Designing Workshops for the Introduction of Lean Enablers to Engineering Programs

There is a large and growing body of knowledge regarding so-called Lean best practices, including most recently in the area of program management and systems engineering. However, there is little elaboration of how these documented best practices are to be introduced to a professional workforce. One way of introducing new practices to a workforce is through the use of training workshops. Such workshops often emerge from training programs or consulting arrangements, but there is no well-defined method or framework to systematically design workshops for the implementation of a new body of knowledge.This study focuses on the development of a framework that facilitates the systematic design of workshops focused specifically on the introduction of Lean principles and practices to program management and the professional workforce in a program environment. The framework is based on a thorough review of literature on training, workshop delivery, and Lean principles, as well as empirical evidence obtained from data collection and interactions with training professionals from industry.The framework provides a systematic design process for workshops, including: a) the assessment of the need for a workshop, b) the definition of workshop goals and objectives, c) the definition of workshop topics, d) the development of an agenda and the theoretical content of the workshops, and e) the selection of the right teaching techniques as well as the right simulations and active learning devices. In each of these steps the framework provides content for the prospective educators.The framework is embodied in an Excel-based tool that allows the user to quickly assemble a structure for the workshop, including the topic, an agenda and defined goals, and also the theoretical content about the Lean principles. Another element of the framework is the designation of the organizational hierarchy levels to be addressed, with educational techniques adapted to each level. The framework was validated through interactions with training professionals in a large automobile manufacturer, and using subject matter experts from a variety of industrial sectors.