What are the belt levels in Lean Six Sigma?

Understanding the Lean Six Sigma Belt levels can be confusing. Once you fully understand the levels of Lean Six Sigma, earning certification and progressing up the levels can be difficult, but rewarding. The Lean Six Sigma methodology provides the use of a coloured belt tier system for its certification. To receive Lean Six Sigma Certification, you must follow a hierarchical process.

The Lean Six Sigma Belts and Certification Levels:

The Lean Six Sigma system has several levels of belts, similar to what people would attain when training in Karate. The colours for Lean Six Sigma are Green, Yellow, Black and Master Black Belt. The belt colour someone holds will help to determine what role they will have in a given project, and how they will be spending their time.

Lean Six Sigma White Belt

We’ll first begin by explaining the White Belt. This is the first level of the Lean Six Sigma Certification process. You start at the ground level by solving problems at a local level.

White Belts will connect with higher-tier individuals such as those professionals with a Green or Black belt to solve each problem. The goal of a White Belt is to understand the fundamental concepts of Lean Six Sigma.

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt

Yellow Belt for Lean Six Sigma is where you get into the specifics of how Lean Six Sigma works, what it is, how the disciplines can be applied to the workplace, and where best to concentrate your time as you learn the process.

A Yellow Belt professional is well versed in the basics of Lean Six Sigma, which includes all aspects of the phases of D-M-C. Thus we recommend that students enter a class to receive the guidance necessary. Yellow Belt Lean Six Sigma is where the fun is just getting started to eliminate defects from within enterprise systems.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt supports a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt by analysing and solving quality problems and is involved in quality-improvement projects.

Green Belts also assist in reviewing data and suggestions sent by lower-tiered belts. There are times Green Belts will have enough experience to lead and manage a project of their own. It all depends on their experience level in a particular field. Green Belts are known as the workhorses of a business.

Those with a Green Belt will be able to apply learned tools such as define, measure, analyze, improve and control to everyday work problems. They will also be able to assist Black Belts in Lean Six Sigma teams and team projects to provide measurable improvement to the enterprise.

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt understands Lean Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including the supporting systems and tools. This person demonstrates team leadership and understands all aspects of the DMAIC model, in accordance with Lean Six Sigma principles.

Black Belts are known as agents of change within an organisation. They have a deep understanding of team dynamics and handle assigning roles and responsibilities to team members. Most often these team members are Green Belts. It is the goal of a Black Belt to improve overall quality and profitability. On average, Black Belts save companies approximately €200,000 per project.

Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Master Black Belts are experts responsible for the strategic deployment of Six Sigma within an organization. They promote and support improvement activities in all business areas of their organization as well as at suppliers and customers.

Their main responsibilities include:
- Providing mentoring and support to Black Belts, Green Belts and Lean Six Sigma teams to use the improvement tools appropriate to a specific problem.
- Helping to develop and deploy organizational metrics and dashboards.
- Developing, maintaining and revising the Lean Six Sigma curriculum, delivering classroom training, and serving as liaison with external agencies in the delivery of Lean Six Sigma training.
- Networking with other Master Black Belts.

Leadership Level

Lean Six Sigma Champion

The Champions translate the company’s vision, mission, goals and metrics to create an organisational deployment plan and identify individual projects. Identify resources and remove roadblocks.

Lean Six Sigma Executive

An executive's role is very important in a project undertaken in an organisation to ensure it is directly linked to the strategic direction of the company. Executive teams provide guidance and approval to ensure the project's purpose is on track

White Belt

• Understands the structure and goals of Lean Six Sigma
• Uses basic Lean Six Sigma vocabulary terms
• Reports process issues to Green and Black Belts
• Start your White Belt Training for FREE

Yellow Belt

• Understands basic Lean Six Sigma concepts
• Reports process issues to Green Belts and Black Belts
• Participates on project teams and receives just-in-time training
• Start your Yellow Belt Training for FREE

Green Belt

• Starts and manages Lean Six Sigma projects
• Has Lean Six Sigma expertise but in less detail than Black Belts
• Provides just-in-time training to others
• Register for Green Belt Training

Black Belt

• Can report to a Master Black Belt
• Has advanced Lean Six Sigma expertise
• Functions as a coach, mentor, teacher, and project leader for project teams
• Register for Black Belt Training

Master Black Belt

• Works with leaders to identify gaps and select projects
• Coaches, mentors, teaches, monitors and leads projects
• Responsible for Lean Six Sigma implementation and culture change

Champion

• Executive leader who drives the initiative
• Helps select projects and remove barriers for project teams
• Supports change and develops a Lean Six Sigma culture
• Register for Champion Training

Which Role Will You Play?

Now that you understand the responsibilities of each role, are you ready to join your process improvement team and help solve your organization’s problems?

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