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Human Resources
Marathon County Courthouse
500 Forest Street
Wausau, WI 54403

P: 715-261-1451
F: 715-261-1463

IDEAS Academy - Continuous Improvement

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Our Mission

Marathon County’s IDEAS Academy provides all employees with the tools to innovate through education and mentorship on the principles of continuous improvement, with the goal of making Marathon County the preferred place to live, work, visit and do business in the State.

The acronym IDEAS stands for Improvement Driven by Employee Awareness and Study, and serves to reinforce our message.

Objectives

All employees have a basic level of understanding of, and recognize the value of, continuous improvement.
All employees are empowered to innovate.
Management supports staff pursuit of continuous improvement.
Efficient, effective government for the benefit of the community of Marathon County.

Guiding Principles

There is always room for improvement.
Barriers to perfect solutions should not prevent us from pursuing better processes.
Innovation is essential to sustain high levels of quality and continue to attract people and businesses.
Our employees closest to the work will be in the best position to improve processes and develop innovative solutions.
In pursuit of improvement, we may experience failure; fear of failure will not deter us.
The public expects government to provide high level and cost effective services.

Resources

Available Courses

There are 3 available courses within the IDEAS Academy: Awareness, Innovator, and Facilitator

Awareness Training

Awareness Training is an interactive 4-hour introductory workshop covering the basic concepts of continuous improvement and a brief overview of select tools and techniques. This course is required for all Marathon County employees and includes group exercises, videos, lecture, and hands-on simulation. This course is designed to help employees identify opportunities for improvement and prepare them to participate in innovation projects within their department.

For Awareness Training graduates interested in developing a deeper understanding of continuous improvement, the IDEAS Academy is always accepting applications for Innovator Training.

Innovator Training

The Innovator Training course is a 3-day hands-on workshop providing participants a more in depth overview of several additional tools and concepts. Like Awareness Training, Innovator is comprised of group exercises, videos, lecture, and hands-on simulation. The Innovator Training course covers topics such as, project leadership, change management, strategies for tracking and measuring performance, and tips for successful innovation. This course is designed to prepare employees to lead a process improvement project to successful completion.

Employees who have led successful projects within their departments and wish to share their knowledge and passion with others are encouraged to apply for Facilitator Training.

Facilitator Training

IDEAS Academy Facilitator Training is designed to prepare employees to act as an IDEAS Academy facilitator; leading interdepartmental rapid improvement events, mentor Innovators as the lead their first projects, and act as a change management resource for Marathon County.

Sign Up for Training

Training Materials

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