Program Overview

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Program

Overview

The Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training is a professional certification program that involves 15 days of classroom training distributed over three months, with individual coaching between classes. Participants work on a real-world process improvement project as part of certification.

Course Description

The workshop includes intensive training and hands-on exercises that will train each participant how to deploy and lead process improvement strategies effectively within the enterprise. The workshop will conclude with a coached project wherein each trained Black Belt must demonstrate the ability to lead and implement process improvement using Six Sigma tools and integrated strategies.

Credit and Certification

Credit for this course is CEU based on the Clock Hour system. Participants will receive 10.8 CEUs. Additionally, participants completing this course will be eligible to receive 3 hours of graduate-level credit from the University of Oklahoma College of Professional and Continuing Studies.

Who Should Attend

Individuals with diverse technical, operations, and/or transactional backgrounds will find this course valuable. Participants are selected because of their project roles in leading and facilitating process improvement at the enterprise. Participants must have Green Belt Certification or satisfy the instructor with a working knowledge of Six Sigma concepts prior to registration.

Quick Facts

• Course length: 15 days
• Prerequisites: Green Belt certificate or equivalent experience, pending the approval of the instructor.
• Instructor: Teresa Tobias, LSS Master Black Belt
• Next offered:
  • August 25-29, 2025
  • September 22-26, 2025
  • October 27-31, 2025
• Time: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Cost: $5,900

Materials

Sigma XL, an Excel software extension, is used for the data analysis exercises. Perpetual license provided.

Location

Tinker Business and Industrial Park

Topics

At the end of the course, participants will understand the Six Sigma strategies and tools, the relationship of the transformation components of Lean and Six Sigma, how to lead process improvement projects, and how to lead and deploy Six Sigma process improvement tools effectively. Black Belts typically apply their Six Sigma skills beyond their functional area and are expected to train, lead, and coach Green Belts through their projects.

Each Trained Black Belt will be able to:

• Understand and articulate the purpose and goals of using Six Sigma strategies within the context of the enterprise
• Develop extensive knowledge of and experience using the specific Six Sigma deployment strategies that will be implemented within the enterprise
• Competently and confidently apply Six Sigma tools and methodologies
• Manage multiple projects
• Define, solve problems and lead change persistently and patiently using analytical thinking and data-driven approaches (DMAIC)
• Understand and apply these Six Sigma concepts and processes:
  • "Voice of the customer"
  • Metrics
  • Distributions
  • Probability plotting
  • Variance components
  • Control charting
  • Basic Statistics and Graphical Analysis Review
  • Variable gage Repeatability and Reproducibility Studies
  • Discrete measurement system Repeatability and Reproducibility
  • Short-term process capability
  • Long-term process capability
  • Inferences/Confidence intervals
  • Hypothesis testing/Comparison testing
  • Sample size calculations
  • Regression analysis
  • Full Factorial DOE
  • Fractional Factorial DOE
• Achieve project results in an accelerated timeframe

General Information

All classroom dates meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Fridays, unless otherwise noted.

GLSS Black Belt certification guidelines for the course

• All participants must attend each LSS Black Belt class for the full day of training, unless pre-arranged with the workshop instructor or Lean Institute Program Director.
• Participants must demonstrate their understanding of and ability to use the Lean Six Sigma tools through:
  • The successful completion of the required project
  • Pass the required comprehensive exam with an 80% or higher score
  • Present their project process and results in a project power point presentation. Presentations should show the DMAIC path through the project, as well as show significant improvement(s) statistically (with appropriate statistical test(s) performed).

Course Credits

Participants receive Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits, which are required to maintain many professional licensures.

Training Locations

Public classes are held at the Tinker Business Industrial Park at I-40 and Sooner Road. All public classes are open enrollment and typically feature an interesting mix of teams from a variety of industries.

OU Lean Institute Instructors

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

Instructor Profiles

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.

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.

Teresa Tobias

Tobias is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt trained by some of the original consultants in the industry. She has worked with Six Sigma Academy, the first consulting organization created by the founder of Six Sigma, Dr. Mikel Harry.

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.