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Mannheim Business School and The Lean Six Sigma Company have teamed up to offer the 14-day Black Belt Excellence training. It is a comprehensive dual course designed to provide you with the essential tools for modern, efficient operations and help you transition toward AI-ready processes. In this program, you’ll master the powerful methodologies of Process Mining and Lean Six Sigma, and under the guidance of our experts, you’ll apply your knowledge through a hands-on project, achieving your first savings already during the course.
Upon completion, you will receive two prestigious certifications: a certificate from Mannheim Business School and a Black Belt certification from The Lean Six Sigma Company. These credentials not only validate your expertise but will also position you as a key driver of operational excellence and an advocate of an AI-driven future.
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Language
English
Course duration
4-6 months
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Modernize your operations
In today’s economy, where precision and innovation are key, organizations must embrace continuous improvement to optimize overall efficiency. Process mining provides a clear, data-driven view of how processes operate. By mapping out workflows in detail, organizations can identify inefficiencies early and make data-driven decisions. The program also explores how process mining can be integrated with modern machine learning techniques for deeper insights.
When combined with Lean Six Sigma, process improvement becomes even more effective. Lean Six Sigma provides the framework to act on data-driven insights, reducing waste, lowering costs, and improving process reliability. It also focuses on cutting bureaucracy and contributing to ESG goals, ensuring that process improvements lead to long-term, sustainable results.
Together, these two methods allow for a smooth transition to AI-driven operations, because AI models are based on real-world data rather than assumptions.
designed for future leaders
This course is designed for Future Leaders. We’ll teach you how to build smarter, customer-centric, and future-proof operations, by combining the power of Artificial Intelligence with the proven methods of Lean Six Sigma.
Many of you professionals are no strangers to the balancing act of running daily operations while striving for improvement. You’re probably dealing with the challenges of improving customer satisfaction, lowering operational costs, and increasing overall quality, all while cutting through bureaucratic red tape, preparing for the possibilities of AI, and chasing ambitious ESG targets.
That’s precisely why this course is designed with you in mind. Our ideal candidates are mid-to-senior-level professionals tasked with driving operational excellence and spearheading digital transformation.
Whether you are part of a medium-sized organization or a large multinational corporation, this training is designed for you. It is especially relevant in sectors such as manufacturing, finance, logistics, and Defense & Aerospace, where Lean Six Sigma has proven to be effective. Additionally, if you work in healthcare or government, where operational efficiency and compliance are crucial, this program will meet your specific needs too.
In summary, if you are ready to transform everyday challenges into strategic advantages and guide your organization toward an AI-driven future, then the Black Belt Excellence training serves as your first step in making that vision a reality. Moreover, by equipping you with essential skills and dual certifications, this course significantly enhances your professional credibility and opens doors to advanced leadership opportunities.
instructors
Find out more about the expertise and specialties of your trainers.
Our trainers
As a long-time Six Sigma Master Belt and quality professional, I have developed my continuous improvement process (CIP) skills throughout my professional life. By leading excellence projects, I not only strive for process improvements, but also work closely with the people within the organization to develop sustainable solutions that contribute to the success of the company and its customers.
Jana Rehse is a leading expert in Management Analytics, specializing in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance business processes. With a doctoral degree in Business Administration from Saarland University and a track record of prestigious awards, she has significantly contributed to research areas including process mining, machine learning for process prediction, and domain-specific process assistance systems. Her influential publications, such as those in Business & Information Systems Engineering and ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems, underscore her impact in advancing AI-driven approaches for business process optimization.
To maximize relevancy and help participants develop a broader understanding, this programme has been co-developed with Mannheim Business School. The curriculum comprises 11 days where you focus on Lean Six Sigma. The 3 other days are facilitated by Mannheim Business School, where you focus on process mining and data-driven process optimization. This allows you to distinguish yourself on the international labor market in this exclusive 14-day programme.
The Black Belt Excellence programme is split into blocks of 5 or 3 consecutive days. This gives you the opportunity to apply what you have learned in practice, and all obstacles and lessons learned can be shared, discussed and evaluated during the following training days. Every aspect of this training was designed to offer you the optimal learning experience. Find out more about our Black Belt Excellence programme in our course flyer.
content
The course aims to provide an overview of process improvement by introducing the concept of lean and its five principles: identifying customer value, analyzing the value stream, ensuring flow, implementing pull systems, and striving for perfection. Participants will gain an understanding of processes, their importance, and potential challenges. They will also learn about Lean philosophy, identifying bottlenecks, applying the Theory of Constraints, determining customer value-add steps, creating value stream maps, assessing flow efficiency, calculating Takt-time, WIP, and PLT using Little’s Law, and applying methods such as 5S, Poka Yoke, Kaizen Events, and visual management techniques.
During the Six Sigma days of our Black Belt Excellence programme, you can expect a thorough exploration of the methodology’s origins and operational structure. You’ll learn about its inception at Motorola and widespread adoption by industry leaders like General Electric. Through engaging sessions, you’ll understand the roles and responsibilities within a Six Sigma organization, enabling you to drive impactful improvements in process mining projects, ensuring efficiency and quality.
During the Six Sigma days of our Black Belt Excellence programme, you will delve into the DMAIC approach, a structured problem-solving method. In the Define phase, you’ll determine critical aspects of product/service quality for customers, create Project Charters, and employ tools like SIPOC for process mapping. The Measure phase involves setting measurable outputs, defining improvement goals, and conducting data analysis. Moving to the Analyse phase, you’ll identify root causes using tools such as Fishbone diagrams and FMEA, while also understanding Confidence Intervals. In the Improve phase, you’ll experiment with solutions, utilize Design of Experiments, and employ techniques like brainstorming and benchmarking. Lastly, in the Control phase, you’ll develop Control Plans, implement Lean tools, and ensure effective project handover with thorough documentation. This comprehensive approach equips you to drive impactful improvements in data analysing projects, ensuring efficiency and quality.
During the statistics part of our Black Belt Excellence programme, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of descriptive statistics such as mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and variation range, among others. Practical implications of variation will be explained, enabling you to assess sample quality and quantity effectively. You’ll learn to recognize different data types, create data collection plans, and utilize statistical software like Minitab for analysis. Tools for evaluating measurement variation and assessing measurement system capability, such as Gage R&R studies, will be covered extensively. Additionally, you’ll delve into baseline process performance analysis and process capability calculations. Understanding hypothesis testing, including alpha and beta risks, will be emphasized, along with formulating and evaluating null and alternative hypotheses. Lean tools like SMED and OEE will also be introduced to analyze and address lost time in processes effectively. This statistical knowledge equips you to make informed decisions and drive improvements in data engineering projects with precision and accuracy.
During the process mining segment of our Black Belt Excellence programme, you will grasp the fundamental concept, relevance, and potentials of process mining, which involves analyzing event logs to improve processes. Key process mining terminology will be explained, alongside understanding the structure and purpose of process event logs. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to characterize processes based on event logs, discover process models, and analyze process-related KPIs. Additionally, you’ll apply rule checking to identify compliance violations, pinpoint bottlenecks, and uncover improvement opportunities within processes. Practical aspects include setting up and managing process mining projects, complemented by a guest lecture from industry experts like Celonis, followed by a comprehensive case study in the Celonis system. Finally, technological advancements in process mining, such as robotic process automation and machine learning applications, will be explored, discussing their applicability and limitations. This knowledge equips you to leverage process mining techniques effectively in real-world scenarios, driving efficiency and optimization in data analysing projects.
During the exam and review portion of our Black Belt Excellence programme, participants will engage in a comprehensive review of the course material, ensuring a thorough understanding of Lean Six Sigma principles and methodologies. The culmination of the program is the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Exam, where participants will demonstrate their ability to execute Lean Six Sigma projects, facilitate improvement teams, apply Lean Six Sigma tools effectively, and implement successful solutions within organizational contexts. Upon completion of this final day, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive impactful improvements and lead data engineering projects with confidence and competence.
Collaboration
Mannheim Business School (MBS) is the organizational umbrella for management education at the University of Mannheim and one of the leading institutions of its kind in Europe.
MBS was the first German institution to be accredited by the three most important international associations of business education institutions (AACSB International, EQUIS and AMBA). Only one percent of all business schools possess this “Triple Crown”. In addition, MBS is the best German institution in the renowned MBA rankings of the Financial Times (3-year average), the Economist, Bloomberg Businessweek and Forbes.
The MBS portfolio includes an MBA program that can be taken full-time or part-time, several Executive MBA programmes as well as specialised Master’s programmes. Additionally, MBS offers practice-oriented open certificate courses and tailor-made company programmes.
Investment
Investing in the Black Belt Excellence course is a strategic move that can yield significant returns for your organization. By enrolling, you not only gain incredibly valuable skills and knowlege, your organization acquires the means to drastically decrease costs with every project you carry out. Our comprehensive coaching goes beyond guidance; we actively assist you during your first project. With our assistance, even your very first project can achieve cost-reductions up to €250,000. The effects of this single investment can ripple through your organization, creating support for new projects and make change management more natural; because now, the results speak for themselves.
Furthermore, the 14 classroom training days are supported by the MyTraining™ learning environment. During your improvement project, you will be guided by an experienced Master Black Belt.
The ROI for the Black Belt Excellence course is exceptional, with the potential to save your organization at least €250,000 in project costs. By enrolling in this program, you’re not just investing in training; you’re investing in tangible results that directly impact your bottom line. Our experienced coaches work closely with you to identify and implement strategies that lead to significant cost savings. These savings can be attributed to various factors, including improved efficiency, reduced errors, and streamlined processes.
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Faq
Every training we provide assumes that our students start without any prior knowledge of Lean or Lean Six Sigma methodology. The training starts from the basics and builds accordingly. You will learn about the theory step by step. And if you choose to carry out a project as part of your training, you will be coached and assisted by our Master Black Belt to ensure a good result.
During this training, participants will explore various aspects of Lean Six Sigma and process mining. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics aimed at enhancing participants’ understanding and proficiency in these methodologies. From foundational concepts to advanced techniques, the training offers a comprehensive overview of the principles and applications of Lean Six Sigma and process mining.
If you’re interested in obtaining a detailed breakdown of the learning targets and the specific content covered in the training, you can request our study manual. It provides a comprehensive outline of the course structure, including key concepts, learning objectives, and practical exercises.
The trainers for this course are Master Black Belt Steve Cook and Professor Jana Rehse. With years of experience in the realms of process improvement and process mining, they bring a wealth of expertise and practical insights to the training. Steve Cook has a proven track record of implementing Lean Six Sigma methodologies across various industries, driving significant improvements in efficiency and quality. Professor Jana Rehse is renowned for her research and contributions to the field of process mining, having authored numerous publications and led groundbreaking projects in the application of data-driven process analysis. Their combined knowledge and hands-on experience ensure that participants receive top-notch instruction and guidance throughout the training. To learn more about these esteemed trainers, click here.
The theory of the Black Belt Excellence training is assessed through a theoretical exam held at the end of the training. Following this evaluation, participants apply the theory in practical scenarios under the guidance of their trainer. This coaching is an integral part of the training and is tailored to the phase of your project charter. Participants are required to complete their project charter, which is then presented by the participant to their coach and our quality manager upon completion. Only after this process can participants officially earn the title of Black Belt.
We find that our course attracts participants from diverse professional backgrounds. This diversity is seen as a significant asset, as it allows individuals to step out of their own spheres and engage in collective learning about process improvement and process mining. The exchange of knowledge and experiences from various fields is particularly inspiring, fostering a dynamic learning environment where participants can gain fresh perspectives and insights. By bringing together individuals with varied expertise, our training sessions not only promote collaboration but also encourage innovative problem-solving approaches that can be applied across industries.
This training is future-proof, especially considering the vast amount of data in the world today. It seamlessly integrates a robust methodology, Lean Six Sigma, with one of the most significant trends to date – big data. As organizations increasingly recognize the value of data-driven decision-making, the ability to leverage Lean Six Sigma principles alongside advanced analytics techniques becomes essential for staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. By equipping participants with the skills to effectively analyze data and optimize processes, this training not only prepares them for the challenges of today but also positions them to thrive in the data-driven future.
The regular Black Belt training typically spans 8 to 10 days, varying depending on whether you work in the service or industrial sector. However, this Black Belt Excellence training extends to 12 days for Lean Six Sigma training, with an additional 3 days dedicated to Process Mining in collaboration with Mannheim Business School. The extra Lean Six Sigma days are structured to include a Lean Practitioner Training day focusing on the A3 methodology. These additional half days are crucial to ensure a seamless integration with the Process Data Mining component. This additional time allows for a deeper dive into the practical application of tools, particularly those related to data-driven process analytics.
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Perhaps you are still unsure about if this course is right for you or perhaps you are wondering what a practical assignment entails? Let us help! Our friendly helpdesk is happy to answer all your burning questions. This way, you will start a training course worry-free.
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