Simulation Paper Planes a Way to Teach Lean Production

Abstract

This article contributes to efforts to teach new methodologies for Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management. Therefore, the creation of the Simulation Paper Planes is presented to teach the principles of Lean Production. The document details the basic rules, general instructions, materials, manufacturing drawings, key performance indicators, and rounds of this simulation. This simulation is a direct and straightforward way to explain and demonstrate the importance of applying the Lean Principles in projects and production processes anywhere in the world. Of the 14 Lean principles, the authors managed to get participants to use 11. As future research, the authors call teachers and consultants to apply this simulation to students (Civil, Industrial, and Construction Engineering) and professionals, to generate a more extensive database. Also, they propose a line of research regarding the level of education in Lean practices between different countries, because, in general terms, undergraduate students in Chile were at the level of graduate students in Colombia.