Operational Excellence Strategies for Transforming Manufacturing Performance

Day 1

Operational Excellence Foundations

• Define OpEx beyond Lean/Six Sigma
• Explore systems thinking; review frameworks integrating people, process, and technology
• Group discussion: What does OpEx mean in your organization?
• Establish shared understanding of OpEx as a system aligned to business goals

Resilient Systems & Variability Management

• Identify systemic waste, variability drivers
• Introduce tools (standard work layering, flow mapping, bottleneck analysis)
• Case study: Variability reduction in high-mix manufacturing. Small group flow mapping exercise to diagnose and prioritize improvements

Design Thinking for Operations

• Apply design thinking to operational challenges
• Reframe a common operations issue (e.g., setup reduction, defect elimination)
• Group share-out

Applied Systems Thinking Workshop

• Facilitated team activity
• Map an operational system from participants’ organizations (or provided case) and identify systemic barriers to excellence
• Group reflection on key learnings

Day 1 Recap and Q&A

• Consolidate key learnings and prepare for Day 2 focus on implementation

Day 2

Reflections and Takeaways from Day 1

• Reconnect to key concepts and personal insights

Management Systems & Leader Standard Work

• Explore OpEx management systems with visual management, tiered meetings, leader standard work
• Introduce the principles of Kata Coaching to help leaders support daily continuous improvement, reinforce habits of scientific thinking, and sustain operational excellence through structured coaching routines
• Interactive design of leader standard work routines
• Review of real-world sustainment examples

Culture, Trust & Sustaining Excellence

• Build a culture of trust and accountability by applying ACT principles to strengthen engagement and support lasting behavior change
• Learn ACT-based approaches to build psychological flexibility in leaders and teams
• Explore how values-based conversations, mindfulness strategies, and commitment techniques can be used to reduce resistance, increase engagement, and support long-term cultural change
• Develop a cultural sustainability map that links behaviors to operational expenditure (OpEx) outcomes

Operational Excellence Action Plan Project

• Develop tailored OpEx action plan. Current state, priority opportunities, systems, cultural strategies, metrics
• Peer reviews and instructor feedback
• Ensure an actionable plan is aligned with the participant organization

Final Reflections and Commitments

• Share action plans and next steps
• Build accountability for follow-up in participants’ home organizations

Registration Date/Time:
2/25/2026 8:0am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 2/25/2026  8:00am - 3:00pm Central Time
• 2/26/2026  8:00am - 3:00pm Central Time

• Instructor

  Jeff Wilkerson

  Jeff Wilkerson is a progressive Lean leader, executive advisor, and innovative learning enthusiast with extensive experience in manufacturing and leadership. His career spans roles from machine operator to Plant Manager and later senior leadership at Caterpillar Inc., giving him a unique perspective that connects frontline realities with strategic vision. Jeff also spent time at TI Automotive in various manufacturing roles before joining Caterpillar, where he advanced through positions in operations, supply chain, engineering management, and global program leadership.

   

  Throughout his career, Jeff has helped optimize global manufacturing operations, guided teams to implement impactful process improvements, and designed simulated work environments (SWEs) that expand real-world problem-solving capabilities and drive significant efficiency gains.

   

  Jeff holds a Lean Master Black Belt, an MBA in Human Resources, and a BA in Leadership and Management. He has also completed advanced executive education at the MIT Sloan School of Management, focusing on Digital Business Strategy, Design Thinking, and Business Process Design. In addition, he is certified as a lay counselor in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, reflecting his belief that sustainable operational excellence stems from prioritizing people over processes.

   

  Today, Jeff combines his deep expertise in Lean, change management, and leadership development to help organizations achieve breakthrough results while building cultures of trust, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Program Director

  James Rink

Fee covers course materials.

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.

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 interpro@union.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 interpro@union.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.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts. Once you have accessed the online course, exam and/or materials, no cancellations or refunds are permitted.