Jonas Genath

My name is Jonas Genath. I am a Senior Consultant for digitalization and automation in factory planning at Metroplan in Hamburg. I analyze and model end-to-end processes, identify weaknesses and automation potential, and translate these findings into target processes, solution concepts, and requirements for future IT landscapes.

My consulting work combines process analysis with practical implementation. I use methods such as Gemba walks, SIPOC, BPMN, value-stream analysis, and Scrum; facilitate workshops with specialists and management; and support digital solutions ranging from Power Automate workflows to ERP implementation. Recent assignments have included designing the processes and system landscape for a digitalized mechanical production environment, assessing the feasibility of a lights-out factory, and developing a factory master plan for a new site.

Before joining Metroplan, I worked at the Technical University of Ilmenau from 2020 to 2025 as a research assistant and, from 2022, as a project lead. In December 2025, I completed my doctorate in engineering (Dr.-Ing.) with magna cum laude. My dissertation, “Automation within the Process of Knowledge Discovery in Simulation Data,” explored how machine learning, explainable AI, and visual analytics can make complex simulation data more accessible and actionable.

My academic and applied projects ranged from digital twins with OPC UA interfaces and cloud-based simulation studies to dashboards for multivariate data. As a project lead, I also managed the introduction and continued development of an autograder for programming education, including the integration of a generative AI agent for improved student feedback.

Selected research outcomes include my knowledge-discovery approach presented at the 2021 Winter Simulation Conference, the integrated “4farm” solution published in Simulation Notes Europe in 2022, and the paper “How Not to Visualize Your Simulation Output Data,” nominated for the best paper award at the 2023 Winter Simulation Conference.

Alongside consulting, I teach courses on digitalization, automation, artificial intelligence, and the practical implications of the EU AI Act. Across these roles, my focus remains the same: understanding complex processes, developing solutions collaboratively, and communicating technical insights clearly enough to support sound decisions.