Six Sigma Green Belts Drive Process Change
Six Sigma is a journey, not a destination, and Six Sigma Black Belt Certification is not the only step in the quality revolution. Long term successful deployment of a Six Sigma organisation requires cultural change and the ongoing engagement and participation of all personnel in the change effort. A common misconception regarding Six Sigma projects is that they are “left to the experts” and the responsibility of a small cadre of elite Black Belts who “parachute in” to solve the world’s problems. Far from it. In fact a corporate Six Sigma program that operates on this specialist mind-set is probably doomed to fail.
Six Sigma Green Belts – who are not dedicated experts but ordinary managers and analysts trained in process improvement methodologies – are the key to sustaining Six Sigma gains. Some organisations require all personnel to be Green Belt certified, or make it a pre-requisite for promotional opportunities. Whereas a Six Sigma Yellow Belt is trained purely in a basic PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) methodology, a Green Belt is schooled in the full DMAIC process. DMAIC, of course, stands for “Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control” and refers to a disciplined five stage strategy for defining, analysing and resolving business problems through rigorous data analysis.
Green Belts don’t need to be expert in fancy techniques such as ANOVA analysis or response surface methodology (RSM). These tools are fine for industrial or engineering projects but are normally too complex to be of much use in a general business environment. Instead they apply rigorous basic techniques, such as the Pareto 80/20 analysis and focus on “poka-yoke” solutions – that is to say solutions that are simple, repeatable and can be effectively implemented. Gradually through the training of enough Six Sigma Green Belts, a culture of quality can be inculcated and sustained in the firm. Receiving tuition should not mean automatic certification; rather managers should be required to complete real-world projects and deliver tangible, measurable results. Finally, senior leadership should recognise that Green Belts have a vital role to play and a truly quality-focused organisation will make their training, development and retention a core priority.
