Learning Six Sigma does not require a student to be a student of management. People who are experienced in working with reputed companies can also opt for Six Sigma. There are numerous institutes and universities that offer complete course on Six Sigma. There are several levels of learning Six Sigma, which are green belts, black belts and master black belts. These short time courses include the practical sessions and theoretical courses.

Six Sigma steps are quite simple to be implemented but needs a lot of analysis. It is desirous to employ well qualified Six Sigma professionals having good deal of experience in the field. There are numerous organizations that have followed the stepwise process of Six Sigma and received genuine benefits in terms of quality and profits.

The Six Sigma strategy behind the execution of any process is based on understanding the consumer process and thereby creating excellence in the workplace. It emphasizes mostly on minimizing the errors and thereby maximizing the profit level of the company by improving the quality and productivity of the organization. The working strategy of the Six Sigma process is to rely mainly on the statistical data, related to any problem and, as a matter of fact, find its solution.

Six Sigma online training has become an easy mode of acquiring Six Sigma certification course, in comparatively lesser rates. Six Sigma online training provides the students an option to begin and end the training according to their own schedules. Six Sigma certification can be achieved according to the level of course being acquired.

DMAIC is an abbreviation, which stands for “Design-Measure-Analyze-Implement-Verify”.  The Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is a process improvement methodology, which aims at reducing the number of possible defects in an organization, by letting the process operate at a 99.9997% efficiency level. The DMAIC methodology brings about melioration in the process of any firm and thereby defines its outcome.

Process perfection would be the right introduction to Six Sigma. It is statistic-based process melioration methodology used in business firms. It aims at making the process more effective and reliable by limiting the possibility of number of defects to less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities by banking heavily on statistical techniques. Six Sigma is a quality control mechanism, based totally on data and facts rather than relying on assumptions.

Six Sigma has proved itself the best quality control program, available in the market. Six Sigma is now increasingly used in many fields and sectors and is proving itself as a quality control improvement program. Six Sigma provides a statistical approach for solving any problem and thereby improves the quality level of the product as well as the company.

Six Sigma handbook is a worldwide popular, comprehensive reference for the Six Sigma course. It offers the main information, direction and the statistical tools one demands to execute any Six Sigma process. Six Sigma handbook covers all the concepts, which are necessary for the effective progress of any process.

Six Sigma education has become the most recent topic for discussion nowadays. Six Sigma education is aimed at imparting knowledge to the students about all respects of Six Sigma. Six Sigma education, based on the Six Sigma process improvement methodology, is meant for creating excellence in the field of academics.

Sigma Level                  DFMO (Defects-Per-Million-Opportunities)
1 Sigma                                              690,000.00
2 Sigma                                              380,000.00
3 Sigma                                                66,800.00
4 Sigma                                                   6210.00
5 Sigma                                                     230.00
6 Sigma                                                         3.40

• The increase in the corporate waste in the organizations decreased the profit margin because of which there was a demand of a process, which could fight the existing problem and reduce the corporate waste.
• Old process like TQM proved to be unsuccessful or unsatisfactory for many organizations because of which organizations needed a methodology, which is more than just a process improvement program.
• For better consumer satisfaction, companies demanded a methodology, which could improve the quality of their product.
• Companies demanded a methodology, which would lower the number of defects and thereby save the overhead cost incurred while resolving the defects.
• With the increased number of competitors in the market, companies were in need of a process, which would improve their market value and provide a better job satisfaction to its employees.

• Define the process and its requirements.
• Measure the performance of the process after it is executed.
• Analyze the difference in the current performance and the requirement and thereby identifying the factors responsible for it.
• Improve the process by re-developing it, to eradicate the occurred problems.
• Control the performance by implementing the new effective process under a controlled plan.

DMADV is also known as DFSS i.e. Design for Six Sigma and is used for creating new products and its design. It states the following points:

• Define process design and its goals.
• Measure the various factors involved with the design, such as consumer satisfaction, corporate waste, risks etc.
• Analyze the capability of the design.
• Design its details and plan for its verification.
• Verify the design and thereby send it to the process owner for its implementation.

Effects of Six Sigma Implementation:

• The quality improves by reduction in the number of defects.
• The outcome of any process depends on collective data and facts rather than assumptions.
• It increases the profit-level of the company.
• It provides more structured and disciplined approach to solve the existing problem.
• Rather than adopting the conventional cost cutting method, it prefers eradicating costs that provide no value to the consumers.
• The net operational cost reduces.
• By reducing the number of defects, it provides the company a hope for higher expectations.
• It aims at understanding the need and expectations of the consumers and providing them the same with a better quality product.
• The internal communication between the department increases, because of which the employees tend to be more aware of the techniques and strategies used for solving a particular problem.
• It leads to a greater job satisfaction for employees. As a result of which, the internal communication within the organization increases.
• The time consumed in the production reduces; thereby the delivery of the service is fast.
• The organization is more productive; as a result, its market position improves.

Six Sigma has proved itself the best existing methodology in the market, to provide the companies a new dynamic approach to solve the problems and thus leading them to the pinnacles of success. The success story of many big and small companies who adopted the Six Sigma methodology has become a guiding plane for other companies, irrespective of their fields, to replace their old methodology by the same, to achieve the acme of success. For instance, DuPont, No. 1 Innovator in Chemical Industry and No. 1 in Biotech Patents [Source: The Patent Board(TM) and Nature Biotechnology] have acknowledged Six Sigma for their success. [Source: DuPont Annual Report]. Analogously, General Electrics, ranked 2nd in the ‘Global 2000’ list of companies [Source: Forbes website], has also credited Six Sigma for its success. Jack Welch said, “We found that Six Sigma isn’t only for engineers…Regional sales managers can use it to improve forecast reliability, pricing strategies, or pricing variation.”

Critical to Quality (CTQ) includes within its scope, the physical dimensions of height, width, depth and weight. Even the electrical characteristics of a product such as impedance, are also included within the scope of CTQ. Critical to quality study gives a vivid description regarding the requirements of quality in general terms but have deficiency in the specificity to be measurable. Nonetheless, they can be computed through the addition of customer-defined specifications.

Critical to Process (CTP) are the key process input variables. These are the process parameters which influences other critical approaches - Critical to Quality (CTQ), Critical to Delivery (CTD) and / or Critical to Cost (CTC). To illustrate CTP in terms of process, we must mention it as the critical x’s in the function -> y = f(x). It is essential to know what the x’s are - for example, temperature, pressure, humidity, but not essentially their definite setting or level.

Critical to Delivery (CTD) characteristics are services to manufactured goods, and/or transactional characteristics that significantly influence one or more CTSs in terms of Delivery. It represents the customers who have stated needs in relation to delivery. It is of late delivery. However, early delivery might create problem for some of the customers as it may invite excess account requiring payment before the need for such inventory arises. CTDs are transformed into critical requirements of the customer through the quantification of these impact areas.

Critical to Cost (CTC) analysis is the input to the Quality Function Deployment activity designed for the satisfaction of customers’ requirements. This is the process of analyzing the inputs and outputs and find out the path that influence the cost of process outputs. CTC are similar to CTQ but the former deals entirely with the impact of cost on the customer. This is the way to compute numbers and an overall project.

A critical to quality (CTQ) is the flowchart process of identifying quality features or characteristics in regard to the customer and to identify the problems. This is the process of analyzing the inputs and outputs and find out the path that influence the standard or quality of process outputs. CTQ analysis consists of the physical measurement of height, width, depth and weight. They depict the necessities of quality but have deficiency in the specificity to be measurable.

CPM (Critical Path Method) is considered as an important project management technique that regulates the existing projects, plans, schedules and undertakes new and complex projects for various industrial processes. The technique helps management in controlling the work of the project. CPM has twofold streams, one for industrial process and the other military.

The CPM (Critical Path Method) or the Critical Path Analysis is a popular mathematic based algorithm considered to schedule a set of project activities. Scholars of six sigma tag this as a vital tool for efficient project management. CPM was developed by the DuPont Corporation in 1950’s. Currently, it is applied to all forms of projects such as plant maintenance, engineering, product development, research projects, software development etc.

Cpk
Process Capability Index (Cpk) measures the process potential and performance of processes. Process capability evaluates the productivity of an in-control process to the requirement limits by using capability indices. It can be applied only when the output response displays a normal distribution.

Process Capability (Cp) is the indices used to measure how closely and consistently the process can reach the optimum level of satisfaction of customers. Six sigma is the vast commercial way to drive away errors which are resulted by all processes at levels of performance. It takes in all the possible elements and tools including Cp, needed for assuring improved quality products and services.

Correlation
Correlation has a significant place in six sigma. Correlation measures relation between two or more variables. It investigates the relationship between two quantitative and continuous variables. If the value of one variable increases when the value of the other also increases, they are said to be positively correlated. If the value of one variable decreases when the value of other variable is increasing, it is said to be negatively correlated. If one variable does not affect the other, they are not correlated.

A Cost of Quality (COQ) constructs a chart displaying prevention, appraisal, and failure costs over time in order to demonstrate the cost of poor quality. The Cost of Quality can be categorized into two divisions: The Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), and The Cost of Good Quality (COGQ). The cost of poor quality looks over the entire internal as well as the external costs which is the outcome of the product imperfection. Alternatively, the cost of good quality is the prevention costs that are used in prevention and assessment such as, quality planning, error proofing, quality education, Six Sigma training etc.

Convenience sampling is understood as a method of sampling units on the basis of easy availability. Its objective is to evaluate the features of a population using comparatively small sample taken from the population.

Control plan process is meant to control the features of product and the connected process variables to guarantee capability and stability of the manufactured goods over time. It is a management device to make out and to check the activity which is mandatory for controlling the critical inputs or key outputs for a process in order that the process will continually meet its product or service goals.

Control chart for given values is used when the process is fixed and the mean and standard deviation are known. The control chart, also known as the Shewhart Chart, is a statistical tool for monitoring a business or manufacturing process in order to maintain or improve quality. It is one of the vital methods of Statistical Process Control (SPC), which assures the business process to be in a state of statistical stability.

A control chart is a significant tool applied to monitor and improve quality. It is one of the effective seven basic statistical tools often applied in Six Sigma along with scatter diagram, flowchart, pareto chart, cause-and-effect diagram, check sheet and histogram. All the tools are used to evaluate business or manufacturing process in an effective way.

Continuous distribution is a distribution of random variables which may assume any value in the number line whether integer or not. It is also known as continuous probability distributions and applied in six sigma to evaluate the processes in an improved manner. It is applied when the characteristic being examined are found to be a continuous variable.

Continuous data refers to data that can be measured on a measurement scale with other data. It is also known as variable data and can be subdivided into smaller measurements limited by the recording or measurement system. It can have any numeric value and can be divided into precision.

Contingency tables are used in the application of the chi-square test that is implemented to evaluate the connection between two variables. This table provides an effective way of arranging attribute data while permitting us to eagerly find out relative probabilities. To quote an example, contingency tables can be made to use in place of the fraction out of the ordinary control chart to analyze a group of preliminary samples for not having enough of control.

Consumer risk or consumer's risk is a potent risk that can be found in all consumer-oriented commodities or product that the commodities might fail to meet the standards of quality. It might also pass undetected through the manufacture’s system of quality control and enter the marketplace for consumers. It is the risk that a consumer will recognize as a lot of inferior quality in comparison with the Limiting Quality Level.

Consensus criteria method is one of the several tools used in improving process by prioritizing items and portraying them in terms of weighted criteria. This process is made to use by combining a tree and matrix diagramming methods to carry out a pair-wise assessment of items resulting to narrowing down to a most preferred or most effectual priority wise sequence of events.

Confounding is a statistical tool that is also known as confounding factor, lurking variable, confound or confounder. Extensive experiments of statistics and the studies of six sigma feature this topic and practical discussions on it.

Confidence interval is one of the common concepts used in statistical studies. There are quite a number of cases where this concept yields great results. This is used to obtain a value which is almost equal to the universal value of any given mathematical problem.

Completely Randomized Design
Completely randomized design is one of the most competent statistical tools which are widely used in solving the statistical as well as management problems. This design is perfect in analyzing and calculating the experimental designs without fail. The hands on experience help the professionals to use these designs for problem solving and also in improving the current infrastructural problems.

Complementary Probability
Complementary probability is a popular concept mainly used in statistics. This is derived from the basics of probability theory. The principle of complementary probability is that a set of two complementary events cannot happen at the same time. The concept is studied by not only the students of statistics but also the six sigma professionals as probability is included in their green belt certification courses.

Comparing proportions is the statistical method to find out if one proportion is truly different from another. This comparison of proportion from two or more samples is carried out by implementing the chi-square statistics. The comparison is made by contrasting the experimental proportions to the proportion which are estimated to find out whether there are any variations between the samples. If the experimental result is larger than the estimated result, it is said that there is a considerable difference in the sample proportions.

Six Sigma certificate is a proof that a professional has successfully completed a course on Six Sigma and now he should be capable of working with the tools and strategies of the same. There are three main levels of Six Sigma certificate which are green belt, black belt and master black belt. The other certificates are Six Sigma champion, Six Sigma yellow belt etc.

Implementing Six Sigma is one of the best steps that can be taken towards overall improvement of the functions of a company. The experienced professionals can plan and implement Six Sigma projects in the existing infrastructure of the company and the number of benefits derived from it is many. 

Certified Six Sigma black belts are supposed to know almost everything about the subject. They undergo a two or three week long training and learn about the core details of Six Sigma. Individuals with prior experience of Six Sigma can apply for black belt certification. The certified black belts have ample job opportunities in reputed organizations and also the scope of working out personal business is very good.

A Six Sigma program aims to provide detailed knowledge on this topic. There are several levels of Six Sigma programs and numerous private institutes offer them. Motorola University is one of the best institutes providing versatile Six Sigma programs to the aspiring management professionals.

Six Sigma green belt certification is the basic level of Six Sigma training. This is meant for the entry level employees of an organization. During this training, the employees are trained on the basic strategies of Six Sigma management. They also get to know about the statistical tools, Pareto charts, Diagrams, charters, analysis methods etc. The general concepts of factorial, exponential and probability are also taught in this course. The certified professionals take part in quality improvement projects and sometimes lead them when required.

A new set of data-supported management tactics have been adopted in most of the present organizations, which are concerned about keeping up with the other improvement oriented companies and want an edge over them. They aim at perfection or near perfection, allowing only 3.4 defects per million opportunities that are explored by a running process of an organization.  This particular compilation of strategies and statistical tools is known as Six Sigma. It was first developed by Motorola, and later on adopted by companies like Allied Signal, Xerox, General Electric. After the application of the new strategy in the market, they saw drastic growth in their level of product quality, overall performance and customer satisfaction.

But before the whole process can work with full effectiveness, it needs a hierarchy of Six Sigma certified professionals who will make sure that the different steps are carried out smoothly in the most efficient manner. There are mainly three major belts of Six Sigma management. They are the Green Belt, Black Belt and the Master Black Belt. Corporate certification programs are organized to train people for each of these belts. We discuss here the training and certification of the basic but most important level in the whole Six Sigma management- the Green Belt.

• Objectives of Six Sigma Green Belt Certification: The Six Sigma green belt certification is generally not an extensive training and can be completed over a short span of time. The training teaches the entry level employees of an organization about understanding the processes, getting to the root causes of the existing problems and finding out solutions. So, the certification trains the participants on the DMAIC model in a comprehensive and detailed manner. The acronym stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Hands-on training on practical problem-solving are provided during the Six Sigma green belt certification.
• Roles of Six Sigma Green Belt Certified Professionals: The Six Sigma green belt certified professional serve as quality team members in their functional department of the company. They are supposed to work on small, carefully defined processes as a part of their job, requiring less commitment and expertise than that of a black belt, as their knowledge about Six Sigma is limited. They have primarily two roles to play. First of all as a quality team member and secondly as a quality project leader, occasionally though. They mainly work under the supervision of the black belts and apply the Six Sigma principles and tools for the improvement of the project. So, the certification also teaches them various Six Sigma statistical tools and methodologies required to tackle the different faces of problems, which might arise in the sequence of steps to be followed.
• Qualities of a Six Sigma Green Belt: The Six Sigma green belt certification candidates are also supposed to be honed in the quality function deployment skills and understand the needs and desires of customers.  They should be able to understand every single thing that the customer wants and the quality of the service they need to provide.

This Six Sigma green belt certification is generally short, but is of immense significance for the organization. It is not that expensive and not much time consuming as well like the black belts or master black belt certifications. It provides a solid foundation to the company and its employees. When the company doesn’t need or want black belts for their small one-time projects, then getting the existing employees trained on green belt is the best way out. They can be utilized for other functions while they are still skilled in Six Sigma magic to get it going at any time needed and here’s where the green belt certification is so valuable.

Six Sigma process is based on the best cost-effective set of strategies available in the market and has taken the corporate world to a new level. More number of popular companies are trying to implement it in their systems in order to achieve overall improvement in their quality, customer service and revenues earned.

Six Sigma is a data-driven management approach, often used in the lean production method, where output is maximized at the minimum cost possible, resulting in overall improvement of a company. It was first developed by Motorola, and then adopted by several other companies like Xerox, Allied Signal, GE and Caterpillar. Six Sigma strategies are based on the philosophy of understanding the customer’s needs and demands and improvement of utility and quality of the products, allowing only around 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

This strategy equips the organization with an array of statistical tools and methodologies, thus enabling them to tackle complicated problems better than before and have an edge over the others in the market. After this method was adopted by the respective companies, there was a drastic improvement in the quality and performance of their products and services, improving the overall market competence of the company as well as increasing the level of customer satisfaction as well.

But before you can call any process a Six Sigma process, there is a huge calculation and analysis to be performed on the existing set up.

Selection of the Project: The right project should be chosen keeping the possibility of maximum benefits in mind. So, keeping abreast of the latest industry practice and methodologies, you can easily outperform the strongest contenders with extensive research on the Six Sigma process.  But this type of research can give you somewhat vague results. So, it is always better to follow the basic criteria laid down by the supply chain, which makes things easier for you.
Also while selecting the process; few things should be kept in mind:

• It might not be wise to think about monetary profits always, since some processes actually may not directly bring you monetary gains but definitely, it can indirectly affect the driving sources like human labour, technology and reputation of the company in the market, which might prove crucial for the smooth and effective running of the other active processes in the company.
• Before we actually select and start on a project, it is always advisable to measure the available resources, the goals we have set and the scopes of improvement in the related department.
• Also, during the Six Sigma process, it is best to break it down into small phases, like tactical, analytical, strategic phases, which will result in better coordination and efficiency of the employees.

After the project is selected, it is time to run the Six Sigma strategy on it. Now, it follows a universal DMAIC model. It stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.

• Define: This step defines the project in detail. Here the professionals create documents or charters about the project, determining the scopes, expectations, opportunities and threats of the project. It demands an in-depth understanding of the customers’ needs and requirements and sets the objectives to be fulfilled.
• Measure: Before you actually start the execution and defects elimination process, you need to take a good measure of the resources and the previous performance data. A statistical chart stating the customers’ expectations and the present ability to fulfill them should be chalked out.
• Analyze: To create solutions to the problems that may arise, you first have to get to the root cause of the problems. This is the objective of this step. All the scopes are ransacked and every probable problem is evaluated to get to the root causes. It builds a better ground of functioning for the upcoming step.
• Improve: This is the phase where innovative solutions are chalked out for the existing and probable problems; new strategies are tried and tested, thus eliminating the current defects and drawbacks of the project, cutting it down to as little as 3.4 DPMO.
• Control: After the immediate improvement is noticed, it is also of utmost significance that different methodologies are applied to improve standards of the product, and make sure it doesn’t go down.

This process is repeated as long as the desired results are not acquired, and a large group of experts make sure the goals and objectives are met in the end.

Six Sigma course, unlike the old courses like TQM, is more than just a process improvement program as it focuses on minimizing the errors and maximizing the output by continually surveying the potential of the applied process. It teaches the professional to limit the number of possible defects to less than 3.4 defects per million, by relying heavily on statistical techniques, thereby improving the quality and productivity of the organization.

Why to do the Six Sigma Course?

• The Six Sigma course aims at taking an employee and blending him into an efficient, profitable asset for an organization, ready to contour every process and thereby achieve the desired requirements.
• Six Sigma professionals provide a boon to the growing infrastructure of an organization, making it more productive in terms of the profit-level and consumer satisfaction.
• The Six Sigma course helps the employees to reduce the possible defects to less than 3.4 defects per million, by relying heavily on statistical techniques, thus improving quality and productivity of the organization.
• The Six Sigma course teaches an employee to give a more structured and disciplined approach to solve the existing problems.
• The Six Sigma course helps you to understand the need and expectations of the consumers and provide them the same with a better quality product.
• Researches have shown that the Six Sigma professionals, with their statistical approach and brilliant overall ability, have reduced the number of corporate wastes in the company and thereby, have provided immense success to its pinnacle.
• The Six Sigma course teaches an employee how to eradicate costs which provide no value to the consumers rather than adopting the conventional cost cutting.
• Many organizations, who have realized the importance of the Six Sigma methodology, have made it mandatory for their employees to pursue the Six Sigma training.
• For a fast service, greater consumer satisfaction and a better market value of the organization, many owners prefer to employ candidates with the Six Sigma certification.

The Basic Requirements for a Six Sigma Certification Course: Usually a bachelor’s degree is enough to enroll in a Six Sigma certification course, but since it involves a more statistical and technical approach to solving a problem, a specialization in subjects like mathematics and physics are preferred.

How to do the Six Sigma Course: There are basically three ways of doing a Six Sigma course and thereby, getting a Six Sigma certification based on the level of the course an employee does. They are as follows:

• Six Sigma course can be pursued from various institutes available around the country, accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET), providing Six Sigma training course on a BB level (Black Belt) and the MBB level (Master Black Belt).
• Appointing a Six Sigma trainer to come to your business area, according to your convenience, is another option available.
• Six Sigma training courses are also available on the internet. Online training courses are comparatively cheaper in rates than the other two available options.

What after the Six Sigma Course: After pursuing the Six Sigma course, a professional can commence his career as a Six Sigma training consultant and Six Sigma manager who is creditworthy for the implementation of any process in an organization. After getting the Six Sigma certification, an individual never has to worry about getting a good job. The reason for this is the success stories of many companies, which trusted the Six Sigma methodology, which speaks volume of the efficiency and reliability of this process and has forced many companies to decide its involvement in their process. The pay package of a Six Sigma professional depends on his overall performance and the company’s policy but a Six Sigma professional can command a healthy package of $40,000-$60,000 a year at a beginning level. After pursuing the Six Sigma course, a professional may exhibit the following roles in a firm:

• Sponsors: They direct the Six Sigma campaign in a company on a day-to-day basis and are the members of the leadership team, running the various processes in any firm.
• Champion: These are the executives creditworthy of one or more Six Sigma projects in any firm.
• GB Practitioner: They are the individuals with the Green Belt Six Sigma Certification.
• BB Practitioner: They are the individuals with the Black Belt Six Sigma Certification.
• MBB Practitioner: They are the individuals with the Master Black Belt Six Sigma Certification. They are the technical leaders of a Six Sigma campaign.

"Six Sigma is one of the best things we have ever done. Last year we saved $340 million and since its inception in September 1999, we've saved or avoided spending a total of $1.4 billion" Tim Solso, Chairman and CEO, Cummins Inc. and the winner of the prestigious Six Sigma CEO of the Year Award, organized by WCBF, reported at the May 2007 Cummins Inc. Annual Meeting.                                   [Source: Cummins inc. annual report]

The success stories of many companies, which trusted the Six Sigma methodology, speak volumes of the efficiency and reliability of this course, which has forced many companies to involve the Six Sigma professionals in their process.

Six Sigma black belt certification is a course offered to the professionals who have already received the green belt training. The black belt certification is offered by many reputed institutes and it teaches almost all the important topics of Six Sigma. The certified professionals serve in the managerial levels of the organization.

With the growing popularity of Six Sigma, numerous companies are taking initiative to implement the same in their existing infrastructure. They often prefer to get their employees trained on Six Sigma. The managerial level needs a professional to be trained in Six Sigma black belt certification. The good institutes offer quality Six Sigma black belt certification courses which are generally two week long and cover all related topics of Six Sigma.

• Qualification Required for Six Sigma Black Belt Certification: As Six Sigma black belt certification is a higher level course of Six Sigma, the students should have prior experience in this field. They should be degree holders in any discipline and should have minimum 6 months training in this particular section. The organizational work experience is considered as an added advantage for Six Sigma black belt certification.
• Objective of Six Sigma Black Belt Certification: The Six Sigma black belt certification course is designed in such a manner that the employees who come to learn this, become the know-it-all of the subject. The black belts are supposed to serve some of the most responsible positions in an organization and this is why they should not only know but must also be able to implement their knowledge in practical situations. The master black belts lead the teams of green belts and also select the projects looking at the scopes of improvement in a particular department. They also assign tasks to the fittest team member, which is a vital responsibility indeed. Hence the overall objective of the Six Sigma black belt certification is to generate professionals who are supremely efficient and can accomplish the responsibility of running the organizational functions without fail.
• Topics Discussed in Six Sigma Black Belt Certification: Six Sigma black belt certification, unlike the other courses, discusses the core topics of Six Sigma. This is the higher level studies on the subject and hence, the topics are chosen keeping match with the grade. The course first of all brushes up the previous knowledge of the employees, especially the methodologies. Then the prioritization tools like matrix, FMEA, process mapping, Exponential and binomial approaches, identification of the improvement opportunity, data collection, screening the designs and many more are included in the courseware. Solution evaluation, SMED and Kaizen from the Lean   platform are also discussed as a part of the Six Sigma black belt certification program. The charts, diagrams and models are discussed in details for the practical understanding of Six Sigma.
• Qualities of a Black Belt Certified Professional: A Six Sigma black belt certified professional should be able to implement all the philosophies and rules of Six Sigma and also the systems underneath and statistical tools. The certified Black Belts should be good art demonstrating and understanding the dynamics of a team. Leading the teams and assigning responsibilities to the team members are included in the roles and responsibilities of the black belt professionals. They have to know the DMAIC and other models by heart so that they can apply them in practical situations as well as make the subordinates understand it. The good black belt certification course also teaches about team leadership, helps understand team dynamics and assigning particular roles and responsibilities to team members. Some of the good certification courses also include the basics of Lean so that the learners could become masters of the program.

Six Sigma jobs are one of the most attractive ones in the market. As more number of companies takes interest in Six Sigma, the numbers of vacancy is increasing day by day. The jobs pay really well and the facilities are noticeably good. This is why the management students are all inclined to get Six Sigma jobs.

Six Sigma is one of the most popular management strategies of today. Most of the small, medium and large companies are implementing it in their existing set up to get better results from all aspects. Now, as the popularity of Six Sigma grows in the coming years, the scope of Six Sigma jobs will increase remarkably. Often, the new companies do not have sufficient man power in order to execute the Six Sigma projects for various departments. Getting the existing employees trained is definitely a cost effective method, but it is quite time consuming at the same time. This is when the Six Sigma consultants come into the picture. Professionals, who have already completed extensive training in Six Sigma are hired by the smaller companies for guiding them with the projects. There are ample job opportunities in the field of Six Sigma and it is expected that the scope will grow even more by the next 10 years.

• Six Sigma Job Types: there are various types of jobs available in this field. A professional can serve the individual companies as a consultant. He can also open a firm of his own which will offer services and suggestions to others. Some of the Six Sigma professionals can go for the training posts. They can educate the aspiring people about the strategies of Six Sigma. The other option is working for a company in the processes. The green belt certified professional can expect to get a job at the entry level. The black belts can look for the post of a process–in-charge or team leader. The master black belts generally work for the managerial level like process manager. This shows that Six Sigma provides a professional with opportunities to work under a company as well as do personal business.
• Skills of Six Sigma Professionals: If a professional is looking for a job in the field of Six Sigma, he should possess certain qualities. First of all he should know the in and out of this subject and also be able to implement his knowledge in the practical situations. Analytical skill is another important quality of a Six Sigma professional. They should be able to analyze situations and come up with innovative ideas to solve them. Communication skills should be excellent for the Six Sigma professionals. Leadership quality is something that is simply indispensable for Six Sigma jobs. The professionals should be able to lead the process. They should be impressive enough to convince the management and the employees about the tasks of Six Sigma.
• Salary in Six Sigma Job: The Six Sigma jobs pay quite well. But it depends on the proficiency of the professional as to how much he is going to be paid. In the international market the big companies pay around 50,000 pounds annually. Now, as the experience level increases, the salary shows an upward shift. Salary package may also vary from company to company but there is an average scale which is maintained by all. Skilled and experienced Six Sigma professionals are treated as valuable assets of the companies.

Hence, it is evident that the Six Sigma jobs are available in plenty and they are well paying as well. This is why the management professionals are taking the initiative to learn Six Sigma and the institutes are prospering gradually with increased scope of business.

Six Sigma performance is seen in all aspects of the company’s business. Six Sigma happens to be one of the most efficient management strategies. There are many companies who have understood the huge benefits of this program and are now implementing it in their existing set up. Be it customer satisfaction, increase in the stock values or annual revenue figure, all fields experience equal enhancement. The cost savings and profit increase are two of the most important aspects of Six Sigma performance.

Six Sigma business is that business which implements the Six Sigma strategies for improvement of their infrastructure, quality of products and revenues. There are numerous benefits of using Six Sigma in the business and the best part is that businesses of all sizes can expect equal benefits from Six Sigma.

Lean Six Sigma manufacturing is widely used in the manufacturing units. Many popular companies from all over the world have reaped the benefits of this method. The practice of Lean is quite old in the manufacturing field. But the Six Sigma tools were incorporated into it so that the statistical approach can be used remarkably. The experiment proved successful and the results can be observed in enhanced customer satisfaction and improvement in overall quality of products.

Lean Six Sigma training is provided to employees of an organization which is into manufacturing various products. The training includes the most important topics of Six Sigma and lean and the students are also provided with an overview of the benefits that can be derived from lean Six Sigma. The practical training is also included in the courseware as this enhances the troubleshooting skills of the employees.

Lean Six Sigma is used in the manufacturing field to manufacture optimum quality products. The basics of lean and Six Sigma were different initially but when both were combined, the effects were amazing. It helped drastically in optimizing the yields of numerous automotive manufacturing companies. The common defects were eliminated successfully from the system and sheer improvement was observed after the implementation of lean Six Sigma. The prominent companies with large manufacturing units adopted the lean Six Sigma in a huge way and some of the big names in the field are a Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar Finance and GE Capital. The output level was upgraded remarkably over a short period of time and the overall benefits were seen in the revenues and share values. Now-a-days, a number of companies are taking equal interest in this field which is the main reason of enhanced popularity of lean Six Sigma training.

Now, lean Six Sigma training is somewhat different from the regular methods. Though the basic models remain the same, some additional features are included in the methodologies in order to make the course more interesting and helpful. When an employee is undergoing the lean Six Sigma training, he learns the techniques of lean and Six Sigma and also understands how to fuse them together for optimum results. The DMAIC model remains unaltered as it is the basic of Six Sigma. Tools like affinity diagrams, charters, Kano models, CTQ trees; Time value analysis, prioritization matrix etc are also included in the courseware as these are the most effective statistical tools widely used in the manufacturing units.

The general levels of certification like green belt, black belts and master black belts are present in the lean Six Sigma training also. The most efficient employees of the companies are sent for this training. The certification is a few week long course, where the learners are asked to solve practical problems along with the regular theoretical studies. This enhances the reasoning and troubleshooting power of an individual, which is also a part of the lean Six Sigma training. Following are the main components of the Lean Six Sigma training courses:
Six Sigma Components:

• DMAIC: DMAIC is the methodology of Six Sigma that is commonly used by the green belt certified employees. The model features 5 essential steps- Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Each of the steps holds equal importance in successful implementation of a Six Sigma process.   
• Diagrams and Charts: There are several diagrams like Ishikawa diagram, Kano model, Fishbone diagrams, Pareto charts etc. which are helpful in deriving benefits out of it. This is why these are included in the training thoroughly.
• Analysis Methods: There are numerous analysis methods which are important and included in the Six Sigma components of the course.

Lean components:

• Understanding the Process Velocity: Lean needs an employee to understand very well what should be the progress speed of a particular process. The analyzing tools of Six Sigma can be applied to understand it in a better way.
• Wastes: There are various types of wastes found in the manufacturing sectors. Defects, over production, inventory, transportation, wait time etc. are taught in the training so that the learners can handle the units efficiently.

Six Sigma can solve numerous problems that can occur in the manufacturing units. If any specific department of an organization is underperforming in terms of production or quality, then this can be improved with the help of Six Sigma. Defining the prospects and objectives of the processes is quite important for the success of Six Sigma in manufacturing. Collection and documentation of data is helpful in Six Sigma implementation and can assure success with complete understanding of the process.

Six Sigma TQM is the total quality management program implemented with the help of Six Sigma strategies. There are several steps which can help an organization achieve complete success from all aspects. The simplest model for Six Sigma TQM is the DMAIC model, often used to resolve practical problems. Each and every company uses the Six Sigma TQM in a different way. But its benefits are many and most of the big companies have experienced them.

When it comes to total quality management, Six Sigma TQM is the most popular method. The basics of Total Quality Management or TQM roots back to the long term analysis and various reports presented by popular personals like Feigenbaum, Ishikawa, Crosby, Juran, Drucker and many others. People have always invested their time and patience to understand and derive useful strategies that can run a company efficiently. This is more like a compilation of tools, techniques, strategies and principles, which are all time-tested methods used in improvement of organizations. Many world class multinational companies use the Six Sigma TQM for the overall improvements.

Now, this is a fact that TQM will never serve as a readymade recipe to improve the functionalities of an organization. Every company has a different set of issues and requirements which needs different sort of strategies. But the Six Sigma TQM provides with a basic understanding of the actual needs of a process and thus helps the skilled professionals to chalk out the appropriate projects. Motorola was the first one to invent the strategies and their success showed the way to many other organizations. Big names like GE Electric, Caterpillar, Bank of America, Dell, Wipro and many other organizations followed the footprints of Motorola and reaped excellent benefits out of it.     

The simplest model used in Six Sigma TQM is the DMAIC model. The employees of the organization invest their skills to define, measure, analyze, improve and control the projects. Data driven approach is the main secret to the success of Six Sigma TQM. The organizations using this application often collect all possible data which can aid in understanding the requirements of the customers. The knowledge collected from the customers often helps the company develop better infrastructure. They execute the processes perfectly without hampering the existing infrastructure. There are certain steps which are normally followed in the Six Sigma TQM process:

• Understanding Customers: TQM helps in knowing the customers’ requirements in a better way. The organization should not only understand their customers but also those of their competitors. They should also interact with the customers in order to bring out what they feel about the services provided.    
• Extensive Planning: Planning is something that can make a process absolutely perfect. In Six Sigma TQM, planning plays an important role. The projects are planned after considering several factors. The scopes of improvement in that particular department and the expected results are designed carefully so that the process emerges as a success.
• Cost-effective Ventures: Cost cutting is another objective of Six Sigma TQM. While the improvements are made to certain processes, it is observed that the cost and investment is under control. This is why the companies also benefit from the overall yields generated.
• Participation: This is an important part of Six Sigma TQM. All the employees of the company should have a clear idea about the objective of the strategies implemented in the departments. They should be inspired to provide with ideas to improve the conditions. The Six Sigma professionals should interact with them and make them understand the basics. This will leads to on the whole success of the TQM program. 
• Customer and Employee Satisfaction: Customer satisfaction is definitely the main motto of any manufacturing unit as this is what decides the future and prospects of the unit. Six Sigma helps in achieving this over a period of time. Apart from it, employee satisfaction is another objective of Six Sigma. It will also help the organization to retain the employees and keep them satisfied as well.

Six Sigma statistics is a compilation of the time-tested management strategies, which has always proved to be beneficial for the overall improvements of the companies. There are certain tools which are widely used to reduce the number of defects from a system.

Six Sigma is a data-driven methodical approach applied to the running processes in a company for improvement in the performance and the overall quality of services and goods. It is a tactic adopted towards perfection, or almost perfection that helps in the company’s competence in the market. Many companies like Motorola, Allied Signal, Xerox, and General Electric have used it and have experienced drastic improvements in the level of customer satisfaction and market value of the shares. This is obviously a good thing since it places the company in a good position to avail of further opportunities. No doubt, Six Sigma statistics is the best set of management tools that is available in the market at the moment.

• Definition of Six Sigma Statistics: The statistical approach of Six Sigma can be defined as a quality objective that is to be achieved by successfully implementing a Six Sigma project. It judges in a quantitative manner, if the products manufactured by a company are meeting the customer’s demands or not. The model that is followed universally in the Six Sigma statistics is the DMAIC model. It stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. In short, define the problem, measure the scopes and probable effects of the project, analyze various aspects of the problem, improve the system in a systematic manner and control the standard of the process. This is how the Six Sigma works. But for the model to work properly, a number of statistical tools and methodologies are used. These include all the tactics that are generally used in other quality management projects. But they are incorporated in the DMAIC model which accounts for its effectiveness.
• Significance of the Statistical Methods: The statistical methods used in the Six Sigma process are not like the tailor-made stilted programs of any statistical training institute. They are specific to a company and its problems. The Six Sigma statistics help maintaining the goals and objectives of the company. Some manufacturing organizations may include lean thinking to the program while this is not normal in regular training institutes. Six sSigma statistics basically reinforce the use of observational and experimental attitude in the problem situations. Two levels of factorial experimentation are followed along with extensive use of graphical methods and technologies keeping an eye on the experiments done. They check the scopes of an experiment done, facilitating the understanding of the statisticians.
• Benefits of the Six Sigma Statistics: Not going to the mathematical details of it, to precisely put it across, Six Sigma statistics mean Six standard deviations from the arithmetic mean, taking a lower specification limit and an upper specification limit. Standard deviation is the quantification of the variation existing from the mean, depending on the placing of the data points. If it takes up a lot of space, then variation is large, if it takes up little space, then the variation is negligible. Now, if a large portion of the variation extends out of the specification limit, then it makes a low Sigma score. But when it extends a little from the mean and doesn’t extend much out of the specification limit, it makes a high Sigma score. When we are talking of Six Sigma statistics, we are actually talking of this score. The standard variation is around 3.4 defects per million opportunities.  It statistically ensures that out of 100, 99.997 products would meet the target quality.

Hence, Six Sigma statistics is by far the most effective management strategy that evolved from the time tested rules and techniques.

Six Sigma healthcare is a collection of strategies and applications which are used in healthcare organizations. These techniques often improve the services offered by the organizations by eliminating the infrastructural defects. There are several steps which should be followed while deploying Six Sigma healthcare.

Six Sigma glossary is a collection of terms and definitions commonly used in Six Sigma. Most of the Six Sigma courses include the glossary in their courseware.

The Six Sigma glossary is a collection of terms which are commonly used in Six Sigma and it is quite essential for the learners to know the definitions of all the terms in detail. Here are some of the important terms from the Six Sigma glossary:

• Analysis of Variance: A statistical tool used to determine if the samples from populations have the same mean or have variant significant mean.
• Analytical Statistics: Inferential statistical tools that are used to draw conclusions about a population from a sample of data.
• Bayes Theorem: Used in probability theory to estimate the probability of an outcome.
• Bimodal Distribution: Continuous distribution that has two peaks. It occurs when two processes are mixed.
• Binomial Distribution: It is a kind of discrete probability distribution, showing the probability of getting number of successes in a sample of data from an infinite population where the probability of success is already assumed.
• Cause and Effect Diagram: Also known as fishbone diagram, it is used to list the causes of a problem in separate categories.
• Common Cause Variation: This is variation from the normal distribution, caused by a number of factors that invariably affect any project.
• Control Charts: These are diagrams that indicate and monitor the output of the process.
  • DPMO: It stands for Defects Per Million Opportunities. It states the opportunity where a defect may take place.
• DFMEA: It stands for Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, which determines the possibility of the failure of a design and its consequences.
• Exponential Distribution: It is a continuous probability distribution, which determines the function of an item until affected by external factors.
• Factor Analysis: It is a kind of multivariate analysis. It takes a number of continuous factors and integrates and converts them into a lesser number of factors, which affect the process.
• Frequency Distribution: It is a diagram showing the frequency of observations in a certain range of values.
• Gantt Chart: It shows the breakdown of work against time.
• Gap Analysis: It is a method to analyze the gap between the achieved performance and potential performance.
• Hyper Geometric Distribution: It is a kind of discrete probability distribution that takes a sample from a small population without any replacement.
• Hypothesis Testing: It is a method that determines the probability of two propositions.
• ISO9000:2000: This is an international standard for quality management. It documents mainly three aspects, fundamentals and vocabulary, requirements and guidelines for performance improvements.
• Interaction: All factors interact with each other to produce a separate outcome. This is an important aspect for experimental design.
• Juran Joseph: He is one of the quality leaders who proposed the Quality trilogy that includes planning, control and improvement.
• Kaizen: It is a method used to control and maintain the improvement in the lean production.
• Lean Production: It is a method of production where the focus is on the elimination of waste.
• Lognormal Distribution: A type of continuous probability distribution with probability distribution function, used mainly in modeling of material properties.
• Mann–Whitney Test: It is nonparametric version of the two sample t-tests, comparing the means of the two. It is a kind of hypothesis test as well.
• Multi Variant Analysis: This deals with processes that have many or multi inputs and/or outputs.
• Normal Distribution: It is a continuous probability distribution with no special factors affecting it.
• NPV: This stands for Net Present Value that helps in determining the financial benefits of long-term projects in a company.
• Ordinal Scale: A measurement with a natural ordering of levels but there is no definition of the categories.
• Pareto Principle: It works on the 20:80 principle like 20% of the population owns 80% of the resources, 20% of the causes will result to 80% of the problems or such.
• P-value: It is the probability of the observed outcomes if the null hypothesis is true.
• Quality Function Deployment: It is a method used to relate the customers’ needs and incorporates the specific characteristics and utility of the products.
• Regression Analysis: It uses the least square method to find the line of best fit through a point series.
• Root Cause Analysis: It works on the concept that there is a hidden cause that gives rise to the entire direct problem and tries to resolve it.
• Six Sigma: It is the management strategy that aims at achieving a quality target of 3.4 DPMO for its products.
• SWOT Analysis: A strategic kind of analysis that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a process.
• Temporal Variation: It is a variation that depends on time. It may also be cyclical.
• Theory of Constraints: It follows the concept that any organization has one or two bottlenecks and improving just any workstation, and not to the bottlenecks, doesn’t really bring about any result.
• Unimodal Distribution: A distribution that has a single locally placed maximum
• Variation: It is the measurement of the dispersion of the data set.
• Weibull Distribution: A very flexible continuous probability distribution, with the option of cutting and modifying the product characteristics, used in reliability engineering purpose.
• XmR Charts: ImR charts, or Individual and Moving Range charts, mainly used when the subgroup is one.
• Yield: Related to the rolled throughout yield is a Six Sigma term that works on the probability of a unit passing through a process without any defects. It is first yield through the first step.
• Z-Test: It is a hypothesis that tests the mean to a specific value. It is mainly used when the standard deviation is known or the sample is large.

Six Sigma examples are plenty as the methodologies are extremely effective in cutting down defects from the system. There are many examples of organizations which have reaped benefits from the strategies and this is why many others are following the same path. There are several tools which are applied to achieve the desired level of services.

Six Sigma examples are the best way to make one understand the features and benefits of the methodologies. There are numerous Six Sigma training institutes that use the Six Sigma projects examples and real life situations as examples to make the learner understand how the entire system works towards improvement. Generally, students are provided with an example of a critical situation that can occur in a company and then, the students are asked to solve it on their own with the help of different Six Sigma models like DMAIC or DMADV. Once they start solving these problems, gradually they become proficient in the field.

Here are examples of Six Sigma tools that have always been helpful in reducing error level and obtaining optimum benefits from the projects.

• Brainstorm: This is an example of a Six Sigma tool which allows the employees of a company think innovatively and come up with suggestions and ideas for the improvement of the company. The ideas often help the company to derive effective solutions for various critical situations.
• Affinity Diagram: This is the tool which helps sorting out the best ideas from the ones provided by people.
• Histogram: This is a sort of a bar chart that helps estimating and evaluating the data collected from various aspects of the system.
• Pareto Charts: The Pareto chart is an example of Six Sigma application tool that helps short-listing the causes of different problems, which is one of the easiest ways to solve them as the effort is reduced.

There are numerous organizations that feature the examples of Six Sigma implementation. Examples of Six Sigma companies:

• Motorola: Motorola is not just another example of Six Sigma but it is the inventor of the system. It implemented the Six Sigma system on an experimental basis in order to resolve the quality issues occurring in the company frequently. Though Six Sigma was used for trial, it yielded brilliant results which showed up in the overall performance of the organization.
• General Electric Company: GE is one of the companies that reaped maximum benefits from Six Sigma. This company is famous for its diversity in numerous fields and also for the research and development section. Inspite of hiring the best employees and implementing cutting edge technology, it was facing problems with the quality of products and services during the 90’s. It followed the path showed by Motorola and emerged as one of the most successful and revenue generating company of the year.
• Satyam: Satyam is another prominent software and services company that has become one of the most popular companies in the field after it implemented Six Sigma in its infrastructure.
• Microsoft: It is one of the most popular and revenue generating companies of the world. Now, the secret behind their near perfect services and products is Six Sigma. In fact, Microsoft is considered as an ideal example of Six Sigma implementation.
• Wipro: Wipro is one company that deals in software development, consumer goods production and customer services with equal efficiency. It attained the ultimate condition free from all sorts of defects with the help of Six Sigma.

HP, Ford, Caterpillar and many other companies are there which used the time-tested methodologies of Six Sigma and received benefits out of it.

Six Sigma Calculation is an important part of the system when it comes to evaluating the current and future situation of a system. There are various types of calculators that are used as a tool to perform the Six Sigma calculations without fail. The number of defects occurring in the set up is calculated first and then the expected yields from the strategies are chalked out efficiently. Some of the frequently used Six Sigma calculators are “Process Sigma calculators”, “Sample Size Calculators” and “Sigma Level Calculators”. The Six Sigma calculations can provide excellent yields in terms of customer satisfaction or great product quality.

There are various types of matrices which are used in the Six Sigma methodologies in order to make the calculations without any sort of error in it. Though simple, Six Sigma calculations are not good enough when it comes to attaining the perfect condition, but they are helpful in assessing the number of defects present in the existing system. Moreover, the organizations can use the Six Sigma calculations in all departments so that they can attain supreme quality when it comes to developing products or providing services to the customers. In short, Six Sigma calculation is a tool that aids in identifying the defects in a system and also evaluating the quality of the services obtained from the existing set-up. There are certain situations where the Six Sigma calculations are used which are as follows:

DPO: This is also known as the “Defects per Opportunity”. The Six Sigma calculation is used to make an estimate of the total count of defects in a particular system or unit of the organization. The three important data required to make this Six Sigma calculation are; the number of errors, number of opportunities and units. Here, the total number of defects is divided by the multiplication result of units and opportunities.

CTQ: CTQ is also known as “Critical to Quality”. The CTQ is generally used by the companies to assess the current situation and defect level of the particular department which needs improvement. In fact, this is the Six Sigma calculation which helps a company understand what are the needs and expectations of their customers and also aids in achieving it without fail.
Six Sigma calculations can be performed with the help of various types of calculators which are:

• Process Sigma Calculators: The process Sigma calculators are helpful in calculating the yields and defects in terms of percentages, number of opportunities and units and DPMO.
• Sigma Level Calculators: Sigma level calculators are further categorized into three types: 1) Sigma level calculators for the Non-centered processes, 2) Sigma level calculators for the quality of yields and 3) Sigma level from the DPMO. These calculators are frequently used by the Six Sigma specialists in order to evaluate the recent situation of an organization.
• Sample Size Calculators: This is the simplest way to do the Six Sigma calculations. It is a spreadsheet that determines the sample size or the number of points. This is very helpful for its effectiveness and simplicity.

Generally the Six Sigma calculations are performed in terms of percentages. The defects, opportunities, yields and units are all used by the Six Sigma consultants to work out the existing and future requirements of the division. Now, the calculations are obviously an indispensable part of Six Sigma, which enhances the output significantly. Sometimes the organizations also modify the calculations keeping the basic principles intact so that they can resolve the issues which are strictly company specific. The customization is surely helpful in achieving more benefits out of the Six Sigma methodologies.

Six Sigma analysis is one of the most important parts of the entire process. There are various types of analysis methods and tools which are case specific and should be applied according to the requirement of the company. Some of the analysis methods are solely meant for the black belts and some are also available for the green belts. DMAIC and DMADV models also include Six Sigma analysis as an inevitable part.

Six Sigma is a compilation of the time-tested strategies and the power of Six Sigma is seen in the success stories of numerous companies. Though Motorola initiated the process, companies like GE, Satyam, Wipro, Dell etc., have adopted it and emerged successful. They generated more revenues, had the share values increased and also achieved ultimate customer satisfaction which led the way towards becoming perfect as a company. The power of Six Sigma is also considered in the reduced number of defects in numerous medium and small companies.

Six Sigma presentation is a great help to make the beginners understand the subject. A well-prepared and informative presentation can prove to be useful material for studies. Often, the master black belts and black belts use the Six Sigma presentations for their subordinates or for the management in order to explain the projects, progress and other aspects in a better way. A presenter should know each and every detail about Six Sigma as this will help him prepare the presentation perfectly.

Six Sigma companies are growing slowly as the management of the companies all over the world is realizing that Six Sigma is the methodology that helps a company grow in every aspect. The strategies, statistical tools and other applications aid the organization improve the product quality and customer satisfaction. The efficiency of the employees increase attrition rate decreases remarkably. Some of the popular Six Sigma companies include Motorola and GE.

GE Six Sigma denotes the six strategies implemented by GE in the company for overall improvements in all its divisions. The legendary CEO, Mr. Welch was impressed with the concept and it was his initiative to deploy it in the organization. They followed certain strategies and steps during the process and started it with a workout process in 1988. Final implementation took place in 1995. The employees of the company were assigned specific projects and responsibilities and they were also imparted proper training and were given power to execute the related steps. This was the secret behind the success of GE Six Sigma.

Six sigma projects are generally designed by the six sigma black and master black belts. An ideal project should be selected according to the requirement of the specific department. The project should be designed depending on the improvement strategies that will help reducing errors and increase yields.

Six sigma management is an effective management structure that helps in the complete utilization of a company’s potential, resources and finally, achievement of the goal and objectives set with the lowest investment. This is a true fact that six sigma management is the best management approach available in the industrial market today.

Six sigma improvement depend on the efficiency of the professionals and consultants handling it. They follow the DMAIC project strictly in order to obtain optimum results. The green belts, black belts and master black belts are equally responsible for the six sigma improvement process.

It would not be wrong to say that the green, black or master black belts are considered to be the major belts, yellow belt, though small, has an important role to play in the entire six sigma implementation processes. It is responsible for the whole groundwork of the six sigma management and it’s invaluable in the process of improvement and growth of a company.

As we all know that in the six sigma management system, there are three major levels that take active part in the improvement of the process. The bottom one is the green belt, specialized in applying the basic six sigma principles and methodologies for the project improvement. Above this, there are Black belts, the hi-tech six sigma trained personals having a good knowledge of six sigma principles and metrical tools, and normally does the job of leading a number of projects at a time. Next level is master black belt, trained in advanced statistical tools and methodologies to do the job of defining projects, looking for more opportunities to work on and also help in the training and guidance of the black belts and the green belts. There is another belt in the six sigma system: the Yellow Belt.

Yellow belts are the six sigma professionals who are trained in basic six sigma principles and philosophies, six sigma tools and methodologies, and how to integrate it into the transactional and production system to achieve higher level of customer satisfaction and bottom-line goals and objectives of the organization. They undergo a very small certification training of one or two weeks, to get an overall understanding and working knowledge of the six sigma, rather than a complete detailed functional skills of a green belt or a black belt. Though they are not qualified to lead projects on their own, they act as a core team member and as an expert on the subject matter of the project. Their job is to process maps and documents to support the effective accomplishment of the six sigma projects. In addition to this, Yellow belts are often responsible for working upon smaller process improvement projects using the PDCA methodology. It stands for Plan, Do, Check and Act, and is a part of the Kaizen philosophy. A yellow belt would often use the PDCA approach, also known as the Deming wheel, to identify processes that need little improvement to increase its effectiveness. These projects often get escalated to the black belt or the green belt that handle it from there and apply the six sigma model to maximize the return to investment ratio using the Statistical Process Control.

Some of basic functions of a yellow belt are:

• Preparing the Project Charter and the Business Case: Yellow belts have a working knowledge of the basic six sigma philosophies and the strategic tools related to it. It applies it to prepare the Project Charter and create a map for the six sigma project. It entails the customer’s needs, company’s objectives, the scope of the project and the various problems that may arise and also gives a mission objective to work upon.
• Developing Measuring Plans: Though the yellow belts are directly not related to the quantifying phase of the DMAIC model but they do act as core members by helping the green and the black belts develop the plans necessary for the quantification purpose.
• Assessing the Possible Output of the Key Six Sigma Tools: Yellow belts may not be directly related to the improvement process of any project but they are always involved in the study and improvement of the six sigma strategy.
• Generating Ideas and Solution Concepts:  Using the PDCA methodology, they carry out several tests and trials to find out the most promising solution that can remove a defect or drawback from a process. If it succeeds, the matter is escalated to the levels above verification and confirmation. They provide a lot of support to the major six sigma green, black and master black belts, in the improvement of the overall competence and efficiency of the organization.
• Verifying the Solutions: The yellow belt has the responsibility of verifying the effectiveness of any plan or any process that is running in the company and to find out if it needs improvement in terms of efficiency and quality of output.
  

Six sigma in manufacturing is a popular option due to various reasons. When a manufacturing unit is facing problems with the quality and standard of the products produced, it can seek help from six sigma. The strategies will reduce the errors and enhance the quality of the products. It also cuts down the cost factor increasing the overall profit margin.

Six sigma deployment is quite common in companies of all sizes and from various fields. It clearly depicts the versatility of the strategies. The process can cut down the errors to 3.4 per million opportunities taken by the organization. A good infrastructure can facilitate the deployment of six sigma. The experienced master black belts lead the process and the green belts execute the basic instructions. Most often the six sigma deployments have brought success in the improvement process of different departments.

Several six sigma online programs are available in the market these days. Though, it is a popular belief that classroom system of training is the best form of education since it allows the student to interact with other fellow mates, share their ideas and concepts with each other and thereby grow himself. But some online six sigma programs have proved it wrong. They provide excellent facilities so that the student never misses out any of the advantages of a real classroom. It allows the student to apply the six sigma rules and procedures to real life situations, create new processes and test them as if in a practical problem has occurred. They are taught with additional facilities like online seminars and discussions, outperforming the experiences and merits that one can get in a real classroom.

Six sigma master black belts is the highest level in this field one can attain. This is possible only when some one has passed all the previous phases successfully and covered more that 4 weeks of training session, after the black belt sessions. They receive training in statistical tools and other applications. They need to have superb communication skills and the ability of coach others if needed. It won’t be wrong to say that the master black belt is a teacher, a coach, an examiner, and a technocrat all rolled into one.

Six Sigma training program is a management training program designed to train people for understanding and setting objectives of a company and learning how to achieve them resourcefully. It comes in various stages. It starts normally with the yellow belt, followed by the green belt and then the black belt and finally the master black belt. The master black belt certified professional resides just below the top management of a company. As the members at the top level management are the brains of a company, responsible for the breakthrough policies, setting of new objectives and forming the administration of the company, they should be the best from all aspects. A master black belt quantifies the available resources, analyzes processes, looks for opportunities of improvement, and supervises the overall functional system to achieve the objectives set by the administration. They are generally specialized in mathematical or statistical methods and application of this knowledge into their work for betterment of the organization. This is the role of a Master Black Belt certified professional in a company. They are on the top of whole chain of general entry-level employees, functional managers, green and black subordinates, etc.

Some of the essential skills and functions of the Master Black Belt:

• Ability to Understand Complex Processes: A master black belt should act like guidance to the subordinates, so that they understand the processes and analyze their implications or weed out the related problems effectively. It helps in proper communication of process details to the subordinates and finding of most effective strategy to employ it.

• Processes: These professionals look after all the processes running in a company and check if they are running properly or not. If the processes need an improvement, they are assigned to subordinates and are kept under vigilant supervision.

• Six Sigma Certified: He should have a thorough understanding of the six sigma principles and philosophies, along with the supporting methodologies and tools of the program. Though he need not do the actual work himself, still he should be familiar with most advanced technologies in this management tactic. He should be well experienced to deal with most complicated situations that might arise in a company.

• Team Leadership Skills: The master black belts are supposed to have good interpersonal and communication skills. Having an understanding of the team dynamics, being able to measure the capabilities of each of his subordinates, even the black belt experts, and being able to assign them with the right processes are some of the most valuable skills that a Master Black Belt professional should have. They are excellent motivators and know how to get the full commitment and involvement of the other stakeholders like employees, departmental heads, functional managers, green and black belts, and the senior management.

• Responsibility: They are considered to be the cornerstones of the company. They are supposed to act as a bridge between the subordinates and the senior management. They should act as a support to both the administrative heads as well as provide guidance to the green and black belt subordinates.

The master black belts are at the top level of the six sigma structure. They pass the initial training programs that are designed for basic levels of six sigma and finally they are deemed eligible for the master black belt training. They are supposed to train and guide the subordinates  like the green belts and the black belt and thus are trained in most advanced statistical and logical techniques. They are armed with best analytical and problem-solving skills to deal with almost any kind of complications that might arise along with a penchant for innovation, nonetheless.

Six sigma champions are people who are immensely proficient in applications of six sigma in various reputed companies. The champions generally occupy the top most positions of organizations as managers and leaders. They select the important projects for a particular department and also execute the implementation process. The black belts are headed by the champions as all the strategies are always at the tips of their fingers. There is a different training procedure for six sigma champions.

Six sigma books are an important source of knowledge apart from courses and practical training of six sigma. Six sigma is the practical application of various time-tested strategies implemented by the organizations in order to improve their performances. The six sigma books have been proved helpful for the beginners, who like to learn the details of six sigma in easy terms. But there are quite a number of books that are solely written for the black belts and master black belts so that they can cover up all the deficits they have in understanding six sigma. The good books are always written in simple language to facilitate the convenience of the readers. The books are available online and in the stores as well.

Six sigma tools are very effective in improving the products and customer services. Six sigma is not just a couple of strategies to manage the organizations and their departments. These quality management tools are extremely useful for all levels of six sigma project. These are discussed in the six sigma training courses. Contract management software, brainstorm, affinity diagrams, QFD, fishbone diagrams, Pareto charts, run charts etc are some of the popular six sigma tools.

Six sigma approach has become very popular in the recent years because of its high level of efficiency. There are many organizations which are implementing the approach in order to eliminate all sorts of flaws and defects from their systems. This approach is extremely helpful in attaining ultimate customer satisfaction and also to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional systems. Two models popularly used in six sigma approach are DMAIC and DMADV.

Monte Carlo simulation is an important application used in six sigma projects. The consultants use this particular approach to tally the collected data with the hypothetical results to be obtained. In the regular DMAIC projects Monte Carlo simulation is used to analyze the collected data and also make related improvements in required fields. The results are prepared on the basis of the given variable inputs. The curves drawn from the analysis can take different shapes and sizes which are used to estimate the result and success level of the six sigma projects.

Pareto chart is one of the most important tools used by the six sigma consultants during the implementation of the projects. It was described by Vilfredo Pareto who was a renowned Italian economist. Categorization of the data is important for creating the Pareto charts correctly. The results are obtained in the form of graphs. This, unlike bar graphs, shows the output as frequency points.

ANOVA in six sigma stands for analysis of variation in six sigma courses. Six sigma is an aid for the organizations that need improvements in various departments and this is why, all the time-tested strategies of management are included in the methodologies of six sigma. The black belts and master black belts are coached thoroughly on this particular topic as this involves the statistical analysis of the data fluctuations. The consultants should understand the concept of ANOVA by heart in order to become successful in six sigma project implementations.

Six sigma methodology stands for the basic DMAIC model which is considered to be the basic of the program. DMAIC stands for Define, Measurement, Analysis, Improvement and Control. This is taught to the green belts in detail and often they use this model in practical situations. The black belts also refer to this methodology when required. The target of this methodology is to make improvements in various departments of an organization. There are certain requirements and steps that are necessary for successful implementation of six sigma methodologies. Apart from DMAIC, there are others as well like DMADV and DFSS.

Six sigma implementation needs complete support from the management. Six sigma is the compilation of various tried and tested rules and strategies that can make drastic improvement to various domains of an organization. These techniques can easily fit in the general infrastructural set up of the company. The employees from the entry level to the higher level should be trained on six sigma strategies to make the implementation successful. The executives need to be green belt, project leaders should be Black Belt and the quality leaders have to be master black belt certified. All steps of six sigma implementation starting from team selection are equally important.

Six sigma green belt training has gained extreme popularity in the last few years. It is meant for the entry level employees of the organizations. It is a short course that can extend up to two weeks especially when the advanced topics are included in the course module. Successful completion of sigma green belt training will definitely improve the performance of the employees. You can also expect the trained people to be more careful with their analysis and problem solving skills. DMAIC is one of the most important topics that are generally discussed in the sigma green belt training sessions.

A six sigma consultant is generally a professional who knows all the applications, theories and strategies of six sigma. Generally the black belts and master black belts work as professional consultants. They help the organizations to implement six sigma and also guide them to carry out the rules properly. Often the six sigma consultants are hired by the companies in order to get their employees trained on the basics. The consultant’s responsibilities include project planning, implementation, trainings and communicating. Hiring a professional consultant for the company is a tough task in itself.

Six Sigma is a great tool to manage the quality of services provided by the companies. It is used in various industries like health, manufacturing, finance and IT. With the six sigma strategies, the company can generate best quality for the products. Customer satisfaction is considered to be the immediate result of six sigma quality control tools. As the popularity of six sigma has increased drastically in the past years, different quality control software has been developed for the organizations. The best part of six sigma is that the applications suggested here are all tested and proven. Special training on six sigma quality is available from numerous institutes.

Six sigma green belt is the basic level of six Sigma. It is designed for the entry level employees of a company. The training for green belts is a short term course. The green belts should know all the details of DMAIC. They are often empowered with the ability to analyze complex situations and can provide solutions to them as well. They dedicate a small part of their time in the six sigma activities. They can lead short six sigma projects successfully and also accomplish their object as a member of the team.

Six sigma certification is acknowledged by most of the reputed companies. there are various levels of certification among which three are important. they are green belt, black belt and master black belt certifications. green belt is for the entry level employees and black belt is for the higher positions. the black belts and master black belt certified professional are allowed to educate others on six sigma. the certification is available from various institutes and training centers.

Six sigma is one of the most efficient methodologies for improving the performance of any organization by diminishing the errors or defects in its services or products. Every error committed would mean some cost being incurred by the company. Cost incurred by the company can be in form of redoing a task, losing customers, changing a part, waste material/time and losing competency.

Six sigma training is one of the essential requirements for the reputed concerns and their business needs. Often the companies have their own institutes to train the employees on six sigma strategies. DMAIC explains the basics of six sigma and it is highly focused on green belt training course. The black belt and master black belt training is meant for the higher posts where the employees often need to solve complex problems. Popularity of six sigma training has definitely aided the companies to work in a better way and accomplish the targets of customer satisfaction easily.

Six sigma software are playing a key role in implementation of six sigma. Six sigma is one of the indispensable tools for the reputed business organizations that help them run the business and production with minimum error and maximum yields. There are quite a number of six sigma software available in the market which are equipped with the three essential aids needed by the six sigma consultants. These tools are organization, practical tools and guidance. The software packages are separately designed to perform complicated tasks like report generation, histograms and charts and training. A few of the popular six sigma software are STATISTICA, Minitab, SigmaXl, Pathmaker etc.

Six sigma  consulting is dedicated to exploiting the unidentified potential of a business. The job of a six sigma consultant is to strengthen businesses to achieve optimum efficiency and effectiveness but the job is not a day or two’s play. In today’s competitive era, going for a six sigma consultation is of utmost importance as it helps in keeping your costs and processes streamlined to achieve long term sustainability for your organization.

Six Sigma Black Belts is one of the significant key roles, identified for the successful implementation of Six Sigma as they are highly skilled in the use of the Six Sigma methodologies and tools. They are often referred to as Change Agents.

Lean Six Sigma represents the synergy of two proven methodologies for optimising a process viz. Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma i.e. it combines the benefits of Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodology to create a much advanced system that can provide both speed and quality.

Design for Six Sigma is an emergent discipline and is often referred by its acronym DFSS. The primary objective of DFSS is to develop a new, defect free product or service and to implement the Six Sigma methodology in a product or service life cycle, as early as possible. It dramatically enhances the speed and quality of the design processes and the organisations therefore, use DFSS to design or redesign a process, product, service or transaction.