A Look Inside ISA Connect Forums: Exchanging Ideas Across Sectors

The International Society of Automation (ISA) recently launched Connect Forums, a place for ISA members to exchange ideas, learn from each other and drive technological progress across industries. In this blog post, let’s take a closer look at the new Connect Forums and how ISA members can make the most of them.

Connect Forums: A Source for Cross-Sector Discussions

Connect Forums were created to serve the needs and interests of ISA’s growing member base all over the world. Hosted on ISA Connect — ISA’s members-only platform — they are a dedicated space for automation professionals from manufacturing, energy and other critical sectors to find answers to complex questions and engage in topic-specific discussions.

Why Focus on Technical Topics?

In the automation profession, solutions can come from anywhere. Connect Forums provide a structured yet dynamic environment where ISA members from many different industries and career phases can:

• Discuss cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends
• Crowdsource solutions to complex technical challenges
• Share real-world implementation experiences
• Stay ahead of technological developments

The Advantage of Collaboration

Connect Forums create new opportunities for collaboration among automation professionals around the world, regardless of their industry. When members encounter operational issues, they can exchange knowledge and look for solutions across industry segments, sharing strategies and encouraging learning.

What You Can Gain

Connect Forums are only accessible to ISA members. Those who participate in Connect Forums can benefit in many ways, including:

1. Networking Opportunities: Build new connections with professionals across various sectors
2. Problem-Solving Support: Get real-time answers to technical challenges
3. Career Growth: Demonstrate expertise and leadership by contributing to discussions
4. Continuous Learning: Share experiences, collaborate and explore new concepts

How You Can Contribute

Every professional has unique experiences and insights. Connect Forums encourage active participation through:

• Initiating technical discussions
• Sharing case studies and implementation strategies
• Offering new approaches to complex technical problems
• Providing peer reviews and constructive feedback
• Proposing new forum topics of interest

How to Post on Connect Forums

Posting on Connect Forums is simple. First, you will need to log in to your member account in ISA Connect. Under the tab “Engage,” navigate to Connect Forums.

This will bring you to Connect Forums, where you will find several tabs organized by technical topic area. You may click among them to discover specific forums.

You can select which forums you would like to engage in by clicking the “Join” button for each. You can join as many forums as you would like. Once you join, you can post and reply to the forum for that topic.

To suggest a new forum on a topic not yet offered, select “Request New Forum,” fill out the form and click submit.

The Broader Impact of Knowledge Exchange

Connect Forums address a basic need for the automation profession as a whole. Cross-sector collaboration energizes the profession in a few key ways:

1. Sharing Knowledge of Best Practices: Identifying and socializing complex strategies across industry boundaries
2. Accelerating Technology Adoption: Reducing barriers to implementation through shared experience
3. Helping to Prevent Redundant Problem-Solving: Preventing duplication of effort
4. Identifying Knowledge Gaps: Recognizing areas requiring further research or development

Getting Involved

For automation professionals looking to expand their horizons, Connect Forums are the place to be. Any ISA member can participate, and any member can propose new forums. Connect Forums offer a unique opportunity to engage the best minds in automation on technical topics that matter the most.

Ready to connect, learn and innovate? Join ISA, explore ISA Connect Forums and participate in the conversations shaping the automation profession.