Industrial Engineering beyond manufacturing

I have noticed that when people hear “industrial engineering,” they immediately think of factories and production lines. While that’s a big part of the field, I’m starting to see how IE principles apply almost everywhere.

From improving patient flow in hospitals to optimizing supply chains for small businesses and even designing better public transport systems, the core idea is the same: make processes work better for people.

For those working outside traditional manufacturing, where have you applied IE skills in unexpected ways? I’m curious to hear how others are using process improvement, data, and systems thinking in different industries.