In this article, you will learn fundamental principles that enable success with Tulip, both organizational and technical. These principles cover crucial areas of digital operations:
- App development and ownership
- Building solutions to address your specific problems
- Data management and security
- App deployment and improvements
Tulip's flexible platform digitizes existing processes and integrates physical and digital operation tasks. This comprehensive approach stands out against traditional MES and paper-based processes because it optimizes operations, enhances data collection and analysis, and improves visibility and control.
Your operations are the engine and Tulip is the vehicle for them to become more agile and responsive.
Who is going to build the first set of apps and who is going to own the apps long term?
This is a crucial question to consider as you set up your organization in Tulip. Ownership typically funnels into two groups of developers: OT and IT.
OT and IT: Who will own what?
These are two primary groups for app development and ownership.
In an OT model, process engineers build the apps they need, leading to many simple apps that are closely aligned with operational needs.
In an IT model, app development is centralized within the IT department. This can create a barrier to entry and slow down app development, but it can also ensure consistency and maintainability.
These groups are not always binary. Defining who owns what can be a fundamental organization change, but also a new enabling tool.
Citizen Developer Model
The ideal scenario is often a hybrid approach that combines elements of both OT and IT models. This approach empowers "citizen developers" within the OT organization to build and own their apps, with IT providing support and governance.
Example:
A connector is a Tulip feature that allows data exchange between external systems or databases and Tulip. OT personnel use the connectors in an application, while IT personnel set up the connector or map data to and from a machine.
A citizen developer model creates immense value of owning the digital transformation of an operation, as opposed to delegating out. It promotes ownership with those closest to the process and fosters internal and external partnerships for app deployment.
Recommendations for app development and ownership:
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Start with a small team of citizen developers: Identify individuals within the OT organization who are interested in learning Tulip and empower them to build the first set of apps.
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Provide training and support: Offer training and support to citizen developers to help them onboard more quickly and build effective apps. We recommend using Tulip’s learning resources.
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Establish governance: Implement governance processes to ensure that apps meet organizational standards for quality, security, and maintainability.
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Foster a community of practice: Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among citizen developers to accelerate learning and innovation.
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Involve IT: Involve IT as appropriate (E.g. to enable connectivity with existing systems and shop floor equipment).
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Avoid single builder risk: You shouldn’t rely on a single Tulip builder. If that person leaves the company, you lose valuable knowledge and expertise.
What do you build, and when?
Apps must address business and operational needs in order to get minimum value from the first deployment.
Identify the core issue you're addressing.
For example, if you need simple performance visibility for work orders, a basic Tulip terminal might be enough; ERP integration may not be necessary. However, if you need granular material replenishment—like low-stock alerts—Tulip can handle this where an ERP system might not.
Create a digital model of your physical operations and processes.
The app should reflect your physical workflow, including hardware and device interactions.
Start with pre-built solutions and templates from the Tulip Library.
These cover common use cases and let you focus on your unique business requirements.
Leverage existing data and structures within Tulip.
Define your business problem and use case, then build the app to address those specific needs.
Learn more about app development here.
Data Management in Tulip
All data should have a single source of truth to ensure the latest and most accurate information.
Tulip centric data should avoid being replicated, such as table records.
Data stored elsewhere, such as an ERP, BOM, or WMS, should remain in those systems, while Tulip-centric data contains process and operator data.
The illustration below shows an example of single sources of truth for various data:
Data Handling in Tulip
Tulip's data model is fundamentally different from traditional relational databases or file-based systems. It is centered around the concept of tables and applications, where every element, including steps, triggers, widgets, and even static text, is considered part of the data structure.
- Apps: Static data that lives in the apps and steps, for example work instructions or routing. This data also exists in variables, widgets, and text.
- Completions: An app’s immutable audit trail to provide clear process data.
- Tables: Tulip’s equivalent to spreadsheets, tables are configured and managed in Tulip. You can read from or write to tables via apps.
- Third party system integrations: Data that lives outside Tulip that is transacted on an as-needed basis. For example, purchase orders are typically managed by ERP systems and pulled into Tulip apps using connectors to provide additional context for a process.
Transact and reference external data
Data should be strategically integrated from other systems to support those applications and specific use cases, not migrated all at once. The focus should be on using data to provide context to a process, and the data gathered from Tulip apps reveals actionable insights to improve operational efficiency.
Learn more about integrations with external systems here.
Phased introduction and iterative building
Implementing Tulip requires a phased approach and iterative application building. Instead of replicating an MES system within Tulip, you must start with minimum viable apps that address specific use cases and gradually build out functionality over time.
This approach allows for flexibility, customization, and avoids the need to migrate large volumes of data unnecessarily.
Learn about driving continuous improvements with insights here.
Next Steps
Learn all about digital transformation in our guide collection here.
Start your journey with guidance from Tulip experts:
- Composable solutions: Navigate the paradigm shift University course
- Agile development University course
Did you find what you were looking for?
You can also head to community.tulip.co to post your question or see if others have faced a similar question!