Can you name the most critical inputs to a Lean/Six Sigma deployment? While the curriculum, corporate culture, and consultant are factors, the most critical element is often the skill and competence of the MBBs.

Ongoing success (and failure) often falls to the Master Black Belt who trains and mentors the organization’s experts. The question is, which critical factors comprise an outstanding MBB?

There have been many attempts to answer this question. For corporate hiring managers and deployment champions, the responses have seemed complex, diverse, variable, and incomplete. In response to this industry need, ISSSP has established the 'Master Black Belt Assessment Team'(IMAT) to create standards for MBBs. Using a DMADV approach, IMAT has sought to improve the situation for employers, trainers, and candidates.

We collected customer requirements in order to determine the best model and process to evaluate Master Black Belts. In our session, we’ll define the problem using VOC survey results. We’ll discuss the implications of designing a benchmark for Master Black Belt assessment. By establishing a benchmark, we reduce variability in the meaning of an MBB credential. This contributes to the continued success of Lean/Six Sigma deployments worldwide.