Integration of digital and lean technologies as a condition for improving the activities of professional educational organizations

At the present stage of digital transformation of society, education is exposed to rapid technological progress, requiring constant development and adaptation from professional educational organizations. At the same time, a management approach known as “lean manufacturing” is gaining popularity, aimed at optimizing processes and eliminating redundancies. The integration of lean and digital technologies provides unique opportunities to improve the educational process and increase its effectiveness. The article provides a review and analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, including studies related to the use of digital and lean technologies. In the course of the analysis, the tasks facing a professional educational organization were identified, the solution of which through the integration of these technologies will bring maximum value. An analysis of the capabilities of lean and digital technologies for solving the assigned tasks showed that their integration will achieve a significant improvement in the processes of VEO activities. An analysis was also carried out of 34 lean projects developed by professional educational organizations in the Chelyabinsk region, implemented using digital technologies and aimed at improving the management, core and supporting processes that are constantly present in VEO activities. Analysis of the projects developed by the VEO allowed us to identify the main results that have the maximum value for improving planning, organizing activities, monitoring and analyzing activities, motivating employees, and the process of training and education. The combined use of lean and digital technologies creates synergy, making the educational process more efficient. However, the study also identified the main problems of such integration: limited resource capabilities of the organization; employee resistance to inevitable change; insufficient level of employee competencies; digital security.