For certain there needs to be meetings. There needs to be a concept meeting where the problem is clearly defined and solutions are brainstormed. This meeting should include ALL stakeholders especially including floor personnel. Without a clear problem statement the project will become unmanageable. Without input and buy-in from the folks on the floor the project will likely fail to some degree.
True but its counsel of perfection for folk who are used to doing this sort of job and keeping "big ticket" management processes under control. Which is hard.
My experience is that many projects go pear shaped because its so easy to get caught up in the management thing leading to concentration on the process rather than what you are trying to do. Most especially when the project isn't really big enough to stand full on formal management. Which is where most of my experience lies.
I recall one project where all the money, outside of the capital equipment budget which I snaffled on day 3, was spent on management leaving none to do the work! OK I knew what was coming when the team was formed and had a work around ensuring that at least something was done but I never did manage to get the project manager (I got a PhD I know everything type)to understand why it was going to be a disaster from day one.
Hint "Cost in the meetings properly from day 1". When you are in a meeting about this sort of project you are not doing the day job. So meeting time charges out at 2 or 3 times your normal hourly rate. Unless meetings is all you do. In which case why the hell are you there anyway!
For smaller projects you are much better off starting with a small hit team led by one multi skilled individual who can quickly sort out order of magnitude costings and capabilities for a range of solutions that can be distributed to the right folk for rapid response comments. Once you have sensible views on what is affordable and what you get for your money its time for the meeting with the other folk to discuss the proposals and firm up on where you want to go so it does what the users need.
Forget PowerPoint presentations if you want the meetings to be useful.
Folk need to have read things at leisure and made their margin comments first so they can discuss things. PowerPoint is good for showing the "hold their attention" graphics and flip boards great for noting what folk say. PowerPoint presentations are also great for putting folk to sleep after lunch and deferring any proper work until the next meeting but useful they aren't. Unless inside guy has already made the decisions! Which was the only time I used PowerPoint presentations.
If you only have one concept that clearly can be made to work just cost it and do it unless its seriously expensive. Just make sure that you have open communication profiles to link up to whatever you do next. Back in the day communications and transfer were major, major issues with automation. These days unless its scary fast its usually cheaper to make sure you can do a bridge if need be and forget the details.
Clive