A Yellow Belt possess basic  knowledge regarding the tools and methodologies of Six Sigma.They do not lead the projects on their own unlike Green Belt and Black Belt. They may be referred to as Green Belts depending from business to business. They support the Six Sigma  projects by developing the process maps.

Yellow Belt possess the in depth knowledge and thus act as the subject matter expert on the projects and forming the core team members. Yellow belt are responsible for integrating the  lean and six sigma methodologies in order to achieve the high level production and transactional systems leading to customer satisfaction. They usuall y carry out the smaller process improvement projects by following the PDCA methodology which helps them to identify the processes that could benefit.

Certification of Yellow Belt provides the thorough understanding of the processes and thus enables each individual to provide meaningful assistance for the achievement of the organizations overall objectives.

Lean Six Sigma Certification

Lean six sigma certification provides the professionals with the process improvement methodologies of Six Sigma and practices of  Lean tools. Lean certification equipped the professionals in achieving the skills required to contribute to process improvement projects.

Typically a lean Six Sigma Certification focuses on the following

(1)   Focusing on enterprise resource management and improvement.

(2)   In depth understanding of integrated Lean Six Sigma business process management methodology for process improvement.

(3)   Using  advanced statistical tools and software to analyze the data

(4)   Mapping and modeling the organization processes for practical analysis including value streams and process flows.

(5)   Learns to  identify the potential areas, deciding on the improvements, meeting the customer expectation and the business goals.

(6)   Identifying and eliminating the non value added activities related to process design and product flow.

(7)   To ensure the improvements are sustained, emphasis is given on  chasing the variations and waste out of the system.

Companies  provides  the Six Sigma training to its professional based on their rank in the organization. There are various level of professional Six Sigma Employees and these levels resembles the same lines of Martial Arts Belts. In order to get to the higher level, further training is required. The color of the belt points to the level of the course achieved by a professional.

Six Sigma Green Belt

The first or lowest level of belt is Green Belt and it represent the employee of the company who has been trained on Six Sigma improvement methodology and as a part of their full time job, lead quality improvement  team.

They possess less Skills and knowledge related to Six Sigma as compared to the Black Belt or Master Black Belt. They are responsible for the implementation of Six Sigma at an organization level. They assist the Black Belts and carried out their directions in execution of the projects. They lead the improvement projects within their respective areas. Usually the number of Green Belts exceeds the Black Belts in an organization.

Six Sigma Black Belt

Next level is Black Belt and they are responsible for the successful implementation of the projects using the Six Sigma methodology (DMAIC or DFSS) within the organization. They take two weeks of specialized training in addition to the training imparted to the Green Belts.

They are the Six Sigma Team Leaders who are experts in the Six Sigma tools and methodologies. They have detailed knowledge of the roadmaps, cross functional process improvement, and extensive arithmetical methodologies. They ensure that tools used lead to increment in business production and Customer Satisfaction.

Additionally Black Belts also coach and mentor other Green Belts and take guidance from Master Black Belts.

Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Master Black Belts are at the top level of Belt. They are experts in Six Sigma Quality Integration and executes the successful strategic implementation within an organization. Their responsibilities include coaching and mentoring of Black Belts and Green Belts, helping to prioritize, design, select and execute high-impact projects; maintaining the integrity of the Six Sigma measurements and developing and revising training materials of Six Sigma.

They are highly trained Six Sigma Black Belts and provides training to lower Six Sigma facilitators related to the methodologies, tools, and applications of Six Sigma and helps them in achieving their certifications.

Six Sigma Certification : What is it ?

Six Sigma certification is a confirmation that a person has completed the necessary requirements from the organization which is granting the certification. Thus it affirms that person has acquired specific competency and skills related to the subject. However certification is just a testimony that a person has passed the minimum guidelines and requirements and it does not reflect the true quality of a professional.

Six Sigma certification involves learning the required subject matter, passing a written proficiency test, and displaying competency in a real life environment. The certification usually comprises of course materials to be purchased from training and consulting company and classroom training. A typical training session is dedicated to a particular topic and vary in its duration depending on various Six Sigma Levels (green belt, black belt, master black belt, sponsor, etc.).

At the end of the training written proficiency test is conducted by the business hiring the training company. Companies new to Six Sigma may arrange for the training company’s proficiency test. Companies such as Motorola and GE organizes the in-house training and thus administer their own written proficiency test.

After the completion of the training, professionals are required to complete one or two quality projects and showcase the skills acquired and concepts learned in the training. In case of green belt and sponsor it is one project while for black belt or Master black belt needs to complete two projects. However this part of the certification process is not standardized.

Every company which provides Six Sigma Training and consulting provides the certification and no single body is designated to do so. Thus consulting companies differentiate between skills level and charge additional fees. American Society for Quality (ASQ) is the sole certification body of their quality certification titles  and thus provides titles like Certified Quality Manager (CQM), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE),etc,

There are various training institutes which offer the Six Sigma Training Online.  Course contents may vary from one institute to another however the basic fundamentals they teach in the training is essentially the same. Some of the schools which offer six sigma courses online via distance learning are as follows

(1)   Kaplan University

(2)   Capella University

(3)   Grand Canyon University

(4)   Villanova University

(5)   Morestream University

(6)   Regis University

(7)   eCornell University

(8)   Baker College Online

Educational Requirements

The educational requirements includes a relevant graduate degree in the fields of business, finance, marketing,etc for pursuing the online Six Sigma courses. Many accredited schools offered courses which requires only high school diploma. Its important to check the necessary  prerequisites qualification before taking up any such online courses.

Programs Offered

Various programs are offered by the schools related the Six Sigma Training are Champion – Leadership, Six Sigma Green Belt, Six Sigma Black Belt, Master Black Belt, Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Six Sigma White Belt and Lean Sigma, Lean IT, Master of Science (MS) in Organization and Management, MBA with an Emphasis in Six Sigma, MBA with an Emphasis in Leadership, MBA with an Emphasis in General Mgmt, Bachelor of Business Administration in Project Management, Bachelor of Business Administration in Operations Management ,Bachelor in Organizational Psychology  Online, etc

MBA and Six Sigma

There are few university like Wakeforest, Grand Canyon University etc  which offers MBA (Masters in Business Administration) in Six Sigma.  In this course the students in the MBA program can pursue Six Sigma Training certification.  This degree combines the specializes study of Six Sigma Methodology, Project Management Skills along with broad based management curriculum of MBA course. A properly designed MBA program helps the Quality professional to do the correct job while Six Sigma assist in doing the job correctly.

There are various institutes around the globe which provides Online six Sigma Training and Certifications. It helps the professionals and students who would like to pursue the training anytime and anywhere. It is especially useful for those who have a tight work schedule and finds difficult to attend classes. This mode of learning is getting popular as it provides considerable amount of flexibility for pursuing the training.

Why do Six Sigma Training Online

The courses for Six Sigma Training are usually designed by the experts who have years of experience in the field and who possess black belt certifications. They are structured in such a fashion which precisely contains what companies needed to work in real life. The courses are optimized to meet the growing requirement for advanced problem-solving training, leading to the Black Belt course.

The format of the course is prepared to make the learning easier and interactive.  Various schools provides training online or give away DVD ROM discs so that participants can view it anytime, use search  function for finding the topic, browse through power point slides, use index etc. Also students can make use of discussion forums where they can interact with others and post their queries.

Feature s of the online training includes unlimited access to course materials, videos of the instructor, screen shots showing how to use software, online interaction with instructors and fellow students, examples of real-world cases from business and industry, mentoring, assessment, guidance for project selection, Certification at the end of the training.

When Certification is provided

After the successful completion of the training and finishing of the coursework, students are provided with certification from accredited schools. This certificate acts as a proof that the student has successfully completed his studies and possess the job skills and training required to work in a real life scenario in companies.

Lean Six Sigma Training combines the learning of the fundamentals of Six Sigma principles and Lean tools . It teaches the techniques needed for improvements in speed, quality and cost. It enables the employees to eliminate the wasted efforts in business process.  It can be applied effectively for both the manufacturing and non manufacturing environments as well.

Training options includes both the classroom environment with teacher/student interaction in real time and  e learning methods when the requirement is less dynamic.  It helps in improving and bringing positive change in the workplace environment and stimulates the responsibility for promoting careers and interest.

Lean Six Sigma Training enables the professionals to integrate Lean and Six Sigma guidelines for providing the best operational tools, to stimulate creative thought process and to encourage team based learning. Course content of the training is usually related to the basic business interests and it includes the enterprise DMAIC and DMAIC project.

Six Sigma Training  in Call Centers:

Six Sigma principles have been applied extensively in call center industry across the globe. The training for call centers professionals is a comprehensive course.  It  teaches  them statistical analysis and its application in the processes. Therefore they are able to identify and eliminate defects in their related processes.

It has yield rich benefits as a whole for the call center industry which has shown exponential growth. It contributed to  a disciplined approach and shown marked improvement in call center performance.

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) : It  is an independent branch of Six Sigma quality processes which is emerging fast.  It identifies the requirements of the customer s and business and then based on it produces  esultant product solution. It is applied basically in unprecedented system development.

Motorola Training : Motorola University teaches Six Sigma processes based on three levels :  as a metric, as a methodology and as a management system. It utilizes  the methodology of DMAIC for process improvement .

What is Six Sigma Training and why it is required

The basic aim of the Six Sigma is to modify the organization’s culture with the business Improvement Methodologies. It is achieved by providing the Six Sigma training to the professionals. In order to implement the Six Sigma in the organization effectively it is required that at each level of hierarchy from Top level management to employees at the bottom level should be appropriately trained as per the need of the organization.

Six Sigma Training plays a major role in the progress of company as it brings about the desired change in the organization culture. In a way merely changing the infrastructure and getting the materials in place alone would not bring about the Six Sigma benefits, the change in the culture of the company including its vision and perception of quality excellence is mandatory for the successful implementation of Six Sigma and training helps in achieving this goal.

Training equipped the professionals with the required skills based on their level. Training involves the workshops based on the various phases of the Six Sigma methodology and in between the different phases professionals are required to carry out practical work on floor to practice the phase they have been taught. Resources are made available to all the participants which help them in understanding the fundamentals of Six Sigma  and its implementation.

Training involves the teaching of advanced statistical analysis and tools, its application in various phases of Six Sigma implementation, systematic use of data and facts, designing the processes for improvement and understanding the customer requirements.  By observing the course contents of various institutes we can make out that they differ widely in their focus however they have same fundamentals of Six Sigma in place. Companies prepare their own courses for training to provide more flexibility to employees.  In case of various University and training institute the course material is uniform for all Six Sigma Training.

Six Sigma

Many a times it is seen that companies advertise as Six Sigma Certified. People read the word Six Sigma but never know what it means. Six Sigma refers to the ability of producing highly capable processes that can provide maximum level of quality with minimum defect levels. It is mainly used to gain Quality control, Zero Defect & Total Quality Management.

Six Sigma concentrates on different methodologies or processes like Design, Control, Optimization, Verification, Measure, Defining, Analyzing, Improving, Invent, Innovation, Develop, Describe, Implement, Evaluate, etc.

Six Sigma Origin

Bill Smith developed six sigma being one of the oldest tools used in determining the effectiveness of an process in 1986. The methodology used in developing it was available in 1920’s itself, which was then developed by luminaries like Shewhart, Deming, Ohno & many others. Six Sigma programs are considered to be a part of the Quality Engineering knowledge.

Six Sigma is a registered trademark of Motorola Inc., as it was first developed & used by them to achieve an unbelievable savings of US$17 Billion as of 2006 reports. Today Honeywell International & General Electric (GE introduced by Jack Welch) are the other companies that adopted Six Sigma & practicing it.

Six Sigma Consultant

Change is considered very important to survive in the competitive world. Every organization has to change its methodologies according to the prevailing market demand. Most of the time people realize that a change in its working methods is necessary but have no idea what to do or how to proceed.

An outsider or an Consultant is the right person who can help people lead the change. Consultants have better knowledge & know more than an employee who has knowledge on certain subjects relating to Six Sigma. They have exceptional communication skills in both written & verbal and hence they provide better explanations on the related subject.

Six Sigma Consultants are technically trained people who have implemented & maintained quality in providing service to many different organizations. Today it is one of the most demanded profession as these Consultants are more recognized in Corporate world rather than with the internal staff members.

Six Sigma Consultants are professionally trained & expertised people who provide variety of services. They are not trained in any one subject of Six Sigma, instead they provide support in all the fields no matter whether it is documentation, management, training, legal or technical.

Six Sigma people are identified by different roles namely Yellow belts, Green belts, Black belts, Master Black belts, Champions & Executive Leadership according to their level of skills in providing services to their clients. Being technically trained, Consultants provide precise & quick solutions by understanding a client’s requirements & developing appropriate programs accordingly.

Six Sigma Consultancy

Six Sigma Consultants & Consultancies are a proven support system to implement changes in an organization & also prepare them in facing the challenging world. They are not only seen at National level but are also engaged in providing International services.

Six Sigma Consultancies provide expert, customized & specialized training in different aspects like Reengineering, Change Management, Training, Technology, Project management, Development, Integration, Medical, Designing, Quality Management, etc.

Training Institutions

Six Sigma training institutions can be found all over the world.

1. Converge Consulting Group Inc.
2. DeLeeuw International Associates
3. Indian Institute of Quality Management
4. Institute of Sigma Learning Pvt. Ltd.
5. Business Strategic Solutions
6. On-line Training

What is six sigma seminar?

Six sigma seminars are instructional process, conducted for the candidates to know and discover how to apply systematically the statistical methods of six sigma for the organizational growth and for customer satisfaction. Instructions are given to the candidates about the importance and usage of data, information, analysis, and communication for a successful problem solving.

Six sigma seminars are conducted on the effective application of the six sigma theories and process, so as to make sure that the candidates are able to apply their knowledge effectively to assist the organizations to achieve the best in the global marketing. It also helps in reducing the costs, improving the time, eliminating the defects and improving the quality and the satisfaction of the customer.

Seminars are organized in such a way for the participant’s to use it friendly for the complete understanding of the methods used in six sigma. The participant’s are provided with training certificates after the completion of each seminar. The below mentioned topics are the different subjects offered for the six sigma seminars.

Measurement systems analysis

Process capability and performance

Advanced statistical methods

Design and analysis of experiments

Statistical process control and management

Measurement Systems Analysis:

Seminar deals with the training how to use six sigma measurement systems analysis. with in an organization all data are subjected to various measurement variation and it is important to improve the quantification  of measurement errors. Through MSA it is able to quantify the measurement for the continuous improvement

Process Capability and Performance:

Building up a framework for an effective process management system which leads to a business improvement is the aim of process capability and performance seminar. Since with out a stable process, it is difficult to meet the customer satisfaction and the competitive global marketing, the importance of this seminar is at it’s height. If a process cannot produce a product that meets a desired standard of quality, the hope of customer satisfaction and remain competitive is lacking.

Advanced statistical methods:

Variation is inherent in all processes. There for the hypothesis testing is used to point out the cause and effect that take place between a process variables. It is done to find out the relationship between the cause and effect. The seminar gives the candidates training in how to design and test the importance between the variables that are possible for the cause and effect relationship.

Design and Analysis of Experiments:

The aim of the analysis of the experiment is to bring out a product or service that has enhanced reliability, low defects, faster cycle times and low costs. For the attainment of such type of products or services, it is important to find out the vital few process inputs that significantly affect the process output quality. It is this output quality assures the optimal operating conditions in an organization.

Statistical Process Control and Management:

The seminar section of statistical process control aims at developing the skills in the participants, how to design and implement sufficient feedback methods that directs quality improvement in products or services. It gives importance to process management also. This is because, in order to bring out the customer satisfaction and remain competitive it is essential to have a stable and predictable process. Using statistical process control, it helps the participants to provide the mans for the scientific control of product and the service quality.

Six Sigma Tutorial:

Six sigma tutorial means, the lessons or a manual or a section of computer program, which is designed to provide instruction and training for six sigma with the use of exercises and assignments. Six sigma tutorial is a document of full tutorial about the six sigma topics.

In a six sigma tutorial it contains the topics as follows:

six sigma introduction

Six sigma key elements

Six sigma organization

Six sigma get started

Six sigma methodology

Six sigma define phase

Six sigma measure phase

Six sigma analyze phase

Six sigma improve phase

Six sigma control phase

Six sigma technical tools

Six sigma defect metrics

Six sigma summary

In a broad sense six sigma tutorial deals with the attainment of an excellent achieving on six sigma, its strategic tools, the six sigma process, building a culture of six sigma culture and infrastructure and performance, and dealing with the case studies

Six Sigma Case study:

Six sigma case study refers to the building up of the framework, about the six sigma methodology in the minds of the organizations. Here studies are made on the topic “what are the benefits of  six sigma methodology in the development of an organization and a project?” . case studies are made on different fields of organizations like IT, call centers, large companies based in the US and India etc. This case study helps in finding out the areas in which six sigma is effective and what aspects of six sigma is more effective and is been used by the organizations for the development.

Through the case studies made by the researchers, it is proved that, from the two methods of six sigma methodology, DMAIC method is been used more. The implementation of six sigma methodology for the development of an organization is many. Some of the aspects in which the help of six sigma is used according the case studies made are as below:

Selection of the problems

Finding out the defects of the products

Idea formulation for avoiding the defects

Idea testing and modifications

Implementation of the modified products

Confirming the product results

Maintaining the improvement and the customer satisfaction

Long term quality improvement

Developing six sigma techniques and mind-set