Operational Excellence

Welcome to the UCOP Operational Excellence Center of Expertise (OE CoE).

We drive organizational effectiveness and foster a culture of continuous improvement across UCOP and beyond through innovative process improvement, capability building, and the strategic application of emerging technologies.

Kristin Kielich

Kristin Kielich

Director

Staff Directory

Drive Results

Training Opportunities

Meet the Team

Upcoming Events

December 18, 2025
OE Community of Practice Meeting: Get to the Root Causes, Not Just the Symptoms: Using the 5 Whys Effectively
11:10 AM - 12:00 PM
Zoom

When problems keep resurfacing, it’s often because teams are treating symptoms instead of uncovering what’s truly driving the issue. The 5 Whys method is a straightforward, high-impact technique that helps you dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and reveal the underlying cause behind recurring problems.
In this session, you’ll learn how to:
  • Use the 5 Whys method to peel back layers of a problem with clarity
  • Guide a conversation that moves past assumptions and stays focused
  • Recognize and avoid common traps that lead to shallow analysis
  • Turn root-cause findings into targeted, meaningful countermeasures
Ideal for anyone looking to sharpen their problem-solving skills and prevent issues from repeating in their workflows.

Submit a Request for Operational Excellence Support

We’re here to help you drive improvement, streamline processes, and elevate outcomes. Use our quick request form to connect with the Operational Excellence Center of Expertise—whether you need guidance, collaboration, or hands-on support, we would love the opportunity to partner with you.

Submit an OE project or engagement request here!

Contact Us

Get in touch with the team for any questions or support. Contact oecoe@ucop.edu.