About Lean Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma is a business and data-driven, disciplined approach to reducing waste and minimizing defects in any type of process (manufacturing, service, health care, government, etc.). Lean Six Sigma focuses on reduction of waste, increased quality, and customer satisfaction. It is a method of integrated management used by organizations to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders.

The Role of Black Belts

Black Belts are experienced Lean Six Sigma professionals who provide project management, statistical analysis, financial analysis, project prioritization, leadership and team development for the organization. The typical Black Belt leads several projects, coaches and mentors Green Belts, and understands how to scope problems and design processes towards solutions. Black Belts often manage Lean Six Sigma projects full time and are the liaison between the staff and the project sponsors and managers.

Course Overview

The Black Belt Certificate program is designed for experienced practitioners with a Green Belt Certificate (or equivalent process improvement experience) who wish to achieve a higher level of Lean Six Sigma training by developing critical skills for leadership in enterprise-wide deployment. In this instructor-led course, participants spend 90 hours in the classroom and 30 hours in the field applying the Lean Six Sigma methodologies. Students become grounded in the established Lean Six Sigma body of knowledge, gain experience to implement it in the workplace through a group project in the field, and the credentials to be a Lean Six Sigma leader within their organization.

This course is limited to 12 participants. Participants should plan on spending 4-5 hours a week outside of scheduled class time for reading and homework assignments in addition to managing their own Black Belt project. Students must actively participate during and in between class sessions in order to earn a certificate of completion. Upon successful completion based on all assessment parameters (80% or better attendance and satisfactory completion of team project), students will earn 12.0 CEUs (120 contact hours) and a Certificate of Completion from the Center for Continuous Improvement.

Program Admission Requirements

Black Belt program participants must have a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma or equivalent experience in leading process improvement activities.

Course Outcomes

• Identify, scope, and implement Lean Six Sigma process improvement projects at multiple levels and complexities within organizations
• Learn the history, comparability, and adaptation of current key improvement methodologies including: Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, Theory of Constraints, Agile, and other methods used in organizations.
• Expand your depth of understanding and use of Lean Six Sigma practices and tools through hands-on activities and teach-back experiences.
• Apply appropriate leadership, facilitation, analytical, and communication skills to serve as a liaison between process improvement teams and project sponsors; and serve as a coach to organizational leaders; and lead other process improvement professionals to support a Lean Six Sigma culture.
• Facilitate and conduct training to develop new Green Belt practitioners within the organization and other training for small and large groups involved in process improvement.
• Prepare and present a Black-Belt level project results to class peers, the instructor, and invited guests and submit a written portfolio documenting your process and learning.

LSSBB Fall 2024 Flyer

LSSBB-Fall-2024-Syllabus

What Sets This Program Apart from Other Black Belt Programs

Our interactive class design emphasizes organization development, change management, leadership, systems thinking, strategic thinking, listening, teamwork, and communication skills. Most other Black Belt programs focus on tools and models. This program focuses on the whole system – the human system (social sciences, complexity science, leadership and human development) and how to engage with and change organizational systems (organization development, change management, strategic planning) all while improving outcomes (Lean Six Sigma methodologies).

Black Belt Projects

Students lead process improvement projects within the workplace to practice applying the Lean Six Sigma tools and concepts to a specific process within the organization. Projects require both instructor and sponsor approval. Each Black Belt project is required to have a portfolio that demonstrates the tools used in that project – at least two (or more) tools per DMAIC phase.

Instructor Sensei

Dr. Wendy Fraser has over 30 years of continuous improvement and organizational development experience. She taught at several universities helping hundreds of people earn their Black Belts, Green Belts, and White Belts in Lean Six Sigma. She is a skilled practitioner who has concrete experience and knows how to teach others to yield results.