Lean SIX SIGMA Black Belt

Implementing SIX SIGMA
and Lean Management

Yellow Belt	Green Belt	Black Belt

What is SIX SIGMA (6σ)?

SIX SIGMA is a proven methodology that uses statistical analysis to measure and improve operational performance.

With a goal of near-zero defects, the SIX SIGMA method has transformed thousands of organizations worldwide. Join companies such as Motorola, GE, Pfizer and Citibank that have used Six Sigma to reduce costs and improve productivity.

Who should attend?

SIX SIGMA can benefit almost any business, large or small. The methodology is used in manufacturing, retail, financial services, healthcare and many other industries.

Anyone with a desire to bring added value to their organization can become certified. Six Sigma professionals are in demand and employees with these skills are generally more marketable and command higher salaries.

The Six Sigma Goal: to operate your business at 6 sigma (6σ) – a level that produces no more than 3.4 errors per million opportunities (a typical company operates at 3 - 4 sigma, or up to 6,210 errors per million opportunities). Moving from a 4 sigma to 6 sigma operation saves a company about 25% of its revenue, not to mention reputation and repeat clients and sales.

The SIX SIGMA Body of Knowledge is organized according to the following categories:

• Yellow Belt – for specialists and process owners, and also project champions.
• Green Belt – for project leaders and department leaders – the “work horses”.
• Black Belt – for organizational leaders and Continuous Improvement administration
• Master Black Belt – for trainers in SIX SIGMA

What is Lean Management?

Lean focuses on eliminating waste in processes (i.e. the waste of work in process and finished goods inventories). Lean is not about eliminating people. Lean is about expanding capacity by reducing costs and shortening cycle times. Lean is about understanding what is important to the customer. Thinking Lean means:

• Specify value from the perspective of the ultimate customer.
• Identify the value stream to expose waste.
• Create flow to reduce batch size and work-in-process.
• Make only what the customer has ordered.
• Seek perfection by continuously improving quality and eliminating waste.

The problem lean thinking attacks is waste. Looking for the Seven Forms of  Waste will identify them. The tools of lean thinking will fix them. Here are some of the many Lean Enterprise tools:

• 5S & Visual Factory
• Cellular Manufacturing
• Jidoka
• Kaizen
• Poka Yoke & Mistake Proofing
• Quick Changeover & SMED
• Production Preparation Process (3P)
• Pull Manufacturing & Just In Time
• Standard Work
• Theory of Constraints
• Total Productive Maintenance
• Training Within Industry (TWI)
• Value Streams

The Bottom Line

Better, faster, lower cost processes that make products and services easier to design, control and deliver.