The Bergisches Land economic region, with its medium-sized cities of Wuppertal, Solingen and Remscheid, is one of the areas in Germany most affected by digital structural change. Family-run companies in particular are often faced with special challenges: a very traditional working and manufacturing culture with a focus on metalworking, mechanical engineering, cutlery and tools meets the increasingly digital and process-oriented requirements of the now highly globalised markets. In addition to digitalisation, automation (Industry 4.0) and new forms of application (Internet of Things, or IoT for short), this also includes ever more dynamic requirements for efficient working and cooperation methods in manufacturing companies that are also conducive to innovation.

The primary aim of the project is to offer the often rather hidden market leaders, the so-called 'hidden champions', in the Bergisch region an integrative concept for the agile design of their work and organizational structures. The concept is intended to offer digitalised and evidence-based solutions that lead to greater efficiency and promote innovation. The aim is to develop methods of agile project management and digitalised process design that are tailored to the companies and contribute to the development of sustainable business models.

Based on the requirements for an agile work and organizational structure, a user-oriented, prototypical and modular competence architecture is to be created. As a kind of instruction manual for digital transformation, agile work design and team development, it is to be developed with the respective companies, technically realised via a digital platform and then tested and evaluated in practice.

All information on the project will also be available at https://www.agilolab.de/ in future .