Process Paradise

Process Paradise is set to take place at UC Santa Barbara on November 18, 2026, with additional virtual sessions taking place November 17 and 19. Bringing together process improvement practitioners, curious newcomers, and continuous improvement enthusiasts from across UCSB and beyond, the event offers free opportunities to learn, connect, and explore new ways of improving how we work. Attendees can look forward to hands-on workshops, engaging speakers and panel discussions, a live process improvement competition, a Lean Escape Room, and more.

Past Events 

2025 Recap

Process Paradise 2025 took place October 28–30, 2025, bringing together the UCSB community for three free days of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. In its second year, the event expanded to include virtual sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, bookending an engaging in-person day at Loma Pelona. With the theme "A Little Time in Process Paradise Goes a Long Way,” the event showcased how shared knowledge and practical tools can simplify work and support campus success. More than 200 people participated virtually, while 51 attendees representing 46 campus departments joined the in-person event, with participants also joining from other UC campuses, health systems, and universities across North America and Europe. Highlights included workshops on A3 thinking, root cause analysis, AI prompting, and Lean Six Sigma; a leadership panel on culture change; a Process Improvement Challenge; and a hands-on Lean Escape Room. Eighteen participants also completed White Belt training. Strong participation and positive feedback demonstrated the value of bringing the campus community together to learn, share ideas, and put continuous improvement into practice.

2024 Recap

Process Paradise 2024 took place on November 13, 2024, bringing together the UCSB community for a day dedicated to efficiency, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The event welcomed process improvement practitioners, campus leaders, decision-makers, and anyone interested in finding better ways to work across the university. Associate Vice Chancellor for IT & CIO Josh Bright opened the event by highlighting Process Paradise as a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Attendees participated in a Lean Six Sigma panel, an engaging keynote, and a variety of skill-building workshops focused on A3 thinking, time management, root cause analysis, and writing effective problem statements. Optional morning sessions introduced participants to process improvement fundamentals and strategies for identifying value for customers. A live Process Improvement Challenge put these concepts into practice as teams worked to improve UCSB’s onboarding process from “Good Enough” to “Great.” Together, the day demonstrated how collaboration and practical process improvement tools can help create a stronger, more effective UCSB.