New New

Continuous Improvement From Symptoms to Solutions

This two-day, instructor-led course is designed for manufacturing and operations professionals who are responsible for building and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement — not just solving individual problems, but creating the team habits, management systems, and improvement cadence that make better performance stick. Using a structured, facilitation-focused approach, participants learn how to lead cross-functional teams through problem analysis, prioritize improvement actions, and connect their findings to PDCA cycles and quality systems. The emphasis throughout is on practical team-based methods that supervisors, CI leads, and improvement managers can put to work immediately and repeat consistently across their organization

Interested in this course, but still have questions? Join one of our upcoming Live Discussions with Course Instructor Terry Mann to explore the content ahead of time. Participation is free! Live Discussions are on April 6 and May 12.

Reserve your seat and find out if this course is right for you!

Learning Outcomes:

Write clear problem statements that align cross-functional teams and focus improvement efforts
Use basic problem analysis methods to support shared understanding and guide improvement work
Facilitate team discussions to prioritize issues and improvement actions
Evaluate countermeasures using data, observation, and PDCA to improve results
Develop feasible, sustainable improvement actions that strengthen process performance
Integrate structured problem solving into PDCA cycles, management systems, and ongoing continuous improvement practices

Who Should Attend:

This course is ideal for professionals responsible for improving process performance, strengthening processes, and leading structured continuous improvement in manufacturing or operational environments. It is especially suited for:

Emerging managers and improvement leaders building management systems and a culture of continual improvement
Quality and manufacturing professionals responsible for leading and facilitating cross-functional improvement efforts
Operations supervisors and team leaders improving recurring process or performance issues
Quality and manufacturing professionals responsible for leading and facilitating cross-functional improvement efforts
Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement practitioners strengthening PDCA-based improvement

Course Details: RA00112-E067

Course Outline

Module I

Foundations of Continual Improvement Thinking

Introduce continual improvement as a mindset for reducing waste and solving recurring problems at the system level
Present the 8 Classes of Waste as a diagnostic tool for identifying improvement opportunities
Connect visible symptoms to deeper systemic issues addressed through continual improvement thinking

Problem Statements and Descriptions

Emphasize the importance of clear, focused problem statements to guide effective continual improvement efforts
Practice framing problems in ways that avoid blame and promote team-based analysis

Applying Is / Is Not Analysis

Apply Is / Is Not Analysis to define problem boundaries and avoid scope creep in continual improvement projects
Use structured comparisons to support shared team understanding and effective root cause exploration

Using Cause and Effect Diagrams

Construct Cause and Effect Diagrams to visually map contributing factors
Reinforce continual improvement principles by emphasizing logic, categorization, and collaboration in identifying systemic causes

Team-Based Tools: Affinity and Interrelationship Diagrams

Use Affinity Diagrams to group ideas and identify themes during team brainstorming
Apply Interrelationship Digraphs to uncover patterns and prioritize continual improvement efforts based on systemic impact

Verifying the Root Cause

Practice confirming or eliminating potential causes using data and observation
Support evidence-based thinking to ensure continual improvement efforts target the right root causes

Module II

Tree Diagrams for Action Planning

Break complex issues into actionable steps using Tree Diagrams
Clarify sequencing and responsibility to support structured continual improvement implementation

Prioritization Matrices for Decision Making

Apply Prioritization Matrices to focus team energy on high-impact actions
Use weighted criteria to align improvement efforts with strategic continual improvement goals

Linking to PDCA and Quality Systems

Connect root cause findings to PDCA cycles, audits, and quality systems
Emphasize sustainability, accountability, and follow-up mechanisms to support long-term, continual improvement success

Capstone Workshop and Reflection

Apply the complete set of continual improvement tools to a realistic case scenario
Facilitate team collaboration to define problems, identify root causes, prioritize actions, and build an implementation plan
Reflect on course learnings and identify next steps for applying continual improvement practices in participants' own work environments

Course Schedule

Instructor and Program Director

Instructor
Terry Mann
senior lecturer
Terry Mann is a senior lecturer with the UW-Madison College of Engineering, and has an active consulting practice assisting companies in the implementation of ISO quality and environmental management system requirements. He is an Exemplar Global Principal QMS Auditor, EMS Auditor, Medical Device Auditor and Senior ASQ Certified Quality Auditor. Terry teaches courses on quality engineering topics, including ISO Standards, Six Sigma, operations management, statistical process control, design of experiments, cellular manufacturing, and facilities layout. He earned his Master of Science degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the UW–Madison.
Program Director
James Rink

Total Credits:

CEU 1.4,

PDH 14,

Applies to this Certificate:

Manufacturing Excellence,

Course Administration

Fee Information

Fee covers course materials.

Discounts

Team Discounts

Receive 10% off the registration fee per person when 3-7 individuals from the same organization enroll. Team affiliation will be confirmed as part of the registration process.

Receive 15% off the registration fee per person when 8 or more individuals from the same organization enroll. Team affiliation will be confirmed as part of the registration process.

Payment Options

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
Provide the registrations representative with:
- the course name, dates, and/or course number.
- the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

Cancellation Policy

If you cannot attend, please notify us by no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Because this course has limited enrollment, cancellation received after this date and no-shows are subject to the full course fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.

Create a custom learning experience

We can deliver this course as an on-site learning experience tailored to your organization’s specific training needs.