Subject: CI Summer Edition: Setting Goals for FY27
From: Wisconsin DOA Strategic Management & Planning <[email-masked]>
To: DOA Strategic Management & Planning <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:31:05 +0000

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Summer is in full swing, and hopefully your summer bucket list is too!

Did you set any goals for this summer? Maybe it was exploring a Wisconsin landmark, visiting a local festival, or enjoying some lake time. Summer is one of the busiest times in Wisconsin; especially when we aren't stuck in a heat dome! But a goal without a plan is just an idea. When it comes to turning our goals into reality, thinking ahead, mapping out the steps, and adapting along the way are the keys to a successful summer and project!

As we wrap up FY26, we're already planning for the projects, trainings, and events that will shape FY27. As you look ahead, consider talking with your leadership about improvement opportunities on your team, setting a goal to achieve, registering for a CI training, or sharing your ideas through one of our engagement networks. Continuous improvement doesn't require waiting for the "right" time. It starts with taking one small step.The best time to begin building a CI mindset is today by asking, "What incremental improvement can I make?"

What’s happening in CI?

There’s a lot to look forward to as we head into FY27! The FY27 CI Training Calendar<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fimprovement.wi.gov%2FPages%2FGetInvolved%2FTraining.aspx/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/xXRI_Vzvkp9e040w7hm5Ns_qVP74mUSKxUNsE8vV5U0=452> is now available, offering opportunities to continue building your improvement skills. The CI Forum is happening next week, bringing together our CI community to learn, connect, and share ideas. We’re also preparing for the launch of the new CI Project Form on Sept. 5th, designed to make project reporting and tracking easier than ever.

As we close out FY26, we’re reflecting on another year of progress and will be sharing the FY26 Enterprise Continuous Improvement Annual Report in September. Thank you to everyone who contributed to projects, shared results, and helped strengthen a culture of improvement across the enterprise.

[FY26]<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:[email-masked]%2Fbookings%2F/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/bCzH9NBl_Kbr4JsQSBWU_2i7goIQMIaV98gtOWZun34=452>

The Data is in! FY26 was another year of growth as we saw an increase in agency participation by 50% and our total cost savings growing by over 5 million! To understand the full impact of the program since FY16, access our state metrics! <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fimprovement.wi.gov%2FPages%2FState-Metrics.aspx/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/gk1xUheM2zkT5WrUEKTLSZcTjNlRgW64ARNW66pPS8E=452>

Project Highlights
DOC Builds a Sustainable Approach to Supporting Staff in Crisis

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is strengthening staff support by developing an internal suicide prevention curriculum tailored specifically to the experiences of correctional employees.

Previously, DOC relied on an external training model that required ongoing licensing costs, trainer recertification, and limited flexibility in adapting materials. By using the American Psychological Association’s publicly available ICU framework, DOC created an internal, evidence-informed curriculum that better reflects the unique challenges and experiences of DOC staff.

The primary impact of this project improvement creates a more sustainable, flexible, and relevant training approach, strengthening staff wellness and organizational resilience. While difficult to quantify, aligning training within a correctional context better equips staff in understanding warning signs, interpreting behaviors, and responding to situations in ways that feel authentic and actionable. Additionally, the new training approach resulted in reduced annual costs!

CI Results at a Glance

  *   $4,000 in annual cost savings by eliminating external training expenses
  *   Increased flexibility to update and maintain training materials internally
  *   Improved alignment with the experiences and needs of Wisconsin DOC staff
  *   Strengthened staff wellness, safety, and organizational resilience

DATCP Takes on Organization

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has a Weights and Measures Metrology Lab in Madison. This lab includes a storage room where outdated and obsolete items were taking up a majority of the floor space, making it difficult to navigate the room and access needed items. An opportunity was realized to gain efficiencies in finding supplies, increase available storage space, and improve employee safety.

Because multiple work units utilize this space, supervisors were brought together to sort through the items together. A bureau team of laboratory, field, and management staff determined if items should be kept, sent to UW SWAP, or properly disposed of. They also checked the Records Disposition Authorization (RDA) for documents in the storage room.

Once this process was complete, the remaining items were organized and shelves were labeled. Additional shelves and storage bins were purchased and installed to properly store the records boxes and supplies.

At the conclusion of the project, the center of the room was successfully cleared, and all items are now safely stored, easily accessible, and well organized. As a result of this project, there were 346 square feet were decluttered, improving the workspace for all employees. Thank you to the DATCP team members who completed this improvement at the lab!

DNR, DOT, and DOA Team Up to Simplify State Park Pass Purchases

A new partnership between the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Administration (DOA) is improving the way residents purchase state park passes. Through this collaborative effort, residents can now add a state park pass to their annual vehicle registration renewal, creating a more convenient experience while encouraging continued access to Wisconsin’s beautiful outdoor spaces.

Previously, residents needed to complete a separate process to purchase their park pass. By integrating the purchase option into the vehicle registration renewal process, DNR and DOT reduced an extra step for customers while creating a more streamlined experience across agencies.

Since launching in June, more than 12,000 state park passes have been purchased through the new option. The improvement has also created efficiencies in the state’s mailing process by allowing park passes to be mailed together with vehicle registration materials. This has resulted in a 50% reduction in park pass mailings and is projected to generate more than $30,000 in cost savings through reduced postage expenses.

[park pass]<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fdnr.wisconsin.gov%2Ftopic%2Fparks%2Fadmission/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/fbEJjwL_D1FhEQcxrbHFZgTCNS2RsQQUaESvsm2wZQ4=452>

DOA’s mail distribution services have also benefited from the change, as combining the mailings has reduced the volume of materials processed and distributed across state agencies.

This project is a great example of how collaboration across agencies can create a better experience for residents while improving operational efficiency. By rethinking an existing process and leveraging partnerships, DNR, DOT, and DOA are making it easier for Wisconsinites to access state parks, all while delivering measurable improvements.

CI Community of Practice
[July CI CoP]<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fimprovement.wi.gov%2FPages%2FGetInvolved%2FCoP.aspx/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/g7X_0dMwXQnNhuZaJ2LZ1qZeypXexSCYn6nil0ZpeaQ=452>
Updated Project Form Coming Aug. 31!

On August 31, we'll launch the updated CI Project Form. While it will continue to capture agency projects, support enterprise reporting, and maintain our statewide project database, the new form introduces metric categories to help standardize project reporting and better tell the story of improvement across the enterprise.

To help you prepare, we've already published several new resources on the CI website<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fimprovement.wi.gov%2FPages%2FResources%2FTemplates.aspx/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/99SPSw-tS6B1welvgfMnbCBberSKk8s679pr9rDzZ4c=452>, including:

  *   How to Identify Project Metrics
  *   CI Metrics Best Practices
  *   Updated Project Proposal & Data Collection Template

[Metric categories]
Upcoming Training
CI Foundational Training

  *   Sept. 15, 2026 from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
     *   Hill Farms SOB N133 & N134
  *   Jan. 19, 2027 from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
     *   Webinar
  *   May 4, 2027 12:00 pm - 4:00pm
     *   Hill Farms SOB N133 & N134

Registration for CI Foundational training in Cornerstone<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fess.wi.gov%2Fpsc%2Fess%2FEXTERNAL%2FHRMS%2Fs%2FWEBLIB_WI_CS.ISCRIPT1.FieldFormula.Iscript_CSLogin_Default%3FDestURL=%25252fDeepLink%25252fProcessRedirect.aspx%25253fmodule%25253dlodetails%252526lo%25253d9949C827-9DB8-475D-A798-9A177E637F37/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/cqt8bZvmXrHF1wcZC0TDAaoEmY3kFTRkKJ-jajVqzC0=452>

Yellow Belt Training

  *   Oct. 13, 2026 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
     *   Hill Farms SOB N133 & N134
  *   April 13, 2027 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
     *   Webinar

Yellow Belt Curriculum<https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fess.wi.gov%2Fpsc%2Fess%2FEXTERNAL%2FHRMS%2Fs%2FWEBLIB_WI_CS.ISCRIPT1.FieldFormula.Iscript_CSLogin_Default%3FDestURL=%25252fDeepLink%25252fProcessRedirect.aspx%25253fmodule%25253dlodetails%252526lo%25253d427254D9-8EE7-487E-BCCD-EC667B847CF9/1/0100019fae125849-24ac5cd7-4419-4425-b6bf-439da4a22440-000000/D1Ch8-4uY2nnOXr6Cea3HBYpJ9Q1qI4YZyqAZyOroMI=452>, including online modules and instructor-led training, in Cornerstone

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CI Resource Center
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[Continuous Improvement Helping One Another Up Stairs]
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Questions? Contact us<mailto:[email-masked]>

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