Lean Bench Program

Learn about the Lean Bench program at UC San Diego.

Welcome to the UC San Diego Lean Bench program, administered through the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Lean Bench members are a select set of campus expert practitioners of Lean Six Sigma methodology who engage and lead crucial efforts around process improvement, operational excellence, and business efficiency.

Lean Bench members support and advance UC San Diego’s Strategic Plan goal of creating an agile, sustainable, and supportive infrastructure by ensuring a dedication to service, people, and financial stewardship. The cohort of selected Lean Bench members are recognized as process improvement experts across the institution. They not only receive training to ensure consistent efficiency and excellence across campus, but are also presented with opportunities to apply their skills to improve campus processes and bring value to the University.

Lean Bench members are expected to:

• Attend a two-hour orientation.
• Attend a three-hour training session.
• Make either a 12-month commitment as a member of the classic Lean Bench program, or complete a single Lean Bench Gig.
• Dedicate at least 20% of their time to facilitate Lean review of campus business processes.
• Attend meetings in support of process analysis during business hours.
• Complete multiple Lean review efforts during the 12-month commitment, or complete a single gig.

At the end of the Lean Bench engagement, participants will amass a great deal of hands-on cross-institutional experience and be equipped to support and champion strategic process improvement initiatives in their departments/divisions and throughout UC San Diego. As an added benefit, participants will get extensive experience with the campus Business Process Management platform, Promapp.

Application window is now OPEN.

Historically Lean Bench has only taken applications annually, but due to the impact and interest in Lean Bench, the application window will remain open on an ongoing basis.

Individuals may apply directly through the online application form. Preference will be given to those who have received a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification, or equivalent experience. 

To ensure success of this program, administrative leave with pay has been approved for orientation and training sessions so that employees may initiate fully in this important institution-wide initiative. Supervisors are asked to allow employees to fully participate, as long as the absence does not infringe upon the performance of required job duties or patient care.

We appreciate your involvement in the UC San Diego Lean Bench Program.

Vince Kellen, PhD
Campus Chief Information Officer
IT Services

* The program will support you and your department in balancing your workload, via a backfill request process.