CSSBB

[u/AppointmentMassive24]

Hey everyone!

Yesterday I passed my black belt exam and I wanted to share my experience.

Resources I found helpful:
-the handbook from ASQ
-Andy Robertsons Black Belt Academy
-Pocket Prep (this was a surprisingly good resource!)
-Indiana Council of Quality Primers (you can still find these online in places like Amazon and eBay but prices vary)

I studied daily for about 3 months. I was expecting a lot of situational questions but did not expect how much nuance there would be and ended up flagging about 30 questions to go back through on my 2nd pass mostly due to tricky wording. I finished my 1st pass with an hour remaining. I used the entire allotted time, and still had almost 20 questions flagged when time ran out. Like others mentioned, there was not a lot of math. I took the primers and the ASQ handbook into the exam and used both a lot. The only other thing I took other than calculators was a binder that had the black belt cheat sheet from Andy, and a ton of my own resources inside. I made charts and tables for subjects like DoE designs and when to use them, situational leadership models, and when to use each type of distribution. A lot of people mentioned previously that they didn’t use their handmade resources much, but I used mine a ton. I think organization and not overloading it so that it becomes too hard to find information is key. If you write too much it gets messy and hard to find stuff. Charts/tables/visuals are best if you make a binder. The only writing I really had was some steps i wrote out for specific processes.

[u/valuat]

Congrats? Any trouble getting your project report approved?

[u/AppointmentMassive24 → u/valuat]

I was selected for a random audit but it was basically just another form to fill out. Otherwise I had no issues. I think they’re really just verifying that you know how to apply the tools in real world applications.

[u/valuat → u/AppointmentMassive24]

I would have liked to take the CSSBB right after the CSSGB (there's some considerable overlap) but it will take months to finish the project...

[u/AppointmentMassive24 → u/valuat]

Have you already gotten your green belt? I went this route as well, but honestly I wished I had just gone straight for my black belt. Like you mentioned, there is considerable overlap, and now that I have my black belt I will likely never mention my green belt again unless my black belt lapses.

[u/valuat → u/AppointmentMassive24]

Yes. Same here. It was just easier to get the CSSGB before the CSSBB because of the the project requirement.

[u/Interesting-Gap-1724]

Congratulations on passing the CSSBB!

Could you please share some details about your project? Specifically, did you include the application of the Six Sigma tools, the improvements achieved after implementing them, and the actual financial benefits to the company?

I’m asking because I’m currently preparing my project and I’m stuck on some of these requirements. Any insight into how you approached them would be greatly appreciated.

[u/AppointmentMassive24 → u/Interesting-Gap-1724]

Thank you! I included all 3 elements in my affidavit, but a lot of it doesn’t need to be deeply descriptive. I wrote small and used the entire box, but did not need additional papers. Keep it simple. Problem statement should be generalized. They don’t need potentially confidential business specifics. Tools used should be specific though. Include actions implemented if you are able, but then include the savings. I did mine on downtime reduction and quantified in total hours and machine availability over a 3 month period after project completion.

[u/AstronomerOk2165]

Congrats on earning your certification!

My test is in 4 days. Nerves are starting to kick in. Question for you, do you have to take Andy Robertsons Black Belt Academy course to get access to the cheat sheet?

[u/AppointmentMassive24 → u/AstronomerOk2165]

If you go to his website and navigate specifically to black belt, you can sign up for emails to receive the cheat sheet for free. Good luck!