Lean Tools

What are Lean Tools?

Lean tools are used to reduce waste in organizations and improve quality control. By applying these tools, you’ll increase efficiency in your organization by getting the most out of each resource.

Gemba Walking

A 2.5-hour course that outlines how Gemba Walking is used by leaders to better understand the current state process and strengthen mutual trust between employees and leadership. Interactive class exercise gives participants the opportunity to practice Gemba Walking.

October 19, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Kaizen or Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) Facilitation

A 16-hour hands-on workshop where students facilitate a team of subject matter experts to effectively plan and conduct a one-day rapid improvement event.

Basics of Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

A 2.5-hour introductory course focusing on the benefits of incorporating root cause analysis as a standard element of problem solving. Specific emphasis is given on the five whys tool. Interactive class exercise gives participants the opportunity to practice RCA.

October 19, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Coached RCA Workshop Using a Real-World Independent Fault Point

A 1.5-hour instructor-guided root cause analysis using a real-world independent fault point. Participants will choose a facilitator and a scribe and invite the subject matter experts to the exercise.

Value Stream Mapping

A 2.5-hour course that shows how value stream mapping is used to identify and remove waste to improve the flow of value to the customer. Students will practice building and analyzing a value stream map. A Lean Office tool.

5S

A 2.5-hour course teaching this quick-win technique for creating and maintaining a well-organized workspace. An in-class activity will provide an opportunity to practice steps 1-4 of the 5 S’s. A Lean Office tool.

Coaching

Reinforce and apply what you’ve learned in your tools training

OU LEAN INSTITUTE INSTRUCTORS

OULI's team of instructors and consultants are practicing experts in the field with extensive history in implementing process improvement efforts and coaching students.

Brian deFonteny

deFonteny is the creator of Leading with Lean and other short courses offered by the OU Lean Institute. A certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt once active in the oil and gas industry, deFonteny has more than a decade of experience as a Lean practitioner, coach and instructor. He holds a master’s degree in human relations and a bachelor’s in psychology. deFonteny is committed to optimizing organizational success by helping others Lead with Lean. He is the author of Leadership Reimagined and an adjunct professor with the University of Oklahoma.

Joyce Hinton

Hinton is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and 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 LSS White and Green Belt training workshops. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and has completed extensive training in Lean Six Sigma methodologies, as well as having extensive experience in both management and procurement.

Teresa Tobias

Tobias is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt trained by some of the original consultants in the industry (Sigma Sciences, Inc., p.k.a. Six Sigma Associates). She has worked with Six Sigma Academy, the first consulting organization created by the founder of Six Sigma, Dr. Mikel Harry. Tobias has extensive experience at the strategic level working with leadership. At the tactical level, she has coached and mentored clients' internal resources for hundreds of transformational projects.

Larry Fisher

Fisher is the Center Process Manager for Continuous Improvement and Innovation (CI2), Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker AFB. He coordinates continuous improvement mentoring and training for 35,000+ Airmen. As a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Black Belt, he is an instructor and facilitates multi-organizational improvement events, mentors, and coaches those utilizing CI2 techniques and seeking LSS Green Belt/Black Belt certifications. Since 1985, Fisher has held positions in engineering, quality, contracting and process improvement organizations.