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ISA Megatrends Survey

As ISA celebrates its 75th anniversary, we are exploring the global societal trends shaping our world and their effect on industry, institutions and the professionals who work there. We are looking for your input on how these trends will impact asset owners, engineers, product and services suppliers, and the rest of the automation ecosystem. This survey should take you less than 15 minutes to complete. We value your experiences and opinions on these important topics and will use your insight to reflect and inform the entire automation profession.
Rating Trends

We’ve identified megatrends in four categories that are disrupting business-as-usual and are likely to impact the future of automation.  Please rate each trend based on how you perceive its significance to your industry and profession, in your part of the world, over the next decade.
1.Societal and Cultural Trends
No Impact
Moderate Impact
Significant Impact
Climate change impacts will become more important socially and in regulatory environments.
Fossil fuel use will be replaced by alternatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint.
Global pandemics and other supply chain disruptions will cause a return to more local sourcing and manufacturing in “home countries.”
Societal and business needs are prompting changes to models for secondary and higher education.
Advances in computing power, battery technology and power generation are changing the way machines and processes are designed, built and maintained.
5G communications and other technologies will continue to increase bandwidth and improve wireless communications.
Democratization of information happening, blurring lines between formerly isolated groups
Real-time, bi-directional communications are increasing, breaking down hierarchies.
2.Workforce Trends
No Impact
Moderate Impact
Significant Impact
An aging workforce is retiring, taking their skills and experience with them.
Contract labor and differently skilled workers are filling gaps left by an aging workforce.
Workplaces are becoming increasingly diversified from gender, ethnicity, and neurodiversity perspectives.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) is seen as increasingly essential to solving business problems.
Millennials are rising into leadership positions, bringing their passions about social responsibility, ethical consumption and professional development into the workplace.
“Knowledge workers” who bring qualitative skills like thinking, listening, relating, and collaborating are becoming as important as professionals with expertise in math and engineering.
Skill sets for industry leaders and managers are shifting to reflect an increased demand for qualitative and emotional intelligence, focusing on how humans work together with technology.
The automation professional is becoming more important than ever to industry and business transformation and profitability.
3.Manufacturing & Technology Trends
No Impact
Moderate Impact
Significant Impact
Manufacturers are increasingly able to shift their processes to produce different kinds of goods based on the demand
Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and increased access to data are changing the way that design engineers make decisions.
Remote management and operation of equipment will be accepted and expected.
Expectations for customized products will result in faster/more adaptable design and production environments.
3D printing will enable new manufacturing processes, including create-it-yourself supply chains.
Ubiquitous and less-expensive access to smaller/faster/better technology means more possible paths to a wider variety of solutions.
Both wired and wireless networks are undergoing a significant evolution that is enabling greater opportunities.
Digitalization of manufacturing will enable digital twins and other simulation technology to transform industrial design and processes.
4.Standards Trends
No Impact
Moderate Impact
Significant Impact
New technologies from outside the realm of traditional automation solutions are pushing into the industrial space.
Standards-based, interoperable, open architecture process automation systems are replacing proprietary systems and driving innovation.
The need for an integrated cybersecurity approach, combining IT and OT, is being recognized and implemented.
Cybersecurity is becoming synonymous with a safety culture and policy for all stakeholders in the value chain, ensuring the safety and security of assets, people and the environment.
The creation and implementation of “best practices” is replacing the development of traditional standards.
Tutorials and contextual material that helps people implement standards is becoming just as important as the standard itself.
5.What other trends do you think will impact the automation industry in the next 5-10 years? 
Positive, Negative, Neutral

Go through the same list of trends, but this time identify whether you believe the impact of trend and its impact is positive, neutral or negative. After each question, you'll find an optional write-in area to share your opinions.

 Scale: 1 Positive/ 2 Neutral / 3 Negative
6.Societal and Cultural Trends
1 - Positive
2 - Neutral
3 - Negative
Climate change impacts will become more important socially and in regulatory environments.
Fossil fuel use will be replaced by alternatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint.
Global pandemics and other supply chain disruptions will cause a return to more local sourcing and manufacturing in “home countries.”
Societal and business needs are prompting changes to models for secondary and higher education.
Advances in computing power, battery technology and power generation are changing the way machines and processes are designed, built and maintained.
5G communications and other technologies will continue to increase bandwidth and improve wireless communications.
Democratization of information happening, blurring lines between formerly isolated groups.
Real-time, bi-directional communications increasing, breaking down hierarchies.
7.Use this space to elaborate on your ratings above.
8.Workforce Trends
1 - Positive
2 - Neutral
3 - Negative
An aging workforce is retiring, taking their skills and experience with them.
Contract labor and differently skilled workers are filling gaps left by an aging workforce.
Workplaces are becoming increasingly diversified from gender, ethnicity, and neurodiversity perspectives.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) is seen as increasingly essential to solving business problems.
Millennials are rising into leadership positions, bringing their passions about social responsibility, ethical consumption and professional development into the workplace.
“Knowledge workers” who bring qualitative skills like thinking, listening, relating, and collaborating are becoming as important as professionals with expertise in math and engineering.
Skill sets for industry leaders and managers are shifting to reflect an increased demand for qualitative and emotional intelligence, focusing on how humans work together with technology.
The automation professional is becoming more important than ever to industry and business transformation and profitability.
9.Use this space to elaborate on your ratings above.
10.Manufacturing & Technology Trends
1
2
3
Manufacturers are increasingly able to shift their processes to produce different kinds of goods based on the demand
Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and increase access to data are changing the way that design engineers make decisions.
Remote management and operation of equipment will be accepted and expected.
Expectations for customized products will result in faster/more adaptable design and production environments.
3D printing will enable new manufacturing processes, including create-it-yourself supply chains.
Ubiquitous and less-expensive access to smaller/faster/better technology means more possible paths to a wider variety of solutions.
Both wired and wireless networks are undergoing a significant evolution that is enabling greater opportunities.
Digitalization of manufacturing will enable digital twins and other simulation technology to transform industrial design and processes.
11.Use this space to elaborate on your ratings above.
12.Standards Trends
1 - Positive
2 - Neutral
3 - Negative
New technologies from outside the realm of traditional automation solutions are pushing into the industrial space.
Standards-based, interoperable, open architecture process automation systems are replacing proprietary systems and driving innovation.
The need for an integrated cybersecurity approach, combining IT and OT, is being recognized and implemented.
Cybersecurity is becoming synonymous with a safety culture and policy for all stakeholders in the value chain, ensuring the safety and security of assets, people and the environment.
The creation and implementation of “best practices” is replacing the development of traditional standards.
Tutorials and contextual material that helps people implement standards is becoming just as important as the standard itself.
13.Use this space to elaborate on your ratings above.
Demographics – Tell Us About You
14.What is your age range?
15.Please select your job function.
16.Please select your company type.
17.Please select your industry classification.
18.Please select your geographic region.
19.Are you an ISA member?
20.Do you have currently have an ISA leadership position?
21.Would you like to be interviewed about your perspectives? Add contact info, if so.
Thank you for your feedback on these important trends and topics. We look forward to bringing you resources and commentary about the world of automation as it shifts and changes with these megatrends.