The Black Belt candidate looked confused. “Um, the sponsor said he was happy with the outcome,” he offered. The members of the certification board looked skeptically at one another:

“But the only metrics you’ve shown us are from after the project was completed.” Another board member asked hopefully, “Didn’t you measure the key process output variable before you started the project?” The Black Belt candidate shook his head. “OK. thanks, Jim. We’ll get back to you,” said the certification board chairwoman. Jim wasn’t certified.

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