Course Syllabus

 

Instructor Brian deFonteny

Brian deFonteny

Brian deFonteny, a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, has been immersed in the business system of Lean process improvement and respectful leadership since 2000.  During his thirty-five years working for the federal government and then four in the natural gas industry, he was responsible for training and coaching thousands of employees before retiring in 2018.

Since retirement, he has been teaching the behavioral elements of Lean leadership transformation (Continuous Improvement + Respect for People), including System-thinking (developed by Dr. W. Edwards Deming), to open enrollment and private sector students, as well as coaching organizations interested in attaining cultural success. He believes every employee deserves to be valued, respected, and inspired to contribute to something larger than their assigned job tasks.

Brian has been an instructor for the OU Lean Institute since 2016 and teaches the Lean Leadership course as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma. He published his first book, Leadership Reimagined in 2019

Phone: (405) 508-1465

Email: brian.p.defonteny-1@ou.edu 

 

 

Instructor Joyce Hinton

Joyce Hinton

Joyce Hinton is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and for several years has served as an OULI lean/six sigma coach, instructor and consultant for many of the Institute’s major clients. She is the primary instructor for the Institute’s Lean Six Sigma White and Green Belt training workshops; her recent activities include converting the LSS Green Belt instructor-led workshop to an e-learning course.

Previously, Joyce worked with employee-led production quality teams to apply structured problem solving using data to drive the analysis and corrective action.  Her passion is helping students learn to see processes differently - to prove to themselves that the lean and six sigma process improvement methodologies are effective. There are few things more rewarding than seeing a student grasp a new concept and apply it successfully.

Joyce holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Management concentration) from Meredith College, North Carolina. She has completed extensive training in lean/six sigma methodologies, as well as having broad experience in both management and procurement.

Email: joyce.m.hinton-1@ou.edu 

**If you would like to contact the Lean Institute, please call Lisa Angelotti at (405) 325-9135 or email at langelotti@ou.edu


Course Materials

Workbook and Handouts

  • Lean Six Sigma White Belt Workbook (PDF)
  • Lean Leadership Handouts

Required Books

  • Art Byrne. 2013 The Lean Turnaround. How Business Leaders Use Lean Principles to Create Value and Transform Their Company. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
  • Tracey Richardson. Ernie Richardson. 2017 The Toyota Engagement Equation. How To Understand And Implement Continuous Improvement Thinking In Any Organization.

Optional Reading

  • George, Michael L. 2005 The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (if taking LSS Green Belt course)
  • George, Michael L. 2012 Lean Six Sigma: Combining Six Sigma Quality with Lean Production Speed. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.  (reference only)
  • W. Edwards Deming, 1982 Out of The Crisis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Advanced Educational Services
  • Paul L. Marciano, 2010 Carrots and Sticks Don’t Work, McGraw-Hill Companies
  • Timothy R. Clark, 2020, The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Grades

Breakdown

Activity Description Points
Team Paper Incorporates concepts from Byrne and Richardson books, Deming’s 14 Points for the Transformation of Management and material presented in class by Brian deFonteny. (2 students) 200 

Lean Six Sigma White Belt Test

Covers material presented by Joyce Hinton 100 
Total  300 

Scale

A= 270-300

B= 240-269

C= 210-239

D= 180-209

F= 0-179

Course Components

Team Paper

This student assessment is associated with required reading and in-class presentation by Brian deFonteny.

A paper is to be completed after the in-person classroom training (submission date agreed upon by consensus of students) and subsequent to students reading both assigned books and Deming’s 14 points for the Transformation of Management. In teams of two, students will write a speech transcript (minimum 3 page, maximum 5 page, plus the citation page) explaining the upcoming Lean transformation in their company. All references from books and Deming’s 14 points must be cited in the paper. Authors are co-owners of a private company with approximately 1000 employees in a single location. The speech is meant to inform and inspire employees to fully participate in the transformation. All elements for writing and scoring the speech are contained in the rubric. Clarification of any portion of this assignment should be discussed with the instructor prior to presenting it for evaluation. Students will include a populated copy of the rubric along with the paper as a form of self-evaluation. 

Lean Six Sigma White Belt Test

This student assessment is associated with in-class presentation by Joyce Hinton. The test will include questions from the following topics: Lean & Six Sigma philosophy and methodology, eight wastes, process mapping, metrics, and lean six sigma tools and techniques.

Course Policies

Late Policy

To earn full credit on the team paper, it must be submitted by the agreed upon date and include recommendations on improving the assignment. To earn full credit on the exam, it must be submitted before the due date.


University Academic Policies and Student Support

Land Acknowledgement

Long before the University of Oklahoma was established, the land on which the University now resides was the traditional home of the “Hasinais” Caddo Nation and “Kirikirʔi:s” Wichita & Affiliated Tribes.

We acknowledge this territory once also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage nations. Today, 39 tribal nations dwell in the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate Native people.

The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its indigenous community. We acknowledge, honor and respect the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this land. We fully recognize, support and advocate for the sovereign rights of all of Oklahoma’s 39 tribal nations. This acknowledgment is aligned with our university’s core value of creating a diverse and inclusive community. It is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture and history that make up our entire OU Community.

Course Catalog 

Search the OU Course Catalog.

Student Handbook

Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.

Student Support Services

OU offers a variety of services to support students. For more information, please refer to the Student Support Module in your Orientation course.

Online Library

Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.

Copyright Statement and Privacy Information

Sessions of this course may be recorded or live-streamed. These recordings are the intellectual property of the individual faculty member and may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. In addition, the privacy rights of others such as students, guest lecturers, and providers of copyrighted material displayed in the recording may be of concern. Students may not share any course recordings with individuals not enrolled in the class or upload them to any other online environment.

Academic Integrity

As a member of the OU community, it is your responsibility to protect your educational investment by knowing and following the rules. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is incredibly important in this course. Cheating is strictly prohibited at the University of Oklahoma because it devalues the degree you are working hard to get. Should you know of someone else engaging in academic misconduct, please report it to your instructor or directly to the Office of Academic Integrity. Your instructor has a professional obligation to report academic misconduct. 

In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook. 

Religious Observance

It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty. [See Faculty Handbook 3.15.2].

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is committed to supporting students with disabilities to ensure that they can enjoy equal access to all components of their education. This includes your academics, housing, and community events. Please review OU's Accessibility Policy.

If you are experiencing a disability or a mental/medical health condition that has a significant impact on one or more life functions, you can receive accommodations to provide equal access. Possible disabilities include but are not limited to learning disabilities, AD(H)D, mental health, and chronic health. Additionally, we support students with temporary medical conditions (broken wrist, shoulder surgery, etc.) and pregnancy.

To discuss potential accommodations, please contact the ADRC at 730 College Avenue, (phone) 405-325-3852, or adrc@ou.edu.

Title IX Resources  

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no-contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. To learn more or to report an incident, please contact the Institutional Equity Office (M-F, from 8-5, at 405-325-3546) or OU Advocates (available 24/7 at 405-615-0013).

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth-Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact your instructor as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.

Mental Health Support Services

If you are experiencing any mental health issues that are impacting your academic performance, counseling is available at the University Counseling Center (UCC). The Center is located on the second floor of the Goddard Health Center, at 620 Elm Rm. 201, Norman, OK 73019. To schedule an appointment, call 405-325-2911. For more information, please visit the University Counseling Center.

Final Exam Preparation Period

Pre-finals week will be defined as the seven calendar days before the first day of finals. Faculty may cover new course material throughout this week. For specific provisions of the policy please refer to OU's Final Exam Preparation Period policy.

Required Policies for Students On Campus

Emergency Protocol

During an emergency, there are official university procedures that will maximize your safety.

Severe Weather: If you receive an OU Alert to seek refuge or hear a tornado siren that signals severe weather:

  1. Look for severe weather refuge location maps located inside most OU buildings near the entrances
  2. Seek refuge inside a building. Do not leave one building to seek shelter in another building that you deem safer. If outside, get into the nearest building.
  3. Go to the building’s severe weather refuge location. If you do not know where that is, go to the lowest level possible and seek refuge in the innermost room. Avoid outside doors and windows.
  4. Get in, Get Down, Cover Up.
  5. Wait for official notice to resume normal activities.

Additional information about severe weather preparedness is available through the Department of Campus Safety's Emergency Management Division.

OU-Norman Campus: Tornado Refuge Protocol

Severe Weather Preparedness Video

Armed Subject/Campus Intruder

If you receive an OU Alert to shelter-in-place due to an active shooter or armed intruder situation or you hear what you perceive to be gunshots:

  1. Avoid: If you believe you can get out of the area without encountering the armed individual, move quickly towards the nearest building exit, move away from the building, and call 911.
  2. Deny: If you cannot flee, move to an area that can be locked or barricaded, turn off lights, silence devices, spread out, and formulate a plan of attack if the shooter enters the room.
  3. Defend: As a last resort fight to defend yourself. For more information, visit:

OU's Emergency Preparedness site

Shots Fire on Campus Procedure

Fire Alarm/General Emergency

If you receive an OU Alert that there is danger inside or near the building, or the fire alarm inside the building activates:

  1. Leave the building. Do not use the elevators.
  2. Know at least two building exits.
  3. Assist those who may need help.
  4. Proceed to the emergency assembly area.
  5. Once safely outside, Notify first responders of anyone who may still be inside the building due to mobility issues.
  6. Wait for official notice before attempting to re-enter the building.

OU Fire Safety on Campus Video

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due