Rolls-Royce Empowers Employees for Smarter Manufacturing and Higher Engagement
Rolls-Royce, a leading UK aerospace and defense manufacturer, underwent a sweeping digital and AI-driven transformation by adopting Microsoft Azure, AI, Power Apps, and Power BI. Employees from various departments built low-code apps to improve everything from productivity, R&D, and testing, to engagement and wellbeing. Notable apps include a system for efficient shift handovers in engine testing and a 24/7 on-call solution for R&D, both driving operational speed and innovation. The company promotes citizen development through internal sandboxes, Microsoft-supported training, and the Cobalt accelerator program. A 'Kudos' app, now company-wide, increased employee engagement by 25%. These approaches streamline workflows, democratize innovation, and enhance company culture, as Rolls-Royce advances smart factory and sustainability goals in a rapidly evolving market.
- Organization
- Rolls-Royce
- Industry
- Manufacturing
- Location
- United Kingdom
- Published
- April 2023
Reported outcomes
+25%
quantified impactCustomer experience
Strategic outcomes
Primary read
Use case focus
Showing 3 of 6
- 1citizen development
- 2productivity workflow automation
- 3employee engagement/recognition system
- Complex engine design and maintenance requiring effective data handling.
- Manual communication in shift handovers led to inefficiencies and potential errors.
- Traditional IT project processes slowed innovation and solution delivery.
- Need to improve productivity, innovation pace, and employee engagement.
- Requirement for scalable tools to democratize app development across roles.
- Adoption of Microsoft Power Apps and Power BI for app development and data visualization.
- Enabled citizen development by giving employees tools and sandboxes for experimentation.
- Developed low-code apps for real-time information sharing in test and development.
- Created internal accelerator and training programs to upskill non-IT staff.
- Rolled out an on-call Power App for 24/7 R&D support and the 'Kudos' app for recognition.
- Employee engagement increased by 25% after launching the Kudos app.
- Workflows in engine design and testing became more efficient and transparent.
- Faster prototyping and solution delivery with low-code tools.
- Improved employee empowerment and community, boosting motivation and productivity.
- Streamlined shift handovers and support reduced error and improved response times.
Architecture
Rolls-Royce employees use Power Apps and Power BI hosted on Microsoft Azure. Employees develop solutions in sandbox environments, with IT support for advanced coding and integration across business units. Data pulled from various sources is visualized in Power BI, and operational apps, such as shift handover and R&D on-call systems, automate workflow and communication. The Cobalt accelerator and Microsoft online training support continuous app development.
Sources & evidence1
The same organization appears in newer AI deployment evidence.
- Same organization re-documented as recently as 2025.
- Cited source last checked Jun 12, 2026 — ok (0/1 broken).
Measures whether this deployment's public evidence persists — not whether the system is still in production.
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