Most operational excellence efforts optimize the metrics inside the plant, utilization, efficiency, cost, and lose sight of the customer along the way. This course goes beyond basic Lean and Six Sigma tools to help you build an integrated operational excellence framework that aligns people, process, and technology, one that works across functions, sites, and value streams.

Jeff Wilkerson, a former TI Automotive plant manager and current Caterpillar senior leader, teaches this course. He's also a certified Acceptance and Commitment Therapy practitioner. Through lectures, case studies, simulations, and guided action planning, you'll explore leader standard work, management systems, system resilience, and design thinking, then apply real tools for building the trust and accountability that make improvement stick, not just plan it.

• Manufacturing and Process Engineers: Designing and integrating continuous improvement systems aligned with business goals
• Plant Managers and Technical Leaders: Translating improvement principles into daily execution and measurable results
• Operations Directors and Executives: Driving multi-site or enterprise-wide performance improvement
• CI and Change Leaders: Managing large-scale transformation and culture-building initiatives

• Design and implement an operational excellence framework integrating Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement
• Build resilient systems that manage variability and reduce systemic waste
• Develop leader standard work and management systems to sustain results
• Apply design thinking to operational challenges
• Foster a culture of trust, engagement, and accountability
• Create a tailored operational excellence action plan for their organization
• Apply Kata Coaching techniques to reinforce daily improvement habits and support frontline engagement

Day 1

• Operational Excellence Foundations: Define OpEx beyond Lean/Six Sigma and explore systems thinking that aligns people, process, and technology
• Resilient Systems & Variability Management: Identify systemic waste and variability drivers, then apply tools like flow mapping and bottleneck analysis to a real high-mix manufacturing case
• Design Thinking for Operations: Apply design thinking to reframe a common operational challenge
• Applied Systems Thinking Workshop: Map an operational system from your own organization and identify systemic barriers to excellence

Day 2

• Management Systems & Leader Standard Work: Design leader standard work routines and learn Kata Coaching principles for sustaining daily improvement
• Culture, Trust & Sustaining Excellence: Apply ACT-based principles to build trust, reduce resistance, and support long-term cultural change
• Operational Excellence Action Plan Project: Develop a tailored action plan for your organization with peer and instructor feedback