Integrating Lean Thinking into Design Thinking With First-Year Engineering Design Course

Abstract

Engineering design is a process aimed at addressing a problem in a systematic way. It starts with this fundamental question that what is the human necessity behind a design? Design Thinking helps students to be critical and empathic thinkers who seek innovative methods to address real societal needs. Lean Thinking is another method that creates a system to increase efficiency in a process. In a pilot study and for a first year Introduction to Engineering Design course, we have combined Design Thinking with Lean Thinking to provide students with more effective tools necessary for any problem solving process. This attempt appears to have energized the students and helped them with the understanding of the difference between value-added and wasteful activities in the design process that highlights the importance of the engineering design approach.