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An article summarizing a step-by-step project to improve lean processes at MIU was recently published by the peer-reviewed journal Quality Assurance for Higher Education.

Written by Andrew Bargerstock, director of the MBA program, and department administrator Sylvia Richards, the article describes how the business department’s academic assessment process was streamlined and simplified by conducting a kaizen (process improvement) event using the classic Lean Six Sigma methodology.

The specific application was the report completed at the end of each course by faculty in the business department in order to improve the quality of individual courses. Due to a lower than expected compliance rate, dean Scott Herriott had targeted this process as a good pilot study for a kaizen event.

Ms. Richards oversaw the two-week project to improve the process, with the result being that compliance rates improved dramatically.

Jim Karpen is a writer by trade, with a special focus on technology. He has a Ph.D. in English and studied the impact of the computerization of language. In addition to writing for iPhone Life magazine, he has also been writing a column about the Internet for the Iowa Source since 1994. He also edits and publishes the MUM Review.