The Mini-Factory Approach Enhances Speed and Efficiency during Digital Transformation

[Translate to English:] Mini-Factory-Ansatz von Ingenics

All too often during digitization projects, the focus is on the how, not the why. In many places, technologies and tools are accorded greater importance than the question of what purpose these tools will actually serve.

As a result, new systems are selected that promise a great deal but leave the existing process untouched and thus fail to exploit the potential for digitization and efficiency. When it comes to project activities, the agenda is filled with the development of concepts designed to increase the respective organization’s degree of digitization. Efficiency increases that have a tangible effect on the bottom line, however, are few and far between.

What is the Mini-Factory Approach?

The Ingenics Mini-Factory approach is an agile project framework for manufacturing companies that combines efficiency improvement, innovation, and rapid implementation. The heart of the approach is the empowerment of processes and the intelligent use of digital solutions. In the Mini-Factory approach, bottom-up efficiency potential is identified in a defined area of the company and solutions are developed, tested, and implemented in a targeted manner.

Implementing Industry 4.0 Projects with the Mini-Factory Approach

With a high-impact, interdisciplinary team of efficiency enhancement and digitization experts as well as the corresponding departmental experts and users, we identify potential, define use cases, and evaluate them in terms of their cost and benefits.

Building on this, we create actionable and cost-effective plans to achieve the prioritized quick wins and implement and optimize them within a few weeks to create an MVP (minimum viable product). Based on direct user feedback from daily operations, the implemented solutions are optimized in iterative loops.

What Are Your Benefits with the Mini-Factory Approach?

Accelerated Industry 4.0 projects
Tangible results with immediate additional value
Targeted efficiency gains through the use of digital tools
A high level of acceptance and motivation thanks to interdisciplinary teams
Direct employee and stakeholder integration
Business case validation and proof of concept
Sustainable solutions through scalable MVPs (minimum viable products)
Cost-effective implementation with the use of existing systems and no/low-code platforms

Prerequisites for Proceeding with the Mini-Factory Approach at Your Company

Creation of a common vision and goal
Flexibility and an open mind to agile approaches
Commitment from senior executives
Rapid decision-making
A culture of open communication, a no-blame culture, and a feedback culture
Involvement of all stakeholders
A willingness to adapt and change

Dedication of 70% of team members’ time

How Can Ingenics Support You in Implementing the Mini-Factory Approach?

As experienced project managers, Ingenics consultants act as a source of inspiration, efficiency enhancers, and coaches within the agile Mini-Factory approach. Thanks to Ingenics’ expertise and methodology, together we can quickly identify potential solutions and digitization opportunities and implement them as a team.

In this process, we break down existing hierarchies, thought processes, and procedural models and replace them with an agile, efficiency-oriented mindset, self-organized ways of working, and autonomous change processes, and established them at your company over the long term. In doing so, you not only achieve quick wins, but simultaneously enable your organization to permanently sustain the pace of transformation you have experienced.

Consequently, the Mini-Factory approach can be implemented in a short and highly intensive period of time.
Talk to us.