Agility & Innovation

This training is intended as a comprehensive introduction to the basics of Lean management. The essential contents and principles of Lean are explained, as well as the actual application—in the field of producing, as well as in the administrative field. This is possible because it is about the mindset for "Lean" thinking as well as some tools that are suitable for production and the office. In addition to theory, practical examples and transfer tasks also help to ensure that the course knowledge acquired is ready to apply.

In this advanced training, basic knowledge of Lean Management is required and then expanded upon. Participants learn about obstacles they may encounter when implementing Lean Management, as well as active measures for employee development. This helps to support even more intensive customer service and a leaner value stream.

Big Data, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI)—you've probably heard these terms before. But are you able to explain the meaning behind these trend words? Unless you're a data scientist or an AI developer, you may have a hard time understanding the world of data and related technologies. This is exactly where this e⁠-⁠training comes in: You will learn about important topics surrounding Big Data, with no prior knowledge needed. It is not about how you can handle Big Data yourself—but a basic overview of what Big Data actually is, the opportunities and challenges associated with it, and which methods and tools data experts use to create added value from Big Data.

This training provides an overview of common agile techniques. It should serve as a basis for the participants to decide whether and how these techniques can be integrated into their personal daily work. The focus is not on explaining the entire agile methodology, but rather on what you can pick out and implement relatively easily—even in non-agile work. The learning focus is on the application of agile techniques and tips for implementing them. The three themes are: collaboration, communication, and time management.

This course provides an overview of some Agile techniques that can be useful for designing and running meetings and workshops. While the emphasis is not on the entire Agile methodology, you will learn techniques that can be helpful in preparing for a meeting or workshop, execution, and follow-up, as well as tips for implementing what you've learned.

Do you ever wonder what objectives your company is actually pursuing and how your work contributes to achieving these objectives? Would you like to be transparently informed about company values, vision, and strategy so that you can work more effectively and purposefully? Do you desire more effective and clear communication within your team and between different departments? Then it's worth taking a look at the agile leadership and time management framework OKR. The O in OKR stands for Objectives, which are the objectives you identify for yourself, your team, or your company using the OKR method. Behind the K and the R lie the key results, crucial milestones necessary to achieve your objectives. Through the thoughtful and clear naming of objectives and key results, the OKR method creates a clear and transparent focus on what is most important at the moment, helping companies achieve specific objectives in a precise manner. Does that sound good? Then take a look at our e⁠-⁠training course.

Innovation and the testing of new developments are closely connected. In this e⁠-⁠training course, we will show you methods for prototyping, how to use them in the most needs-based way with relatively little effort, and how to gain important insights from them at an early stage and thus save on costs.

Innovations must always have a place within a company. At the beginning of this e⁠-⁠training course, we will explain which phases characterize innovation processes. We will also take a closer look at a range of possible approaches to innovation development. There is a wealth of different approaches and methods for achieving different goals. In this e⁠-⁠training course, we will look at some of them in detail and show you which goals managers and innovation teams can achieve with them, as well as how they actually work.

Innovative thinking can be learned. Developing an innovative mindset and promoting it in team members follows certain prerequisites and comes with some hidden stumbling blocks. In this e⁠-⁠training course, you will find out how you and your team can overcome what works against innovation and how to get mentally prepared for innovation.

"Understanding Digitalization" takes participants on a journey into the digital world, showing that digitalization is not just about converting physical products and applications into digital products and applications. Conversely, it is above all about the data that is generated in the process. As traditional companies disappear and new companies are emerge, professions are changing. Even doctors may be replaced by digital technologies. The presenter introduces the new power of customers and the need for customer centricity as another significant change. Finally, through transfer tasks, participants are encouraged to examine their own professional environment for digital challenges and potential to resolve.

"Agility" is the answer to ever shorter-term planning processes and ever faster change. "Leadership" must also be rethought in this context. This e⁠-⁠training puts classic leadership tools to the test. It is divided into the areas of mindset (understanding of leadership), skillset (leadership competencies) and toolset (leadership tools). For all three areas, we will examine how thinking and the respective methods and tools must change in order to continue to meet the requirements of successful leadership.

The world of work is changing. Globalization and digitalization mean that old work and management strategies no longer suffice. This e⁠-⁠training course highlights the agile mindset and how it differs from the classic control mindset. Furthermore, Carol Dweck's growth mindset and fixed mindset concepts are explored to emphasize the importance of adaptability and innovation. Participants will learn how outdated mindsets pose risks in a dynamic business world and how an agile mindset enables rapid response to market developments. The course introduces the nine agile values—trust, focus, openness, courage, communication, respect, feedback, commitment, simplicity—and provides strategies for developing and maintaining an agile mindset.

The Kanban Board is more than a planning tool. First, learn about the Board's development in the Japanese automotive industry, and get to know the "flow idea" behind Kanban. This will enable you to use the method more creatively and purposefully. Also included you will find a case study from the manufacturing industry that helps to apply Kanban to real life. Learn about the different ways to use a Kanban board and the most important elements such as "Work in Progress Limits" and the "Pull Principle".

Learn about the background and development of Scrum as described by Jeff Sutherland in his book "The Scrum Revolution" where Sutherland references the Toyota Principle and the Plan-Do-Check-Act Method. Additionally, get to know the basics of Scrum such as working in teams, focused work, and the division into product owner, scrum master and team. Finally, learn what the organization of a project looks like, according to scrum.

This e⁠-⁠training was developed by design thinking practitioners. At the center is a real-life, anonymized project demonstrating how a manufacturer of garage doors developed new products and solutions using a design thinking process. Here, you will be introduced to concepts such as the problem space, the solution space, and the prerequisites needed in order to apply design thinking. In a special chapter, the Persona Concept is also presented using a practical example.

Every company wants creative employees with a neverending supply of good ideas. The phrase "Be creative!" has probably never spurred anyone on to imaginative high performance. But creativity can be encouraged and practiced. This e⁠-⁠learning introduces methods and techniques to generate creative ideas including Brainstorming and Brainwriting, the 635 Method, the Six Thinking Hats, the Walt Disney Method, and Stimulus Image Analysis. You will also receive valuable tips and "recipes" for a successful process. Additional transfer tasks help participants to integrate what they've learned into their everyday work.

These values highlight the significance of individuals and interactions, achieving meaningful outcomes, fostering close collaboration with customers, and embracing flexibility in the face of change. The emphasis is on effective communication to consistently deliver valuable results.

In the testing phase, the aim is to adapt prototypes to the needs and wishes of customers as far as possible. The micro demonstrates how this can work cost-effectively and analogue using two methods.

If you know about Responsible AI, it can help you to evaluate and deal with artificial intelligence in your everyday life.

AI poses new challenges for many industries. This micro describes how these industry-specific challenges can be met through Responsible AI.

The 5 Why method offers a way of getting to the root causes of problems. It is explained here!

The design thinking approach helps to make products and companies competitive again by focussing on customers, openness, curiosity and innovation. Three rules will help you prepare for the design thinking process in the best possible way.

Having the ability to work agilely is a crucial skill in the era of globalization and digitalization. Here, you'll find a brief introduction to the topic of agility!

Testing with participants and continual improvement of prototypes follow some fundamental rules. They are the focus of this micro.

The conditions for prototyping are diverse. This micro provides initial orientation.

With measurable, scheduled, ambitious Key Results, you and your team will succeed in achieving your goals.

With OKR you learn to formulate your goals in small, flexible units, to communicate them transparently, and finally to achieve them with the help of key results.

Stand-up meetings are a common tool used in agile work to monitor the team's tasks and progress.

A good product is no longer enough to inspire your customers. It's also about making every touchpoint with your customers completely relevant to their needs. We'll show you how you can succeed.

Scrum teams consist of a product owner, a development team and a scrum master. Agile teams are successful with the help of this clear distribution of tasks.