University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training prepares individuals to become the leaders of improvement projects and team members and/or managers of a Lean Six Sigma program at their respective organizations. The Black Belt candidate’s knowledge base will be elevated through the acquisition of enhanced problem-solving experiences and advanced mastery of Six Sigma’s industry-tested system for process variation reduction. Each session teaches the candidate how to apply the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology within their specific project environment, setting a goal of financial benefit and organizational improvement. Through the DMAIC model, candidates receive a comprehensive framework for project management, which places strategic emphasis on team building and root cause analysis. Additionally, candidates will learn how to use process mapping, perform data collection, apply graphical analysis and implement an extensive set of statistical tools. Candidates receive approximately one week of training in each DMAIC phase. The course consists of 160 hours of traditional, classroom-based instruction. Candidates earn certification by passing an exam and undertaking and documenting an individual improvement project expected to result in savings between $100,000 and $250,000, submitting the final report for instructor approval. Final reports will outline performance goals and fully describe the steps taken toward improvement. Project outcomes will be documented – such as process improvement and financial impact – through the identification of before-and-after performance metrics. Prerequisite: None