The Black Belt is the primary hands on practitioner and front line manager of LSS within the organization.  The Black Belt works often as a LSS project manager and implementer working on LSS projects one after another to spread LSS throughout the organization.  As an organization matures, Black Belts will spend more time applying LSS to their own production processes and assisting Green Belts.

In the world or transactional Six Sigma, the Black Belt must be excellent at working with all types of people, must be have strong communication skills, and must be capable of comprehending complex, abstract situations.  Black Belts in transactional Six Sigma must be capable of transforming seemingly un-quantifiable processes into a quantifiable model – A skill less quantitative in nature than creative and analytical.  In other words, a skilled mathematician with poor interpersonal skills and a dislike for the abstract will not make a strong candidate for a transactional Six Sigma Black Belt.  The Black Belt must have strong math skills and understand how to apply mathematic principles to the business world. 

The role of Black Belt is easier to quantify than is Master Black Belt. The following apply.

Minimum Requirements for Black Belt:

§         Possesses a Black Belt training certificate

§         Has completed at least one LSS project from beginning to end

§         Has been approved by a qualified MBB

§         Possesses a Masters of Science or equivalent experience or trade education in combination with a technical Bachelors degree.

§         Demonstrates ability to communicate effectively with various types of people

§         Possesses experience as a project manager and some form of professional training in project management

Objectives of the Black Belt:

§         To Create Pull for LSS throughout the organization

§         To encourage the heart of Green Belts, and others

§         To foster a collaborative and open LSS culture inclusive of all roles in the organization

§         To manage LSS project teams and projects to success

§         To use the LSS methodology and appropriate tools and methods for process improvement and implementation of the process improvement framework.

§         To find new and better ways to use specific LSS techniques

§         To conduct effective project communication to stakeholders and the LSS virtual team

§         To provide mentoring and technical support to other members of the LSS community

MSI recommends that organizations getting started on the Six Sigma Journey use a mix of experienced Black Belts on contract or hired internally along side inexperienced internal Black Belts.  A technical screening process should be provided by your MBB for hiring of employee and contract Black Belts.

Check the following link to find out more.

       Class Descriptions (PDF Version)

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