Lean Six Sigma Belts - An Overview

Worldwide many companies derive enormous benefits from the expertise and knowledge of an individual in the Six Sigma methodology. The Six Sigma approach uses a coloured belt tier system for certifications. Many individuals need help understanding the differences in the belts in Lean Six Sigma.   

Organisations believe that the quality of operations can be improved by professionals who have earned their Six Sigma certification. And each of the Six Sigma belts indicates the roles that an individual is capable of performing in a company.   

This blog will go into the details of Lean Six Sigma to understand what it is and how to benefit from choosing the proper Six Sigma Certification. You will also learn about how to get certified in lean six sigma. Read more to learn more!Here are the topics that we are covering in this blog: 

1) First, Let's Understand What is Lean Six Sigma Belts 

2) Is There Any Difference Between Lean Six Sigma Belts and Six Sigma Belts? 

3) Let's see the Comparison Between the various Lean Six Sigma Belts

  a) White Belt 

  b) Yellow Belt 

  c) Green Belt 

  d) Black Belt 

  e) Master Belt 

  f) Six Sigma Champion  

4) Where should you Begin?

5) Benefits you can derive from Six Sigma Certification

6) Conclusion

First, Let's Understand what is Lean Six Sigma Belts

The Lean Six Sigma belts are certification levels that approve the employer of the professional's knowledge, skill and experience. In short, it demonstrates their ability to carry out quality management techniques in an organisation. Each belt is developed for clearly defined roles that play a crucial role in the success of Lean Six Sigma projects in a company.  

Here are the various Lean Six Sigma belts in order: 

1) Six Sigma white Belt 

2) Six Sigma Yellow Belt 

3) Six Sigma Green Belt 

4) Six Sigma Black Belt   

5) Six Sigma Master Black Belt

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Is There any Difference Between Lean Six Sigma Belts and Six Sigma Belts? 

It is mainly believed that there is no real difference between Lean Six Sigma and Six Sigma as they are essentially similar. Six Sigma methodology is used for statistical analysis and quality control, whereas Lean is a manufacturing methodology. So, often organisations incorporate both Lean and Six Sigma as Lean Six Sigma methodologies to efficiently reduce waste in manufacturing processes. As a result, organisations often use the terms Six Sigma Lean processes, Lean Six Sigma, or Lean interchangeably, reflecting the interconnected nature of these methodologies in pursuit of operational excellence.Therefore, they are both different mythologies but are frequently used interchangeably as Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma or Lean.   

Let's see the Comparison between the various Lean Six Sigma Belts
 

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White belt 

This is the first level of Lean Six Sigma Certification that will assist you with A white belt and will give you an introductory level of knowledge to the fundamental concepts of Six Sigma. That is the general understanding of how Lean Six Sigma works. You will start by learning how to solve problems at your end. Later, realising the terminologies will help you communicate potential issues to other team members working on process improvement projects. 

Yellow belt 

Lean Six Sigma's Yellow Belt covers the specifics of how the methodology operates, what it is, how it can be used in the workplace, and where you should focus your learning efforts the most. It will provide you strong foundation over the white belt. With a yellow belt, you will be reporting and supporting the green belts within an organisation and will be contributing to the process improvement projects.  

Green belt 

Green belt is the most popular Lean Six Sigma certification. With a green belt, you will be introduced to Six Sigma methodologies for developing and improving processes, products and services. You will be managing process improvement projects and implementing Lean Six Sigma. Professionals with a lean six sigma green belt are also known as workhorses of businesses. Possessing a deep understanding of Lean Six Sigma Green Belt methodologies, these individuals are equipped to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, reduce waste, and enhance overall operational performance. As they can define, measure, analyse, improve and control the recurring issues. They assist black belts in providing measurable improvement to the company. To advance process improvement activities, businesses typically require more than one Lean Six Sigma Green Belt professional. 

Black belt 

Black Belts are professionals with expertise in Lean Six Sigma and process improvement. They are primarily people who advance from the Green Belt Level. They are well-versed in Six Sigma philosophies and principles, supporting systems and tools. They are the mentors to the white, yellow and green belts. They are also commonly known as the agents of change within the organisation. They are responsible for improving the quality and profitability of the projects. They are also responsible for assigning roles and responsibilities to the team members. The average annual salary for a Lean six sigma black belt is estimated at 77,140 GBP. With Lean Six Sigma Black Belt individuals are highly skilled in statistical analysis, project management, and problem-solving techniques. They work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to streamline processes, optimise productivity, and contribute to the overall success of organisational goals.  

Master belt 

Master belts are advanced practitioners of Lean Six Sigma. They are the masters of this domain. They possess at least five years as a Black Belt Six Sigma (BBSS) or experience on a minimum of 10 BBSS projects throughout their professional life. A Master Black Belt's average annual salary ranges from 115,500 GBP to over 175,000 GBP. They participate in high-level planning for long-lasting, cost-effective, and streamlined improvements. They plan the strategy for upcoming initiatives and supervise the implementation of Lean Six Sigma throughout an entire organisation. 

Six Sigma Champion  

The leadership group inside a firm is typically the group of champions. The upper-level managers lead the Lean Six Sigma strategy and implementation. Although executives can work as Champions and Six Sigma experts, only some Champions do. For Lean Six Sigma to truly thrive, it is essential for all levels of leadership within an organisation to work as a Champion. These managers guide the Lean six sigma implementation leaders and monitor their success with the help of Master Black Belts. 

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Where should you Begin?

Before deciding to take up the Lean Six Sigma certifications, you must understand that it's unnecessary to complete them only in their order. As many individuals prefer, you can begin with a yellow or green belt. Only after having extensive experience managing process improvement projects may someone be prepared to skip the Green Belt level and start with Black Belt training and certification. 

Benefits you can derive from Six Sigma Certification 

Here we will see what are the benefits of these certifications and how you can advance your career: 

1) There are no prerequisites required for achieving the Six Sigma certification unlike the other Project management certifications from Project Management Institute (PMI).  

2) By receiving your Six Sigma certification, you show that you are dedicated to learning and to following through, which obviously raises your profile in your career. 

3) You can advance within the company. To begin with, many businesses train their staff on Six Sigma career path on Six Sigma. An individual with Six Sigma certification has a genuine "leg up" on promotion chances in such an organisation.Moreover, Six Sigma career path offers various options that aligns with the methodology's belt system.

4) With advanced Six Sigma certifications, you will be responsible at the entire organisation level. Therefore, you will be more visible and knowledgeable.  

5) You will be treated as an industry expert. You will get called to speak from trade associations and business associations. As "quality improvement" is a big topic right now, regardless of the industry, 

Conclusion  

We hope you understand and can differentiate between the various Lean Six Sigma belts. Make a wise choice, and evaluate your education and professional experience before deciding on the Lean Six Sigma certification. Let us know in the comments below if you have any doubts.

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