Continuous Improvement as a Creative Act: Using an Innovation-Based Project Management Framework (PECHA KUCHA!)

Continuous improvement is about much more than efficiency — it’s a creative act! This Pecha Kucha provides an overview of how to lead projects with an innovation-based approach to get breakthrough results. 

In 2019 my amazing colleague and I had the pleasure of doing a Pecha Kucha style presentation at the Lean in Higher Education international conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan as part of the opening plenary session. It was pretty intense, not only because there were people there from around the world and because we didn't want to help kick off the conference with a big old dud, but also because Pecha Kuchas are hard. 

I'm one of those off-the-cuff sort of presenters. I plan out my ideas and visual aids, but I feel much more comfortable talking than doing a rehearsed presentation. But since Pecha Kuchas are meant to be 20 image-based slides, each auto-advancing after 20 seconds, you have to be extremely rehearsed. Being precise and concise is key. Not exactly my strengths... And it's even more challenging when you are doing it with another person. Luckily my colleague was a fantastic partner! It was tough, but we did it!

Two years later I got a request that would again test me on how precise and concise I could be. A colleague from University of California San Diego invited us to do our Pecha Kucha again as part of their Process Palooza's Lean in Higher Education event. Now that I've started Cresta Solutions and due to timing, I ended up doing it on my own.

My 2021 Pecha Kucha is a tale of struggle and woe, but one that ends with a hat-wearing flying dragon. It's about how continuous improvement is about much more than efficiency — it’s a creative act! This Pecha Kucha provides an overview of how to lead projects with an innovation-based approach to get breakthrough results. 

What could be better? 

Check out the video above, and please do share!

🚀 And if you're interested in how I could help you innovatively solve your organization's challenges using the framework described in the video, book a time to chat!