In today’s fast-paced ecommerce and supply chain landscape, automated distribution centers are increasingly critical for driving efficiency, speed, and scalability. Material handling technologies like conveyors, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), and sorters have become more sophisticated and can rapidly transform warehouses into highly automated hubs. Many distribution centers utilize these technologies and others in the same facility, yet they often operate in isolation from each other. To make these ‘islands of automation’ work in tandem you must leverage a ‘systems thinking’ approach and implement a warehouse execution system (WES) software to connect the systems and optimize the overall workflow.

Systems thinking—a holistic approach that focuses on the interrelationships between system components—can enhance warehouse operations and streamline the integration of automated systems. By adopting this perspective, organizations can achieve greater efficiency, minimize bottlenecks, and increase throughput in automated distribution centers. The failure to adopt a holistic approach can lead to siloed decisions that hinder adaptability and scalability, ultimately undermining the very benefits automation is meant to deliver.

What is Systems Thinking?

At its core, systems thinking is about viewing a problem or process as part of a larger system. Instead of focusing on isolated components, it emphasizes how different parts of the system interact and influence each other. In the context of a warehouse, systems thinking considers how various automation tools (conveyors, AMRs, sorters, etc.) work together within the entire system, rather than optimizing each one in isolation.

For example, if a conveyor belt works well but the robotic picking station is delayed due to poor communication, optimizing the conveyor alone won’t improve the overall flow. Systems thinking would encourage you to address the issue holistically, optimizing both components in tandem to ensure smoother integration and higher efficiency.

Benefits of system thinking

This holistic approach helps eliminate bottlenecks, improve resource allocation, enhance system reliability, and ensure that every part of the system is working toward the same goal: delivering goods faster, more accurately, and more cost-effectively. Emphasizing systems thinking in your warehouse is essential for creating resilient systems that can thrive in an ever-evolving marketplace.

This is part one in a series. Stay tuned to see how to apply systems thinking to your warehouse automation by leveraging WES software.

About the Author

David Scott is a Vice President of Software Engineering with over 30 years of experience leading innovative software organizations in the manufacturing and supply chain industries. David is passionate about helping customers achieve streamlined operations, enhance productivity, and drive business transformation.