Lean Engineering Academy

• By participating in this academy, you will become very familiar with the lean philosophy and gain a good insight into a selection of proven elements of lean engineering. 
• By applying these methods, you can experience the advantages of lean elements first-hand in practice.  
• Develop the ability to recognize potential optimization in engineering departments, suggest improvement initiatives, and take an active role in making these happen. 
• Understand the interaction of individual elements and know how to evaluate, design, and implement optimization initiatives in engineering. 
• Communicate the benefits and meaningfulness of lean engineering elements convincingly, laying a foundation for the interest and engagement of managers and employees with regard to optimizing work in engineering. 
• Become familiar with points to consider concerning lean methods as well as the challenges of optimization initiatives in an engineering context while developing your ability to evaluate and effectively respond to optimization concepts, results, and obstacles in terms of progress, risks, and the need for support.

• The course introduces terms surrounding value creation, necessary activities, unnecessary activities, and challenges in engineering and development work, establishing a foundation for the acceptance of lean engineering elements. 
• With an overview of proven approaches to determining the status quo, such as SWOT methodology, work structure analysis, value stream analysis 4.0, and swim lane process analysis, practical options of presenting and analyzing engineering processes are explained and developed through exercises during the academy course. By applying these methods, engineering teams are able to identify processes and challenges in their daily work in a structured manner and to develop approaches to optimization. The introduction of systematic problem-solving using Ishikawa feeds the optimization of processes and procedures in small steps. 

• The second main focus of the lean engineering academy is streamlined, cost-effective product development. Here the focus is on approaches such as design to cost, design for manufacturing and assembly, and design for excellence as effective principles for conscious product design with regard to a defined target system. The approaches and definitions of lean development are made clear, as are the reasons why costing is an elementary component. 

• Finally, the third thematic focus is cooperation within the team, with other company departments, and with customers. Lean engineering approaches such as visual management and Obeya are linked with agile forms of collaboration. The key approaches, features, and effects of kanban boards, sprints, and sprint reviews are explained and tried out in practical exercises, allowing participants to gain experience and deepen their understanding. Practical lean approaches to optimizing workplaces in engineering using 5S are presented and discussed alongside an introduction to physical and communicative structures to create agile, cross-functional teams.  

 
By combining concise theoretical aspects with practical exercises at the end of each thematic unit, the lean engineering academy course creates an excellent platform for transferring approaches to individual areas of work and the collective efforts of engineering teams while fostering an exchange and discussion among participants. 
 
A good understanding of potential optimization and possibilities is created thanks to a joint approach to learning lean engineering principles, methods, and procedures. A strong team spirit and the recognition that methods can be readily applied generate a high level of motivation among participants. This facilitates and accelerates the achievement of optimization and increased performance, meaning that the costs involved in developing lean engineering competence quickly pay for themselves. 
 
The modular structure of the training makes it possible to tailor individual ele-ments to your needs in a wide range of areas. We provide the lean engineering academy service over five days. On request, we are also happy to put together a tailored lean qualification program for your engineering teams. 
 

Managing directors, specialists, and managers from engineering departments as well as anyone charged with tasks related to the implementation and development of the lean culture, such as internal “multipliers,” workshop trainers, coaches, and CIP trainers. 
Recommended number of participants: 10–14