AME Milwaukee 2026 International Conference
PRESENTATIONS
Presentation
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Teaching lean for Industry 5.0
How we build problem-solvers in a people-first era
OVERVIEW
The way we teach lean hasn’t kept up with the way people learn — or the reality of today’s workplaces. In an Industry 5.0 world defined by complexity, AI and constant change, teaching tools alone isn’t enough. We have to teach thinking, curiosity and ownership.
In this session, Sarah Tilkens shares how she teaches lean as an instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, blending classic lean principles with modern learning design, human-centered leadership and real-world experimentation. You’ll see what happens when we move away from lectures and “one right answers” and instead design learning experiences that are adaptive, practical and deeply human.
Whether you teach lean in a classroom, onboard new hires lead Kaizen events or coach teams on the floor, this session will challenge how you think about education — and give you concrete ways to modernize how you develop problem solvers for the future of work.
In this session, Sarah Tilkens shares how she teaches lean as an instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, blending classic lean principles with modern learning design, human-centered leadership and real-world experimentation. You’ll see what happens when we move away from lectures and “one right answers” and instead design learning experiences that are adaptive, practical and deeply human.
Whether you teach lean in a classroom, onboard new hires lead Kaizen events or coach teams on the floor, this session will challenge how you think about education — and give you concrete ways to modernize how you develop problem solvers for the future of work.
Key Learning Objectives
1. Reimagine lean education for Industry 5.0 by blending technical rigor with people-first learning design.
2. Design learning experiences that stick, using experimentation, reflection and real problems — not just slides and tools.
3. Teach lean as a thinking system, not a checklist, to build ownership and adaptability at every level.
4. Apply classroom-tested techniques to Kaizen events, leader development and frontline training.
5. Meet learners where they are, while still holding the bar high for impact and results.
2. Design learning experiences that stick, using experimentation, reflection and real problems — not just slides and tools.
3. Teach lean as a thinking system, not a checklist, to build ownership and adaptability at every level.
4. Apply classroom-tested techniques to Kaizen events, leader development and frontline training.
5. Meet learners where they are, while still holding the bar high for impact and results.
Presenter
Sarah Tilkens
CEO
The KPI Lab
Sarah Tilkens is the founder of The KPI Lab, a consulting and coaching firm focused on building empowered problem solvers at the intersection of people and process. She is also an instructor at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, where she teaches courses in operations management and lean for engineering, bringing real-world application into the classroom.
CEO
The KPI Lab
Sarah Tilkens is the founder of The KPI Lab, a consulting and coaching firm focused on building empowered problem solvers at the intersection of people and process. She is also an instructor at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee School of Continuing Education, where she teaches courses in operations management and lean for engineering, bringing real-world application into the classroom.
With a background in operational excellence and leadership development, Tilkens blends classic lean principles with modern, people-first approaches to learning and change. Her work spans classrooms, Kaizen events, leadership teams and shop floors, where she helps organizations move beyond tools and checklists to develop the thinking, curiosity and ownership required to thrive in today’s complex environments. Whether teaching engineers, coaching leaders, or facilitating transformation, Tilkens' focus is the same: don’t just solve today’s problems — build the problem solvers needed for tomorrow.
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Operations improvement
Level: Intermediate
