Operational Excellence
Operational Excellence Series
Driving Continuous Improvement – From Mapping to Measurable Change
On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the Business & Financial Analysis (BFA) team participated in an all-day off-site workshop focused on building a foundational understanding of continuous improvement and process innovation, with an emphasis on how AI can augment and support these efforts.
The workshop combined classroom learning, keynote presentations, and hands-on exercises. Participants worked through a real-world process improvement challenge – from mapping the current state to identifying pain points, value, waste, and risks, and prioritizing solutions, including potential automation opportunities.
Highlights included:
- Kickoff Keynote: How AI is addressing challenges in Higher Education.
- Team Exercises: Each BFA team mapped a process they found problematic, analyzed opportunities for improvement, and defined and prioritized future state solutions.
- Second Keynote: How AI can transform BFA roles from data reporters to strategic partners.
- Outcome: Teams outlined next steps to drive measurable change.
- Next Steps: Teams will now move from ideas to action – define success metrics, implement changes, and prepare to share initial progress at future BFA staff meetings.
The workshop marks the first step in a broader initiative. Early next year, BFA will scale up with a cross-team effort to build momentum and deliver sustained progress!
Chancellor/Provost Business Service Center HR Team Training
On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the Chancellor/Provost Business Service Center (BSC) HR team participated in an all-day off-site workshop, facilitated by Operational Excellence, focused on building a foundational understanding of continuous improvement principles through hands-on experience.
The workshop combined classroom learning and hands-on exercises. Participants worked through a real-world challenge – mapping the future-state process, identifying gaps, risks, and training/support needs, and drafting a high-level change enablement plan.
Highlights included:
- Team Exercises: The BSC team mapped their future state AP Hiring Process and drafted a Change Enablement Plan to transition from current to future state.
- Next Steps: The BSC team, with Operational Excellence support, will now move from ideas to action: define quantifiable success metrics, implement changes, communicate with stakeholders, and prepare to share progress at future BSC staff meetings.
The workshop marks the next step in a broader initiative to define, streamline, and measure all BSC processes.