Organisations look for improved performance, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. However, it becomes impossible to reach these goals in the case of mistakes, delays, extra costs, and employee inefficiency at work. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training provides an opportunity to identify the problem, analyse its causes, and resolve it with the help of data.
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training: Some Tools for Process Improvement
The first thing that has to be done in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training or any other process improvement is to realise how processes are done currently. The major part of problems in organisations is not solved because people tend to solve them without knowing what caused the problem.
DMAIC and Process Mapping
DMAIC is one of the main components of a Green Belt training program. Green Belt learners learn to define the problem before identifying solutions.
Define: Define the problem, goals, customers’ needs, and scope.
Measure: Obtain data on how well things are done now.
Analyse: Find out why there is the problem.
Improve: Come up with ideas for solutions and test them.
Control: Make sure the changes continue.
Think of a call centre staff member who constantly falls short of meeting their response time objectives. Rather than merely telling the staff to speed up, a Green Belt specialist would conduct a process review and find out that most tickets are wrongly assigned to departments.
Mapping techniques help individuals understand how processes are done within the organisation and find roadblocks in process performance.
SIPOC and Voice of the Customer
SIPOC is an abbreviation that stands for suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers. SIPOC provides a general idea about the process and its scope. Voice of the Customer (VOC) means customers’ expectations about the particular product or service. These expectations may be related to fast deliveries, fewer defects, right billing, or good after-sales services. For example, an Internet shop might think that customers would value low prices most when buying things.
Data Analysis Tools that Every Green Belt Professional Should Learn
For effective process improvement, one needs evidence. A process might be inefficient, but the use of data enables one to establish where the problem is, how often it arises, and whether the suggested solution will work.
1. Pareto Chart and Cause-and-Effect Diagram
The Pareto chart is used to determine the categories that are causing the specific problem. There is one thing common between the Pareto chart and the Pareto Principle, which says that a few factors have many effects. Of course, these figures might vary depending on the situation.
A cause-and-effect diagram (Ishikawa diagram) is helpful when one is looking for factors that are causing some problem. Factors can be listed as follows: people, method, machine, material, measurement, and mother nature.
2.5 Whys and Root Cause Analysis
The 5 Whys method consists of questioning “why” to identify a plausible root cause several times. In most cases, five is a good number but not mandatory. For example, if we assume that there is a problem of often missing dispatch deadlines.
· Why did orders get dispatched late? The packing process takes too much time.
· Why did the packing process take too much time? Workers often had difficulties finding packaging material.
· Why do workers have problems finding the material? Material locations vary.
· Why do locations vary? There was no system for storing the material.
· Why is there no such system? There was nobody responsible for organising the process of material storage.
It turns out that the problem is not in the packing process but in the lack of a storage process. Now the team can introduce labelled storage locations, assign responsibility and control dispatching.
3. Basic Statistics, Control Charts, and Process Capability
Basic statistics assist professionals in evaluating process performance. Basic statistical terms include mean, median, range, standard deviation, and variation. Control charts are used to track process behaviour in the long term. They are useful in differentiating between ordinary variation and variation that requires an inquiry. The control limits are derived from process data and are different from customer specifications.
Lean Tools for Reducing Waste and Improving Productivity
Lean is about maximising value for the customer while minimising activities that eat up resources without providing value.
· 5S Method
The concept of 5S originates from the organisational methods of workplaces in Japanese industries. The Five S’s, usually translated liberally into English as Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain, offer a structured way to achieve an orderly and clean working environment. A 5S initiative will aim to eliminate unnecessary items, put all other items in their rightful place and create ways to maintain organisation.
· Kaizen and Continuous Improvement
Kaizen is an approach towards continuous improvement involving every single individual in the quest for better ways of performing things. An example of a Green Belt expert facilitating the process of problem identification and change identification in an organisation would be a case whereby a hospital administrator holds Kaizen improvement meetings with his/her staff to identify areas of wastage and recommend improvements.
It could be discovered, for instance, that some patient information does not have to be recorded since the same can be accessed from other places.
· Standard Work, Poka-Yoke and Waste Elimination
Standard work is the name for the written standard that specifies how to do a task using the best known method, which is used as an aid for training and learning.
Poka-yoke is a technique applied in process improvement to eliminate chances of errors or to bring any error to light. For example, A form can use mistake-proofing to prevent submission until the required email address has been entered.
Utilisation of Green Belt Tools in Practice and Professional Development
Memorising names of improvement tools is not sufficient for professionals who want to be able to select a proper tool in a particular situation and show how to apply it.
Selection of a Project and Performance Measurements
A well-crafted improvement effort has to tackle a straightforward business issue. Such efforts need to be measurable, manageable in scope, data accessible, and have stakeholder buy-in. Professionals with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification need to be well-versed in documentation and presentation skills.
Professionals with a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt should also master documentation and presentation skills. Technically valid projects have limited value if it is impossible for decision makers to comprehend the business aspect of the project.
Selecting the Appropriate Lean Six Sigma Certification Program
In evaluating various Lean Six Sigma certification programs, it is important to evaluate factors other than just the certification. An effective training program must impart methodologies, practicals, and application of these tools into various work scenarios.
The evaluation must include the form of assessment, experience of trainers, project work involved, and follow-up training post-certification. The requirements for examination, project work, and other eligibility conditions vary from training provider to training provider, and thus one must be clear about these conditions.
In case of choosing Six Sigma certification online in India, evaluation must include the availability of live sessions, video recording, accessibility of trainers, practical projects, and examinations.
Those who are planning to undertake Six Sigma certification in Mumbai or any other city-wise program must consider the above points.
Six Sigma book would help you with your self-study. ASQ recommends some books for the preparation of green belt, which includes “The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook” among others.
Six Sigma Green Belt vs Black Belt
The Six Sigma Green Belt is not equivalent to a Six Sigma black belt. The former deals with improvement projects or is involved in a project that has other people in addition to him/her. On the other hand, the latter understands Six Sigma principles in depth and is responsible for undertaking improvement projects in an organisation.
Professionals with substantial experience of projects after acquiring Green Belt qualification may opt for black belt qualification or lean six sigma black belt certification.
At an advanced level, some professionals may aim at mastering black belt or Six Sigma Master Black Belt positions. These positions are generally related to organisational improvements rather than projects.
Conclusion
By undergoing Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training, people learn the techniques for solving work-related issues and improving processes within their companies. Every tool, including DMAIC, root cause analysis, control charts, 5S, and Kaizen, is designed to help one at various stages of process improvement. However, the true power of such techniques can be demonstrated only through application to real business problems instead of memorisation of specific vocabulary.
FAQs and their simple answers:
1. What Is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training?
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training is designed for people who wish to bring about process improvement through structured problem solving, use of statistics, and techniques to reduce waste. Some topics that might be covered in the training program include DMAIC, process mapping, root cause analysis, Pareto Charts, control charts, etc.
2. Who should enrol for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt program?
Green Belt education would be suitable for Quality Professionals, Engineers, Operations Management, Project Management, Healthcare Administration, Information Technology, Supply Chain Management, and Business Analysts. The course could also suit workers who constantly face process delays, defects, or wastage. There are different eligibility criteria for each training institution; thus, do confirm beforehand to avoid difficulties.
3. What tools are used in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training?
The list of common tools comprises DMAIC, SIPOC, process mapping, value stream mapping, Pareto Chart, fishbone diagram, 5 Whys and basic statistical techniques. Control charts, process capability, 5S, Kaizen and mistake-proofing are some more topics covered in many programs. The curriculum may vary depending on the training institution and certifying organisation.
4. Is Six Sigma Green Belt difficult to earn?
This is going to depend on the level of knowledge that one has in mathematics and process improvement, as well as how the certifying body wishes to assess this knowledge. Typically, Six Sigma Green Belt classes don’t use advanced mathematics but rather focus on statistics and problem solving. Terms such as ‘standard deviation’, ‘variation ’, and ‘control chart’ need more focus.
5. What is the difference between Green and Black Belts?
Generally, the Green Belt works on improvement projects as part of a team or a department, sometimes even in addition to his/her own job. black belt certification usually work on more complicated projects and have more advanced training in statistics, project management, and change management. The Master Black Belts normally act as mentors and are responsible for strategy implementation in the whole organisation.
6. Can Lean Six Sigma be certified online in India?
Yes, there are some organisations that offer online courses for Lean Six Sigma training in India. The type of training depends on the course and may consist of classroom training, recordings, projects, examinations, and mentoring. Make sure you know the reputation of the organisation, credentials of trainers, curriculum, examination criteria, and extra certification costs before enrolling.
7. How long does Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training last?
This can depend on the provider of the training, delivery method, and content of the syllabus. There are training organisations that provide intensive training within a few days, but there are others that may spread the training over a couple of weeks. The completion of a project at the workplace may also take extra time.
8. Is there a guarantee for a pay rise with Green Belt certification?
No. It is not guaranteed that you will get a promotion, a pay rise or a better job through Green Belt certification. Your profession or industry may need it, but in addition to that, you must be able to show improvements and results from what you have learned. People who can use these techniques to reduce defects, increase efficiency and satisfy customers might improve their careers with it.
Written by: Anjali Singh
Reviewed by: A Six Sigma professional with 8 years of experience.
