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Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification

A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certified by the Lean Six Sigma International Council is a professional of the highest level, with great experience and knowledge of Continuous Improvement through Lean Six Sigma methodology and tools.

A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certified by the Lean Six Sigma International Council can assume the leadership of Continuous Improvement in large companies, is a mentor of strategic projects for the business and a mentor of Black Belts and Green Belts professionals.

We recommend the Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification from LSSIC certified Black Belts professionals

Our certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belts are authorized to use our seal of recognition.

Body of Knowledge: Master Black Belt

Enterprise-wide Planning

A. Strategic Plan Development
Describe and use strategic planning tools and methods such as Hoshin Kanri, X Matrix, SWOT, PEST, PESTLE, Ansoff Matrix, Porter’s Five Forces, TQM, Business Process Reengineering, Balanced Scorecard, and business excellence models (Baldridge, EFQM, ISO, Shingo) and their utilization in developing enterprise planning. (Apply)

B. Strategic Plan Alignment
1. Strategic deployment goals
Describe how to develop strategic deployment goals. (Apply)
2. Project alignment with strategic plan
Describe how to align projects to the organizational strategic plan. (Analyze)
3. Project alignment with business objectives
Describe how to align projects with business objectives. (Analyze)

C. Infrastructure Elements of Improvement Systems
Describe how to apply the following key infrastructure elements. (Apply)
1. Governance (quality councils or process leadership teams)
2. Assessment (organizational readiness and maturity models)
3. Resource planning (identify candidates and costs/benefits)
4. Resource development (train and coach)
5. Execution (deliver on project results)
6. Measure and improve the system (drive improvement into the systems, multiphase planning)

D. Improvement Methodologies
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the following methodologies, including their associated tools and techniques. (Apply)
1. Six Sigma (DMAIC)
2. Design for Six Sigma (DMADV)
3. Lean (PDCA, Kaizen)
4. Theory of constraints 5. Business systems and process management 6. Other problem-solving methods (8 disciplines, root cause analysis)

E. Opportunities for Improvement
1. Project identification
Facilitate working sessions to identify new project opportunities that can be prioritized. (Apply)
2. Project qualification
Determine the elements of a well-defined project (e.g., business case, charter), the process for approving these projects, and tools used in project definition (process maps, value stream maps, QFD, FMEA, critical-to-x where x can be customer, design, cost, and quality). (Apply)
3. Stakeholder management
Describe how to identify, engage, and strategically align stakeholders. (Analyze)
4. Intervention techniques Describe techniques for intervening across levels to prevent potential project failures. (Apply) 5. Creativity and innovation tools
Use creativity and innovation tools to develop concept alternatives (divergent thinking). (Apply)

F. Pipeline Management
1. Pipeline creation

Create, manage, and prioritize a pipeline of potential projects for consideration. (Create)
2. Pipeline life-cycle management
Create a selection process that provides a portfolio of active improvement opportunities that are clearly aligned and prioritized to meet/exceed strategic goals. Monitor, re-evaluate, consolidate, and retire pipelines as needed. (Create)
3. Regulatory impact on pipeline
Assess the impact of regulatory statutes on prioritization/ management of pipeline of potential projects. (Understand)
3. Pipeline risk management
Use risk management and analysis tools to analyze organizational elements, to appraise portfolios and critical projects, and to identify potential problem areas. (Evaluate)

Organizational Competencies for Deployment

A. Organizational design
1. Systems thinking

Apply systems thinking to anticipate the effect that components of a system can have on other subsystems and adjacent systems including emergent properties. Analyze the impact of actions taken in one area of the organization and how those actions can affect other areas or the customer, and use appropriate tools to prevent unintended consequences. (Analyze)
2. Organizational culture and maturity
Describe the implications organizational culture and maturity levels can have on improvement program implementation, including potential barriers. (Analyze)

B. Executive and team leadership roles
1. Executive leadership roles
Describe the roles and responsibilities of executive leaders in the deployment of improvement programs in terms of providing resources, managing change, and communicating ideas. (Analyze)
2. Leadership for deployment
Create action plans to support optimal functioning of master black belts, black belts, green belts, champions, and other participants in the deployment effort. Design, coordinate, and participate in deployment activities, and ensure that project leaders and teams have the required knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes to support the organization’s improvement program. (Create)

C. Organizational challenges
1. Organizational dynamics

Use knowledge of human and organizational dynamics to enhance project success and align cultural objectives with organizational objectives. (Apply)
2. Intervention styles

Use appropriate intervention, communications, and influence styles, and adapt those styles to specific situations (i.e., situational leadership). (Apply)
3. Interdepartmental conflicts
Address and resolve potential situations that could cause the program or a project to underperform. (Apply)

D. Organizational change management
1. Change management models
Describe different change management models (Kotter’s 8-Step, ADKAR, Competing Values Framework). (Apply)
2. Techniques to gain commitment
Describe how to gain commitment from the organization’s leadership for the improvement effort. (Understand)
3. Techniques to overcome organizational barriers Describe various techniques to overcome barriers to successful organizational deployment. (Apply)
4. Necessary organizational structure for deployment Develop the inherent organizational structure needed for successful deployment. (Apply)
5. Communications with management Describe elements of effective communications with management regarding organizational benefits, failures, and lessons learned. (Apply)
6. Organizational culture change techniques Assess culture of the organization and its ability to problem-solve and improve. Describe techniques for changing an organizational culture, such as rewards and recognition, team competitiveness, communications of program successes, and appropriate cascading of goals throughout the organization. (Apply)

E. Organizational feedback
1. Voice of the customer and voice of the process

Assess the appropriate collection of Voice of the Customer and Voice of the Process data, both internal and external. (Evaluate)
2. Capturing and assessing feedback
Develop a customer-focused strategy for capturing and assessing customer feedback on a regular basis. (Evaluate)

F. Organizational performance metrics
1. Financial measures

Define and use financial measures, including revenue growth, market share, margin, cost of quality (COQ), net present value (NPV), return on investment (ROI), cost-benefit analysis, activity-based cost analysis, direct costs, indirect costs and opportunity cost, project cash flow, and breakeven time performance. (Analyze)
2. Business performance measures
Describe various business performance measures, including Balanced Scorecard, key performance indicators (KPIs), and the financial impact of customer loyalty, and describe how they are used for project selection, deployment, and management. (Analyze)

Project Portfolio Management

A. Project management principles and lifecycle
1. Project management principles

Oversee critical projects and evaluate them in terms of their scope, goals, time, cost, quality, human resources requirements, communications needs, and risks. (Evaluate)
2. Project management lifecycle elements
Apply phases of project management lifecycle (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Control and Closure). (Analyze)

B. Project portfolio infrastructure and management
1. Governance methods and tools

Develop governance documents, tracking tools, and other methodologies that will support project success. (Create)
2. Cross-functional project assessment
Appraise interrelated projects for scope overlap and refinement, and identify opportunities for leveraging concomitant projects. Identify and participate in the implementation of multi-disciplinary redesign and improvement projects. (Evaluate)
3. Executive and mid-level management engagement Formulate the positioning of multiple projects in terms of providing strategic advice to top management and affected mid-level managers. (Create)
4. Prioritization

Prioritize projects in terms of their criticality to the organization. (Evaluate)
5. Performance measurement
Design, support, and review the development of an overall measurement methodology to record the progress and ongoing status of projects and their overall impact on the organization. (Evaluate)
6. Monitoring
Apply appropriate monitoring and control methodologies to ensure that consistent methods are used in tracking tasks and milestones. (Analyze)
7. Status communication
Develop and maintain communication techniques that will keep critical stakeholders and communities apprised of project status, results, and accountability. (Create)
8. Supply/Demand management
Generate accurate project supply/demand projections, associated resource requirements analysis, and mitigate any issues. (Create)
9. Corrective action

Facilitate corrective actions and responses to customers about the corrective action and its impact. (Analyze)

C. Project portfolio financial tools
1. Budgets and forecasts
Assess and explain budget implications, forecasting, measurement, monitoring, risk analysis, and prioritization for portfolio level projects. (Evaluate)
2. Costing concepts
Define the concepts of hard and soft dollars and use cost of poor quality, activity-based costing, and other methods to assess and prioritize portfolios. (Apply)

Training Design and Delivery

A. Training needs analysis
Assess the current level of knowledge and skills in each target group in relation to the skills and abilities that are needed. Conduct a gap analysis to determine the training needs for each target group. (Evaluate)

B. Training plan elements
Design training plans to close the knowledge and skills gaps. Refine the plans based on the number of people needing to be trained in a particular technique or skill, and whether multidisciplinary or multi-level competency training is appropriate. (Create)

C. Training materials and curriculum development
1. Training material sources

Determine whether to outsource the training or develop in house, including considerations such as cost, availability of internal subject matter experts, and timing. (Analyze)
2. Adult learning theory
Develop or select training methods and resources that adhere to adult learning theories. (Analyze)
3. Integration
Ensure that the training harmonizes and leverages other tools and approaches being used and that it is aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and culture. (Evaluate)
4. Training delivery
Monitor and measure training to ensure that it is delivered effectively and efficiently by qualified individuals. (Apply)

D. Training program effectiveness
Develop an evaluation plan to assess, verify, and improve the acquisition of required knowledge and skills within schedule, budget, and other constraints. (Create)

Coaching and Mentoring Responsibilities

A. Executives and champions
1. Scoping and resourcing

Collaborate with executives and champions on scoping projects and selecting individuals and assignments for various projects. (Evaluate)
2. Executive reviews
Collaborate with executives and champions on reviewing projects, including timing, questions to ask, and setting expectations for project timing and completion. (Create)
3. Leadership and communication
Coach executives and champions on the need for constancy of purpose and message, and the importance of using clear communication techniques and consistent messages. (Evaluate)
4. Feedback
Use constructive techniques to provide feedback to champions and executives. (Evaluate)

B. Teams and individuals
1. Belt coaching and mentoring
Develop a career progression ladder for belts. Assess their progress and provide constructive feedback to enable them to work effectively on team projects. Use coaching, mentoring, and intervention skills as needed, including canceling or reassigning projects if necessary. (Create)
2. Project reviews
Create guidelines and expectations for project reviews, and perform them in a timely manner. Assist project leaders in selecting appropriate content for presentation to management. (Create)
3. Team facilitation and meeting management
Practice and teach meeting control, analyze team performance at various stages of team development, and support appropriate interventions for overcoming team challenges, including floundering, reviewing and diagnosing failing projects. (Create)
4. Non-belt coaching and mentoring
Develop information that will help non-belt project participants to advance their understanding of improvement initiatives and develop the necessary skills and knowledge to become effective belts. (Evaluate)

Advanced Data Management and Analytic Methods

A. Measurement systems analysis (MSA), process capability and control
1. Propagation of errors

Use propagation of errors to evaluate measurement systems based on calculated values from multiple inputs. (Evaluate)
2. Attribute (discrete) measurement systems
Use appropriate tools and methods (e.g., percent agreement, Kappa, Kendall, intra-class correlation coefficient) to analyze and interpret discrete measurement systems. (Evaluate)
3. Variables (continuous) measurement systems
Use appropriate tools and methods (e.g., X  R , X  s , individual and moving range) based on control samples to analyze and interpret continuous measurement systems. (Evaluate)
4. Destructive measurement systems
Use appropriate tools and methods to assess a destructive measurement system. (Analyze)
5. Process capability for non-normal data
Calculate capability using Weibull and other methods for non-normal data. (Apply)
6. Automated process control (APC) and statistical process control (SPC)
Recognize when to use APC instead of or in conjunction with SPC. (Understand)

B. Measuring and modeling relationships between variables
1. Autocorrelation and forecasting

Identify autocorrelation, including time-series modeling (e.g., ARIMA) and forecasting. (Analyze)
2. Multiple regression analysis
Apply and interpret multiple regression analysis, including using variance inflation factors (VIFs) to identify collinearity issues. (Analyze)
3. Logistic regression analysis
Apply and interpret logistic regression analysis, including binary, ordinal, and nominal data considerations. (Analyze)
4. Model fitting for non-linear models
Apply and interpret fits of models that are non-linear in the parameters. (Apply)
5. General linear models (GLM)
Apply and interpret GLMs such as ANOVA results (crossed, nested, and mixed models), simple linear regression, multiple regression, ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) and continuous MSA. (Apply)
6. Components of variation
Select, calculate, and interpret components of variation and nested design studies. (Evaluate)
7. Simulation
Apply simulation tools such as Monte Carlo, dynamic process simulation, and queuing theory. (Apply)
8. Linear programming
Understand how linear programming principles, such as critical path analysis, can be used in modeling diverse types of problems (e.g., planning, routing, scheduling, assignment, design) to optimize system performance. (Understand)
9. Reliability modeling
Use reliability modeling and tools to enhance reliability of a product or process. (Apply)
10. Qualitative analysis
Use appropriate qualitative analysis tools (affinity diagrams, force field analysis) and analyze the results. (Analyze)

C. Design of Experiments (DOE)
1. Factor relationship diagram

Apply and interpret factor relationship diagrams. (Apply)
2. Complex blocking structures
Recognize other designs for handling more complex blocking structures, including Latin Squares and balanced incomplete block designs (BIBD). (Understand)
3. DOE approaches
Recognize when to apply approaches such as screening designs (including Definitive Screening Designs), response surface methodology (RSM), mixture experiments, evolutionary operations (EVOP), split-plot designs, Taguchi designs and computergenerated designs (e.g. D-optimal designs). (Understand)

D. Data management and analytics
1. Enterprise data management

Recognize and understand data management elements such as data governance, data architecture, data lifecycle management, data quality (accuracy, timeliness, consistency, completeness, uniqueness, validity, conformity, precision), meta data, master data, data privacy and data security. (Understand)
2. Data analytics
Recognize when to apply predictive analytic approaches such as decision trees (including random forest, boosted forest), neural networks, partial least squares, text analytics, image recognition and pattern recognition (structured and unstructured data). (Understand)

E. DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) DFSS tools
Recognize and understand tools such as QFD, TRIZ, morphology box, and axiomatic design to generate design concepts. (Understand)

Our Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification exam complies with the body of knowledge of ASQ (American Society for Quality).