Abstract:

The strengths that industrial engineering students must acquire during their academic training challenge educators to be creative and generate learning scenarios where students can propose creative and innovative solutions to meet the current needs of society.

In the course "Conceptualization of Processes with an Innovative Approach," students worked collaboratively in teams of 5-6 members to propose an innovative solution to a partner organization facing a sustainable mobility challenge. They were tasked with generating alternatives for vehicle use and encouraging students to be aware of their social responsibility in caring for the environment.

In this course, students integrated powerful competitive intelligence tools such as Porter's Five Forces, the BCG Matrix, SWOT analysis, Business Model Canvas, and PESTEL analysis to assess the initial situation of the company. They utilized creativity and innovation tools such as Innovation Tactics Cards (Doblin), SCAMPER, and Six Thinking Hats. They examined technological possibilities and trends using the S-Curve and Hype Cycle. Students understood the importance of innovation in processes and proposed solutions that would enable the company to transition from a "Red Ocean" to a "Blue Ocean." Finally, they proposed indicators to measure the impact of their solutions.

The methodology used to complete the project is a valuable tool for industrial engineers: the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), following the Checkland 8 steps for problem-solving. This provided a structured approach that validated the impact of using these tools in the solutions presented to the company.

The solutions were presented to the partner organization as part of the learning process. A survey was conducted with company personnel to assess the feasibility of the proposals, yielding favorable results.

An argumentative exam was administered to the students, and it was found that more than 80% of the students successfully acquired the tools discussed in class, achieving scores above 85.

Keywords:

Soft system methodology, Bussiness tools, innovation and creativity tools, industrial engineering.