Ignite: Fueling
Organizational Excellence
Ignite: Fueling Organizational Excellence features interactive workshops that focus on the tools and resources faculty and staff need to promote and sustain organizational excellence at UW–Madison.
In these hour-long sessions, experts share ideas, methods, and approaches to help participants build skills to support continuous improvement and increase organizational effectiveness. Participants leave with stronger cross-campus networks, new strategies on how to improve their work, and the inspiration to implement their ideas.
The series is a mix of virtual and in-person workshops. Online sessions are recorded and posted on our website for future reference.
In Fall 2023, the curriculum will be centered on process improvement methodologies and tactics. Throughout each session, participants can expect a fresh and unique perspective on process improvement, contributing to a comprehensive learning experience.
Spring 2023 session resources can be found here.
Fall 2023 Schedule
Using an Indigenous Medicine Wheel to Facilitate Organizational Improvement
September 12 | 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Online
Presented by Annie Jones, professor & organization development and tribal nations specialist, Division of Extension
(this session has passed)
Content level: introductory
The medicine wheel has been used for centuries by Indigenous peoples as a method of organizing thinking to help effectively bring about desired change. This session explored how a medicine wheel, cultural teachings, and other Indigenous methodologies can be used to facilitate organizational development, change, planning, and evaluation efforts. Attendees experienced the medicine wheel in action and left with a personal action plan and a PATI (purpose, assessment, tactics, and implementation) framework to adapt for their own work.
Session Recording
Continuous Improvement and Process Mapping: An Essential Introduction
October 5 | 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (Union South)
October 26 | 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (Memorial Union)
November 16 | 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (Union South)
In person
Presented by Elizabeth Fadell and Jim Thompson, internal consultants, Office of Strategic Consulting
Content level: introductory
Join us for this interactive three-part miniseries as we embark on a journey through continuous improvement and process mapping. Starting with the fundamentals, we’ll dive into various process mapping techniques, gradually progressing to advanced practices for visualizing and analyzing processes. We’ll examine real-world case studies to demonstrate the practical application of a variety of tips and tricks. You’ll walk away with a clear idea of how to understand current processes and identify opportunities for improvement in your work. This miniseries is limited to 40 registrants; attendees are expected to be present at all three sessions.
Register
Harnessing Your Inner Designer for Resilience in a Dynamic Workplace
November 1 | 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Online
Presented by Holly Anne Burns, teaching, learning & technology specialist, and Trudy Watt, academic director, Master of Science in Design and Innovation
Content level: introductory
Discover the transformative potential of your inner designer in this engaging session. Join us as we explore three common scenarios where your innate creativity and design thinking can make a positive impact on your everyday work. Whether it’s revising documents, seeking feedback, or challenging traditional approaches, your inner designer holds the key to resilience and innovation in an ever-changing work environment. Through interactive discussions and thought experiments, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how embracing design thinking can improve your workflows, enhance team interactions, and elevate your final outputs.
Register
Unlocking Organizational Excellence: Empower Your Team, Optimize Resources, and Drive Results
December 7 | 10:00–11:00 a.m.
Online
Presented by Steve Bialek, internal consultant, and Alyson Pohlman, assistant director of consulting operations, Office of Strategic Consulting
Content level: introductory
Join us for an engaging learning experience that equips you with invaluable tools, practical methodologies, and valuable insights from case studies. Discover how to assess and enhance the effectiveness or your department, center, or office. Through this session, you will learn about five proven strategies that enable you to optimize your organization, prioritize your people, and maximize your valuable resources.
Register