On our way to develop the Blended Network Action learning Methodology

LEAN 4.zero meeting at HAN University of Applied Sciences
(29 January – 31 January 2020)

The team of the LEAN4.zero project organized project meetings at the HAN University of Applied Sciences, from January 29^th to Januari 31^st, 2020.  A major outcome of these meetings were the steps to be taken to develop methodologies, methods and tools for the operations manager of the future.

The LEAN4.zero project will provide clarifying pilots for the LEAN4.zero manager who is responsible for developing the operations in his company.  First of all, some experiments will be done and learnings will be drawn from them.  Currently, experiments are running with the development of Augmented Reality in orderpicking, the use of drones in the operations function, and the development of a digital twin for a complex operation.  Second, projects are performed at the partner companies.  These projects are complex, need several subteams and a broad set of expertises.  A key project concerns the development of a pull flow system in which several departments participate and where input is needed from several disciplines.  The use and development of information technology in this project is essential.  Next to this project, we explore the option to participate in ERP-integration projects at the partner companies. Third, we are busy with the development of the Blended Network Action Learning methodology.  This methodology is meant to help operations managers to lead their Industry4.0 projects in an efficient and effective manner.  Therefore, we gradually develop, by doing action research in our partner companies, (i) an A3-tool to monitor and guide subprojects, (ii) a monitoring tool (including a survey among project participants) to check/study the progress of the whole projects, and (iii) the organizational measures to control the project and to improve network learning. 

Next to the pilots, from which we will learn, we will complement the findings with best practices coming from industry and laboratories, and we will collect and display tools from literature.  We will create a learning environment for this.

Next to the information that will be made available on the website and learning environment, we will develop workshops on roadmapping and strategy development.  The LEAN4.0 operations manager needs a long term view and is able to translate it to actionable plans.