starting situation, let’s turn to the growing dynamic of the digitalization of our sector. This trans-formation embraces not only more and more traditional working areas, but is also opening ever new applications as a short review shows:
Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the first nerds developed merchandise management systems (MMS). The people responsible were able to purchase and calculate computer-aided food, create meal plans, and calculate nutritional values with them.
A few years later, the first apps followed whose data would soon be stored in clouds. This made it possible for kitchen professionals to read out the consumption data of their network cross-site at any location in the world and if necessary to access them in a controlling manner. Initially, these applications were strictly manufacture-related. Developers of load managements systems pulled out their hair because they couldn’t simply bring together the different standards for hot air steamers, dishwashing systems, cold storage cells, etc. into one network. But in the meantime, more and more manufacturers are willing to post them on service platforms. An essential prerequisite for this was that their operators guarantee the protection of their data. By now, thanks to this transformation, one doesn’t only operate his equipment anymore but observes entirely other processes such as complex supply chains too.
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