Dr. Mikel Harry is often credited with adapting the martial art concept of belt rankings to Lean Six Sigma (LSS). The hierarchy of belts indicates the level of training, competency, and acquisition of skills. While different organizations may have different names and colors for the levels of expertise in LSS, the following represents the most…
The rock band, Queen, celebrated Champions with these lyrics; “We are the champions…. my friends….And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end….We are the champions….We are the champions….No time for losers….’Cause we are the champions….Of the world.” Lean Six Sigma also has its Champions. Let’s learn more about them. Role of the Champion While Lean…
Does the term Master Black Belt sound pretty impressive? It should, because it is the highest level of achievement and expertise in Lean Six Sigma. Let’s explore the role of a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and how you can attain that pinnacle of success. Role of the Master Black Belt As you can…
Will having a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt allow you to break bricks and beat up other people? Probably not, but it will help you remove waste, analyze data and improve processes in your organization. Let’s see what a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt does and how you can become one. Role of the Black…
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt is where your more advanced training and certification begins. If you are already a White or Yellow Belt, you have learned some of the basic concepts of Lean Six Sigma. Green Belt is where your learning really takes off. Role of the Green Belt The hierarchy of Lean Six Sigma…
You are ready to start your Lean Six Sigma journey but where do you start? White Belt training and certification is the entry point into learning about Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma White Belt training and certification If your organization is deploying a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) initiative, and you can participate in White…
Organizations have been deploying and implementing Lean Six Sigma for decades. Yet, there are still many questions on how someone can get formally trained and certified in the tools, methodologies and philosophy of Lean Six Sigma. This article will be the first in a series to answer some of the most common questions about Lean…
After completing your training and certification for White Belt, your next step might be to advance to Yellow Belt training and certification. Let’s see what’s involved with that. Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt training and certification As a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Yellow Belt (YB), you will gain some basic knowledge and learn some skills…
Getting recommendations from others for your Lean Six Sigma training and certification is a good strategy. But given all the variation in available programs, it is a good idea to have a list of criteria to compare your recommendations. Here is a list to get you started. What is the best Lean Six Sigma training…
Taking Lean Six Sigma training and getting certified will cost you time and money. Is it worth it? Will you earn more money with the additional credential of a Lean Six Sigma belt? Let’s check it out.
If you are being Lean Six Sigma trained and certified by your employer, the cost should not be a concern for you. But what if you must pay for it by yourself? Cost may then be important. Let’s explore the variation in cost for being LSS trained and certified.
Do you like to take classes in a physical classroom or virtually on a computer? This is a significant decision since Lean Six Sigma training and certification can be achieved either way. Let’s examine the plus and minus of each format.
Would you be happy if your doctor received her MD from an unknown and unaccredited medical school? Probably not. What about your CPA or attorney? Again, probably not. For the same reason, your employer wouldn’t be happy with your Lean Six Sigma certification if it was awarded by an unknown organization with a poor reputation…
There are two steps to earn a martial arts belt. First, you must be trained in the various techniques and then you must demonstrate your skills and knowledge. The same holds true for Lean Six Sigma training and certification. Let’s learn a little more. What is Lean Six Sigma training and certification? In martial arts,…
When there are too many items on a menu you can get confused by the variety of choices. Getting Lean Six Sigma trained and certified can also be confusing. Let’s discuss some of your options.
The following are selected highlights of a 2013 research study. The complete report, with more analysis and extended findings, is available for purchase on the iSixSigma Marketplace. When it comes to Six Sigma certification, companies take varied approaches – some leave the responsibility for certification completely on the Six Sigma professional, while others make the…
Avoid These Hitches When Presenting Your Project For many organizations, Lean Six Sigma certification requires a Green Belt or Black Belt to present and defend their project to a panel of experts. Through this presentation they demonstrate their ability to use the methodology and its tools to deliver sustained results. Whether you are preparing for…
Do I need to be certified? Which company or organization should certify me? Is there a single certification standard? Does experience outweigh a need for certification? These are questions that have been asked and answered for years across iSixSigma.com. The best certification references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Is there a difference between…
In a Six Sigma implementation, the initial focus is typically on training in-house Black Belts and Green Belts to work on projects that support the business strategy and, in the process, demonstrate the efficacy of the methodology. At this stage, program oversight and mentoring – the typical Master Black Belt role – is often provided…
Many people have written to iSixSigma asking various questions about Six Sigma certification, like: How can I get Six Sigma certified? Where can I get Six Sigma certified? Is Six Sigma certification transferable if I leave a company for another? This article will help answer these questions regarding the ubiquitous and confusing “Six Sigma certification” topic.
Six Sigma Black Belt Six Sigma Green Belt Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence
As geographic barriers between countries deteriorate with the continued evolution of the Internet, ISO 9000 may be one of the largest differentiators between you and your competitors. Already, ISO 9000 plays a key role in winning new customers, maintaining satisfied current customers, accessing foreign countries and dealing with the government. What is ISO 9000, 9001,…
Six Sigma certification questions continue to roll into my inbox. While I can’t find time to answer each email with a tremendous amount of detail, I can and do save them for answering in an article such as this. This article revisits a previously published article What is Six Sigma Certification? published last year. Can…
With more than 1,000 trained Black Belts, the U.S. Army continues marching forward in its Lean Six Sigma efforts. Trained Black Belts who complete projects and obtain certification are essential to building a robust cadre of practitioners. To this end, the Army formalized the use of Belt course portfolios (BCPs), the collection of projects assigned…
Steve Wittig, vice president-Six Sigma at Masco Builder Cabinet Group, offers his views on Six Sigma certification. He discusses his companys policies on certification criteria, third-party certification and recertification for all levels of Belts.
Six Sigma’s step-by-step approach to problem solving has benefited greatly from the development of a common toolkit, project framework and terminology. That commonality, to a large extent, has made Six Sigma a business phenomenon transcending corporate and national boundaries. However, one broadly implemented element of Six Sigma project management that is often underestimated is the…
Which is more important initially in a Six Sigma deployment – Belt training or project benefits? Without quality training of project leaders, a Six Sigma program is unlikely to be successful. So there is no question of its importance. Yet the purpose of Six Sigma is to make a positive difference to the bottom line via…
An emerging trend – which can justifiably be labeled as a case of “Mad Belt Disease” – may be threatening the long-term credibility and success of Six Sigma. It is time for practitioners of Six Sigma to help stem the spread of what is beginning to look like an epidemic. This disturbing trend is the increasingly…
Ken Feldman
Heidi Hanson
Brian Swayne
iSixSigma-Editorial
Candace Medina
Jessica Harper
Charles Waxer
Colonel Garrett D. Heath
James Török
Bonet Lobo
Gary A. Gack