Yes. No other association within the Lean Six Sigma industry offers certification without also offering training. Offering training to candidates, particularly on a commercial level, along with self-defined certification criteria is a conflict of interest. This is known as “second-party certification”, see the next frequently asked question for more information.

Third-party certification is the only method of certification that is independently developed and verified thereby removing conflict of interest and providing significant meaning.

The classifications of certification methods are:

First-party certification, which is a self-declaration. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria which I have defined and therefore can say that I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt”

Second-party certification, which is when a company or training provider creates its own verification program for candidate certification. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria defined by the single organization who provided my training.”

Third-party certification verifies that a product, process or service meets defined, industry-independent criteria or standards as reviewed by an impartial party. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria defined by the impartial association who maintains the industries standard.”

Historically second-party certification has been the norm in the Lean Six Sigma Industry. Due to the problems with second-party certification more and more people, training providers and organizations, are moving to and incorporating IASSC’s third-party certification.

An Exam Institute is an organization who is responsible for certain administrative aspects of delivering high-stakes certification exams. For example, The PeopleCert Group, IASSCs official Examination Institute handles the coordination of candidate scheduling, exam delivery, security protocols and question and candidate reporting.

The cost for the IASSC Certified Black Belt Exam is $395 USD. The cost for the IASSC Certified Green Belt Exam is $295 USD. The cost for the IASSC Certified Yellow Belt Exam is $195 USD. There are no other charges associated with these certifications.

All exam questions are multiple choice and true/false.

IASSC Exam Candidates are allowed up to 4 hours for the IASSC Certified Black Belt Exam, up to 3 hours for the IASSC Certified Green Belt Exam and up to 2 hours for the IASSC Certified Yellow Belt Exam.

No. IASSC provides a Reference Document in either paper or electronic form, subject to which form of exam one is taking. This document contains all formulas and tables one will need during the examination. Scratch paper is also furnished to candidates but must be destroyed prior to leaving the testing facility.

IASSC Certification Exams are professionally developed to assess a person’s knowledge as it relates to the subjects defined in the ILSSBOK. While things such as work experience and application experience are helpful in obtaining the knowledge required to successfully complete the exams they are not requirements.

The sole objective of the ICBB, ICGB and ICYB exams is to measure the examinee’s knowledge not their work or project experience. This is in alignment with the Certification Industries Best Practices.

For more information about IASSC’s position on this topic view the IASSC Position.

There is no limitation or time restriction on examination retakes.

No. Retakes are priced at the normal fees.

Simply find an IASSC Testing Center in your area, schedule and sit for the exam.

Search the IASSC Accredited Providers, obtain training from the one that best suits your needs and the make arraignments to sit for the IASSC Certification exam when you are ready. In many cases your training provider will be equipped and authorized to make your arrangements to sit for the IASSC certification exam as well.

Yes. The IASSC Certification Exams are offered by IASSC’s Official Examination Institute, The PeopleCert Group and PearsonVue, an examination administrator, and are available in 165 countries within a network of more than 8,000 Testing Centers worldwide. Click here to search for a locations.

The ILSSBOK is a document that defines the topics that are expected knowledge requirements of a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Lean Six Sigma Certified Green Belt and a Lean Six Sigma Certified Yellow Belt.

The ILSSBOK was developed by the industry and organized by IASSC. The ILSSBOK is continually updated to ensure that it maintains an accurate reflection of the knowledge expectations of the industry.

The difference becomes apparent when comparing the two documents. The ASQBOK defines areas outside of what the industry considers standard knowledge requirements for the designated belt.  These areas include Enterprise Wide Deployment and DFSS, among others. However the D-M-A-I-C components of the BOKs are almost identical.

These can be downloaded from the Black Belt Body of Knowledge page, the Green Belt Body of Knowledge page and the Yellow Belt Body of Knowledge page.

Once you submit a request for an application we will typically be in contact within 48 to 72 hours. Once you submit your application along with any required supplemental documentation you can except on average anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks for us to review your submittal.

Our official Examination Institute, The PeopleCert Group assists in the processing of the IASSC Accreditations. During the process of accreditation to IASSC you will likely be in direct contact with qualified representative from the PeopleCert Group who will help facilitate the submittal and issuance of your IASSC accreditation.

Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of educational and psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of measurement instruments such as questionnaires and tests. It involves two major research tasks: (i) the construction of instruments and procedures for measurement; and (ii) the development and refinement of theoretical approaches to measurement.

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom headed a group of educational psychologists who developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning. Bloom found that over 95% of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level…the recall of information.

Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain from the simple recall or recognition of facts, at the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels, to the highest order that is classified as evaluation.
These levels are from “Levels of Cognition” (from Bloom’s Taxonomy – Revised, 2001). They are listed in order from the least complex to the most complex.

Remember: Recall or recognize terms, definitions, facts, ideas, materials, patterns, sequences, methods, principles, etc.

Understand: Read and understand descriptions, communications, reports, tables, diagrams, directions, regulations, etc.

Apply: Know when and how to use ideas, procedures, methods, formulas, principles, theories, etc.

Analyze: Break down information into its constituent parts and recognize their relationship to one another and how they are organized; identify sublevel factors or salient data from a complex scenario.

Evaluate: Make judgments about the value of proposed ideas, solutions, etc., by comparing the proposal to specific criteria or standards.

Create: Put parts or elements together in such a way as to reveal a pattern or structure not clearly there before; identify which data or information from a complex set is appropriate to examine further or from which supported conclusions can be drawn.