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Why should we certify?
Once you have attended a Lean Six Sigma or Six Sigma training course. Assuming you have attended the whole course you can call yourself a TRAINED Lean Six Sigma or Six Sigma Green Belt. However employers today are looking to find CERTIFIED green or Black Belts. The reason is that this proves that you have actually applied the learning. It also shows that you have run projects and obtained savings or benefits. It shows that you have the ability to apply the learning and have the methodology and thought processes associated with Lean Six Sigma. Certification is therefore essential in today’s environment without it you will not be recognised as a true Lean Six Sigma professional by your own and future employers.
Is there a standard certification process?
The simple answer is NO. All major companies run their Green Belt and Black Belt training differently. They have different durations and cover different tools. They also apply their own thinking on how they want to run continuous improvement programs, report savings, and paperwork or procedures to use. They also use different criteria to certify their people. As a result they will not sign up to their being a worldwide standard. Some organisations are trying to do this but it is failing. As a result you should use the best practise process which we use as do companies such as GE, Motorola, Honeywell etc. See how to certify
What do you need to do to certify?
For Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt you must have attended the whole of a training course. Obtained an 80% pass mark at an end of the training exam and finally you must have demonstrated your learning and knowledge. You demonstrate your knowledge through presenting either 1 project if you are a Green Belt or 2 projects if you are a Black Belt and then being quizzed over your Lean Six Sigma understanding in a one to one interview. The interviews will last up to 1 hour for Green Belts and 2 hours for Black Belts.
What kind of projects can I use to certify?
Your projects can be any kind of improvement as long as you have used the DMAIC approach to run your projects.
Can I use projects from my past to certify?
Yes. If you use an old project for your certification it must be put into a DMAIC format. You must be able to demonstrate the use of the tools and techniques associated with Lean Six Sigma. This will normally mean that you will have to go back and rework your project so that it has the look and feel of the Lean Six Sigma format.
What savings do I have to demonstrate in my projects?
We have now required numbers you must achieve to certify. We are looking for your process and knowledge of Lean Six Sigma.
As you are aware you must complete either 1 project for a green belt course or 2 projects for a black belt course. We often get asked what makes a project. The simple answer is anything where you can prove the use of DMAIC to solve a problem which aids the business in some way. You have a choice of 3 options for projects
- A current problem that you will solve using DMAIC methodology
- A past project which you can convert to a DMAIC project. You would convert it to show understanding of DMAIC
- Our case studies which are available for download in the download area.
The case studies are straight forward follow the instructions and complete the project. Once you have your projects send them in for assessment. This however is not a easy option as you will have to use all the statistical knowledge you have learnt on your course.
For Past or current projects the next question is what is a good project. Typically they will be some form of business improvement such as those shown below
- Reduction in lead time
- Improving the uptime of a machine
- Removing any of the 8 wastes
- Improving customer satisfaction
- Reducing the cost of process or product
- Reducing the time to market for a product
- Reducing the number of steps in a process
- Improving the quality of a product
- Etc
Basically anything that is important to the business, customers or stakeholders. For past projects you must then look over the information and put what you have done into the DMAIC format. This typically meant writing the define phase, drawing up a data collection plan and putting the materials into the storyboard format you can find in the download area. This show us that you have solved a problem but also that you can do so in a DMAIC fashion.
For current problems we suggest you follow the process of DMAIC and solve you issue once and for all.
Good luck with your projects.
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