Six Sigma Black Belt (2007 BOK): Improve

Lean Improvement Methods and Implementation Planning in Six Sigma

Duration: 116.0

As a Lean Six Sigma improvement team moves into the Improve phase of a DMAIC project, it begins to generate a list of solutions to address process problems. Lean offers several techniques to reduce waste and cycle time, as well as improvement tools such as kaizen, theory of constraints, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). After appropriate methods and tools are used and solutions developed, the implementation of proposed solutions needs to be tested and verified to ensure that optimal choices are made. This course looks at some of the popular Lean methods and implementation planning in Six Sigma. It examines Lean tools used for reducing waste and cycle time, and the Japanese principles of continuous improvement – kaizen and kaizen blitz. It also looks at some other process improvement methodologies such as theory of constraints and OEE. Finally, the course examines planning for proposed solutions, including conducting pilot tests and simulations. This course is aligned with the ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt certification exam and is designed to assist learners as part of their exam preparation. It builds on foundational knowledge that is taught in SkillSoft's ASQ-aligned Green Belt curriculum.

identify best practices and methods associated with Lean tools
identify characteristics of cycle-time reduction tools and the steps in SMED
recognize the characteristics of heijunka
recognize examples of activities typically performed during each day of a kaizen blitz
recognize how to apply Theory of Constraints concepts to help analyze process throughput and alleviate bottlenecks
calculate overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
determine whether best practices are followed for a pilot test, given a scenario
sequence the steps in conducting a simulation
select an optimum solution

Final Exam: Six Sigma Black Belt (2007 BOK): Improve

Duration: 72.0

Generally taken near the end of a program, Final Exam: Six Sigma Black Belt (2007 BOK): Improve enables the learner to test their knowledge in a testing environment.

Topic T2 Objective O4
Topic T6 Objective O8
Topic T10 Objective O12

Designing, Conducting, and Analyzing Experiments in Six Sigma

Duration: 120.0

Six Sigma teams design and conduct experiments to investigate the relationships between input variables and response variables. By controlling and changing the input variables and observing the effects on the response variables, a Six Sigma team gains a deep understanding of these relationships. After determining what and how much needs to be changed to meet the desired improvement, teams generate solution ideas based on the best combination of input variables' settings to optimize the response, and then the ideas are tested, implemented, and validated. Later in the Control stage, efforts are made to keep the improved processes, products, or services under statistical control and to retain the gains. This course explores full and fractional factorial designs and the DOE process. In addition, it teaches how to select, test, and validate solutions using a variety of analysis, screening, and testing tools commonly used in Six Sigma. This course is aligned with the ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt certification exam and is designed to assist learners as part of their exam preparation.

determine whether a chosen design is a full factorial design that can meet resolution requirements, in a given scenario
recognize the characteristics of an experiment, represented by a given run table
calculate the number of runs in a given experiment
calculate an estimate of a main effect in a full factorial experiment
based on results from a full factorial experiment, recognize which terms should be included in the model
recognize circumstances suitable for a fractional factorial design
recognize the design implications of a proposed fractional factorial experiment
interpret an interaction plot
identify conditions that recommend a randomized block design
identify the trial pattern that will fully randomize a given block design
identify the characteristics of Latin square designs
recognize which experimental factors are significant in the results of a Latin square design