Lean Higher Ed (HE) Quick Takes

Lean Higher Ed (HE) Quick Takes

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Time: 4:00-5:00 PM ET Cost: Free

Please take a moment to register for the Lean Higher Ed (HE) Quick Takes. The purpose of these quick takes is to educate our Lean higher ed community on Lean culture, principles, processes, methods, and tools as they are applied at universities and colleges.

Featured Presentations

Each topic will have 15 minutes (10 minutes for presenting and 5 minutes for questions).

Topic 1: Insights from the Future of People at Work Initiative

Presenter: Eric O. Olsen, PhD, Professor, Industrial Technology, Cal Poly, and Director, Central Coast Lean

Description:The Future of People at Work (FPW) is a collaborative effort of seven organizations exploring how different improvement approaches can complement each other in today's workplace. In this brief session, I'll share what we're learning through our monthly community discussions and recent symposium. We've found that many organizations face similar challenges despite using different improvement languages and tools. I'll highlight:

• Common barriers to improvement that span methodological boundaries

• Simple ways organizations are combining insights from different approaches

• How conversations are being captured and shared across improvement communities

• Practical examples from participants in various industries

  
  

This isn't about creating a new "super methodology" - just exploring how we might learn from each other's experiences and perspectives. If you're interested in practical workplace improvement, regardless of your preferred approach, you might find some useful takeaways.

Topic 2: Lean Lessons for Leaders

Presenters:

• Candice Beckman, Business Process Consultant, The University of Texas Arlington

• Chris Shannon, Centre Manager, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland

• 
  

Description:Chris Shannon and Candice Beckman are writing a book on lessons for leaders regarding process improvement. We would like to share our concepts and receive feedback from practitioners. This book will address common process improvement challenges that leaders in organizations face.

Topic 3: Using Online Collaboration Tools during In-Person Sessions

Presenter: Megan E. Mozina, Owner & Principal Facilitator, Cresta Solutions, specializing in consulting and facilitation

Description:We've gotten great at using online collaboration tools (like Mural, Miro, etc.) during virtual calls, but what about using them in person? When does it make sense to use them in person? And how might we mitigate the disadvantages and capitalize on the advantages of using them?

Registration

Register here; a meeting invitation will be sent to you after registration is complete.

Have an idea for a future Lean HE Quick Takes event?

Submit a proposal--it's easy! Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/kDBcwHNPSoFH1So67.

Looking Ahead

Save the date for these future Lean HE Americas Quick Takes:

• August 19, 2025 at 4 PM ET

• November 18, 2025 at 4 PM ET

• February 17, 2026 at 4 PM ET