And that begins with the business. Today's needs should be easy to measure. However, it is very important to measure them with some precision. Therefore, the operator must have information at hand rapidly - within less than a second. Also important is how many operators will be accessing a system.
Computer systems operate much like ski lift lines.
When there are lots of skiers there are delays in getting to the chair. Tomorrow's needs are harder to assess. However, make an attempt to project the business for at least five years. While the future is hard to anticipate when contemplating the purchase of computer software and hardware, it is useful to have a time frame. If you expect the system to last five years, anticipating growth in automation needs are essential.