Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

 A Council for Six Sigma Certification (CSSC) Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt is an individual that possesses a thorough understanding of the entire Six Sigma Body of Knowledge.  In addition, this individual has a thorough comprehension of both Six Sigma philosophies and principles (including supporting systems and tools). The Black Belt Certification designation also reflects an understanding of team leadership, team dynamics, and the ability to successfully assign team members with roles and responsibilities. Lastly, this individual demonstrates a high-level understanding of the DMAIC model in accordance with the Six Sigma principles, basic knowledge of lean enterprise concepts, and skills to quickly identify “non-value-added” activities.

PROCESS: LEARN > AFFIDAVIT > PREPARE > APPLY > CERTIFY > RECERTIFY

The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt is a professional who can explain Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including supporting systems and tools. A Black Belt should demonstrate team leadership, understand team dynamics and assign team member roles and responsibilities.

Black belts have a thorough understanding of all aspects of the define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) model in accordance with Six Sigma principles. They have basic knowledge of lean enterprise concepts, are able to identify non-value-added elements and activities and are able to use specific tools.

REQUIREMENTS

Here are the experience and exam specifics for the Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Work Experience

Six Sigma Black Belt requires two completed projects with signed affidavits or one completed project with signed affidavit and three years of work experience in one or more areas of the Six Sigma Body of Knowledge. For more information, please see the list of Six Sigma Project Affidavit FAQs. You do not need to be a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt.

Work experience must be in a full time, paid role. Paid intern, co-op or any other course work cannot be applied towards the work experience requirement.

Expectations

These are the minimum expectations of a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

I: Organization-wide Planning and Deployment

• Will understand how to deploy six sigma within a project.
• Will be able to implement tools and techniques to deploy strategic directions for initiatives.
• Will understand the roles and responsibilities for six sigma projects and how each group influences project deployment, and will be able to support communications about the project deployment.
• Will be able to apply operational change management techniques within their defined scope or domain.

II: Organizational Process Management and Measures

• Will be able to define various types of benchmarking.
• Will be able to describe various types of performance measures, and select an appropriate financial measure for a given situation and calculate its result.

III: Team Management

• Will understand the components and techniques used in managing teams, including time management, planning and decision-making tools, team formation, motivational techniques and factors that demotivate a team, performance evaluation and reward.
• Will be able to describe elements that can result in a team’s success.
• Will be able to use appropriate techniques to overcome various group dynamics challenges.

IV: Define

• Will be able to select data collection methods and collect voice of the customer data, and use customer feedback to determine customer requirements.
• Will understand the elements of a project charter (problem statement, scope, goals, etc.) and be able to use various tools to track the project progress.

V: Measure

• Will be able to define and use process flow metrics and analysis tools to indicate the performance of a process.
• Will be able to develop and implement data collection plans, and use techniques in sampling, data capture, and processing tools.
• Will be able to define and describe measurement system analysis tools.
• Will apply basic probability concepts, and understand various distributions.
• Will be able to calculate statistical and process capability indices.

VI: Analyze

• Will be able to analyze the results of correlation and regression analyses.
• Will be able to define multivariate tools.
• Will be able to perform hypothesis tests for means, variances and proportions and analyze their results.
• Will understand the components and concepts for ANOVA, Chi-square, contingency tables, and non-parametric tests.
• Will understand the elements and purpose of FMEA and use root cause analysis tools.
• Will be able to identify and interpret the 7 classic wastes.
• Will be able to use gap analysis tools.

VII: Improve

• Will be able to define and apply design of experiments (DOE) principles, and distinguish among the various types of experiments.
• Will be able to apply various lean tools and techniques to eliminate waste and reduce cycle time.
• Will understand how to implement an improved process and how to analyze and interpret risk studies.

VIII: Control

• Will be able to apply, use, and analyze the various statistical process control (SPC) techniques.
• Will understand total productive maintenance (TPM) and visual factory concepts.
• Will be able to develop control plans and use various tools to maintain and sustain improvements.

IX: Design For Six Sigma (DFSS) Framework and Methodologies

We Will understand common DFSS and DFX methodologies, and elements of robust designs.

Different Paths to Certification :

The Council for Sigma Certification (CSSC) offers 2 different paths to earning a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.  Individuals who have already received training, and feel that they have significant understanding of the topics covered in the Black Belt Certification “Body of Knowledge,” can simply sit for our standard comprehensive examination.  

Individuals who are instead using one of our free Self-Study Guides, either independently or in conjunction with a training provider, can sit for several short exams as they progress through the different sections (as opposed to a single large comprehensive exam).

As an added benefit, those seeking the second option towards Certification would be able to obtain the various levels of our standard certifications (White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, and Black Belt) as they progress through their certification journey, without incurring any additional examination fees.

The “Standard Exam” is a single comprehensive exam intended for those who are already familiar with the Six Sigma Green Belt “Body of Knowledge.”

What to Expect :

The Official CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification exam consists of 150 questions.  It is an open-book format examination (we encourage the use of the free Self-Study Guide issued by The Council for Six Sigma Certification while taking the exam) that you will have 3 hours to complete.

The Exam consists of multiple-choice and true/false questions from the major sections of CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt “Body of Knowledge.”  The Official CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification exam can be taken either online (utilizing the link below) or at designated testing centers located worldwide.  The current examination assessment is  Compare Us  (other major currency options are available during payment).  Applicants will have 3 attempts to successfully pass the exam with the required minimum score (see below).  If unsuccessful after 3 attempts, the applicant would need to pay the examination assessment fee again.

Certification Requirements :

To successfully obtain the professional designation of a CSSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSC-CSSBB) issued by The Council for Six Sigma Certification, individuals must successfully complete our CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Exam and achieve a score of 420 points (or higher) out of a total 600 possible points.

There are no prerequisites for taking the CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification Exam. Once the examination assessment fee is paid, you will have 1 year to successfully pass the exam.

There is no project requirement for this Certification.  However, this certification is a prerequisite for any individual wishing to pursue our Level II Black Belt Certification which does have a project requirement.

Exam Preparation :

We recommend that any individual wanting to successfully pass the official CSSC certification exam, obtain Six Sigma training either through a qualified training provider or by studying the free self-study guide issued by The Council for Six Sigma Certification.  For those candidates that feel the need to re-familiarize themselves with the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt methodology, we highly recommend that they review both the free self-study guide and the corresponding “Body of Knowledge”.

Awarding of Certification :

After successfully fulfilling the certification requirements, candidates will receive an Official CSSC Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification issued by The Council for Six Sigma Certification, the most respected accrediting organization in the Six Sigma industry.

Our certifications have no expiration date.  We strongly feel that certifications that require “renewals” only serve to increase the profits of the certification providers instead of benefiting the individual.  Or put another way, a Master’s Degree in Business does not expire… why would your professional certification?

Candidates who would like to obtain a more recent certification date can always resit for the certification exam at any time (often for less money than a provider would charge for a “renewal”).

Upon completion of the requirements, individuals are issued a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification in an electronic form.  All certifications contain a verifiable certification number and the certification holder is added to the Council for Six Sigma Certification Official Register.