Process Improvement: An Overview of Six Sigma Training

Several questions have come to me recently about Six Sigma training. Many of you are looking for Six Sigma classes because you either work in a company that uses Six Sigma, or you want to upgrade your skills for the job market. Great idea!

What is Six Sigma?

First, let's talk about what Six Sigma is and why companies use it in their organizations. Six Sigma was first started in the late 80s at Motorola. It is a management method that is said to achieve "zero error rates". A zero error rate occurs when a company or manufacturer can produce their product (or perform their service) without making any costly errors. If an organization is able to achieve a zero error rate their production cost for goods and services is lowered and thus they are able to make a higher profit. Business decisions are made based on real data, statistics and interpretation of the data collected from workflow studies conducted by experts in Six Sigma. Six Sigma has its beginning in the manufacturing industry. Some have used it in the service industry but with less success, according to Dr. Katie O'Neil, of Rock-Tenn Packaging. Rock-Tenn has successfully used Six Sigma in their manufacturing plants to reduce errors.

The Six Sigma philosophy has its roots in statistics. The idea is to reduce errors based on the statistical data collected and analyzed by Six Sigma experts. If a product is consistently failing a process, Six Sigma experts can tell management what needs to be done to correct the errors. Basically, this means that decisions are made to identify and reduce errors in productivity and process efficiency.

Six Sigma also has a plethora of acronyms. There is DMAIC which means define, measure, analyze, improve and control; and DMADV which means define, measure, analyze, design and verify. These acronyms represent the decision and implementation processes used to reduce errors. The process is to define the error and the desired result, measure the result (such as number of products without errors), analyze the data, design a new process, and analyze the new results. The steps of this process are used by Six Sigma experts to resolve problems of all kinds.

There are many consultants who specialize in the process improvement field and offer Six Sigma training. Proponents of Six Sigma say that it will result in a significant culture change if the organization adopts this method of management. These consultants begin by training the leaders of the company. Executives will learn how to analyze statistical data so as to make sound decisions. It is suggested that, if the executives do not support Six Sigma and have a full understanding of it, a company will not successfully implement Six Sigma methods.

Levels of Training

There are defined levels of responsibility within an organization as related to Six Sigma. Six Sigma has used the belts of martial arts to identify these levels. This hierarchy is often seen as the Six Sigma career path. The belt levels are described below:

Green Belts:

Employees who take on the responsibility of Six Sigma implementation on the job. They report to Black Belts.

Black Belts:

These employees devote 100% of their time to Six Sigma and report to Master Black Belts. They focus on project execution and could also be called project managers.

Master Black Belts:

Chosen by the Champions, these individuals are internal experts on Six Sigma practices. They offer support and advice to the Black Belts and Green Belts.

Champions:

These Six Sigma experts are responsible for the implementation of Six Sigma across the organization. They are usually members of upper management.

Executive Leadership:

These individuals are responsible for the vision of Six Sigma which is why it is crucial for them to support Six Sigma within there organization. They empower the others, from Green Belts to Champions, to freely explore process improvements.

One can actually begin as a Green Belt and progress to Master Black Belt or Champion much as one would progress from associate to supervisor to manager. You can graduate from Green Belt to Black Belt by taking the Black Belt level of training. Graduation to all the levels requires that you complete the next level of training. Often, however, when a company first launches a Six Sigma program, the level of belt is often delineated along the reporting chain, with upper management usually starting as Champions. In this case, the Champion would take all levels of training until he or she achieves the Champion level. The Executive Leadership must complete all levels of training.

Where to find training classes?

Since the advent of Six Sigma, consultants have popped up that offer Six Sigma coaching to transform organizations for process improvement. Generally, these consultants offer training to employees of organizations to launch the Six Sigma process. They also will offer ongoing training to employees. These courses are not usually available to employees unless the company as a whole adopts Six Sigma. Some consultants offer Six Sigma seminars in large metropolitan areas. The cost can be prohibitive with fees as high as $3700 per person for a two week Green Belt class.

There are other ways to learn about Six Sigma. I found at least two websites offering self-paced online courses and I'm sure there are many more. The courses range from $400 to $600, with the cost increasing as you progress through the certification. You also might look for courses offered at your local technical college or community college. Contact an instructor at one of these institutions to ask them if they know of any Six Sigma training. If there are companies in your area that use Six Sigma, a Vocational Technical College should be aware, as it is there mission to prepare qualified candidates for the local workforce.

A word about the certification process

Six Sigma training courses are not accredited by the Department of Education so you cannot earn Continuing Education Units for participation. If a training organization offers "certification" this simply means you have successfully passed their version of Six Sigma training. You could list on your resume that you are Six Sigma certified as a Green Belt, but qualify that it is through a training program. For example you would write on your resume: "Six Sigma Green Belt certified by Training Course Company."

Who is using Six Sigma?

The list of companies using Six Sigma is quite long. It has been applied in car manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies, the military, aviation, research companies, textile manufacturers, banks, and even a few retail companies. Some hospital labs also are using it to define proper processes for research.

Six Sigma Software

There are also software tools that support Six Sigma statistical analysis and provide project management tools for coordination of Six Sigma over the entire organization. These software programs are designed to help the Six Sigma expert in the collection and analysis of data. An example of such software can be found at http://www.softwaresixsigma.com/. Unfortunately, the website does not provide the cost of the software, but instructs interested parties to call their offices. I suspect this company is selling their software to companies, not individuals.

Just a quick Internet search can reveal even more online resources for Six Sigma. It is a popular corporate program and many consultants and schools offer training. There are so many you might get confused. Some will only train companies and some will offer training to individuals. If your company offers Six Sigma training and you are interested, look into it. However, Six Sigma training may be very costly if you are paying for it yourself. Take advantage of anything your company offers.

Does your company have Six Sigma?

What are your experiences with Six Sigma? Have you attended a Six Sigma training course? Does your organization offer in-house training? From your perspective, do you feel it has improved your company?