Since the 2008/2009 financial crisis, we have experienced years of steady growth and success. The focus of many companies has been to manage growth. It was about expanding product portfolios, serving traditional markets and conquering new ones. This growth has resulted in a loss of innovative strength, technical depth and the ability to respond to change. Signs of this are the clinging on to outdated methods and technologies according to the motto "what has worked up to now must continue to work", unsystematic procedures along habits, decisions based on "feelings" instead of "evidence", lack of active risk management at project and multi-project level.
It seems that the demand for technical excellence has suffered, i.e. the demand for training and further education, a sound understanding of system interrelationships, technical depth, elaboration and quality of work results. However, in order to master the upheavals associated with the crisis, it is essential to strengthen the competitiveness of engineering:
Reorientation and innovation
For engineering, the realignment means critically reviewing product portfolios, innovating with new products and business models, and consistently realigning value creation. Engineering methods and processes must enable a development organization to develop the products and services of the future successfully and efficiently. An effective strategic realignment is resolutely geared towards customers and users and involves the expert base in terms of technology and feasibility. The foundation of meaning is generated from exactly this basis and does not have to be prayed top down.
Back to the claim
The strategy must be carefully derived and must be clear and comprehensible - for everyone involved in its deployment. This is the basis for decision-making principles that are consistently implemented. Old habits are not combed any further. There are also demands on the quality of the implementation: a sound knowledge base through training and further education, principles of processing, a systematic approach and a quality demand on the result at every stage of the engineering process. In short: appreciation in its core meaning.
"Never let a crisis go waste" (according to Rahm Emanuel) - now change things that were previously unthinkable.
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