Lean Six Sigma Courses

About Lean Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma is a method of waste reduction and overall cultural change in an organisation, known commonly as process improvement. It started originally in the 1980s as an alternative to the Japanese Kaizen business model.

In the 1990s, it became particularly well-known when General Electric began to use it, as well as other manufacturing companies like Toyota and Motorola and by the early 2000s, the methodology had been extended to a number of industries and is now used all over the world in every area of work.

Lean Six Sigma is a version that incorporates both Six Sigma methodology and Lean. It focuses on removing the eight types of waste from business processes and encourages continuous improvement throughout the workplace.

Lean Six Sigma uses a DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control) system as well as the belt system designed and used by Six Sigma. (Yellow belt, Green Belt and Black Belt).

Why Learn Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma is largely recognised as an extremely effective method that can help improve a number of processes and outcomes, including:

• Customer satisfaction
• Problem Solving
• Process Variation and process improvement
• Added value and value stream
• Improvement projects
• Project Management
• Lean Management

What is a Lean Six Sigma 'Belt' level?

Belt levels describe the belt certification a person has completed, and therefore what level of training course they’ve completed and how deep a knowledge they have of both lean principles and six sigma principles. The higher the level, the more they know about sigma tools and lean tools and the more capable they are, at least in theory, of working on a sigma project within a workplace.

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (Entry level)

A Yellow Belt signifies a basic understanding of the different principles and tools and wishes to learn further

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt:

Is capable of supporting a Black Belt and working with a number of processes and problem-solving tasks.

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt:

Has completed Lean Six Sigma training to the extent that they can be a leader of Lean Six Sigma principles.

Master Black Belt (Highest Level):

Can train other belts in Lean Six Sigma, and consults within an organisation on Lean Six Sigma philosophies and programs.

Each option requires some level of lean six sigma training, and teaches a set of tools for that level – for example, Green Belt training is more in-depth than Yellow Belt training but isn’t nearly as in-depth as what the master Black Belt training requires.

Lean Six Sigma certification is attained by completing sigma courses, available at a variety of institutions all over the UK and the world, including the United States and Australia. If you completed your yellow belt training in the UK you could complete a Green Belt at any other recognised training institutions in the world!

If you want to know how to create and maintain operational excellence in your workplace, browse our list of available courses and get started on your own Lean Six Sigma project today!

Click here for our guide on becoming Lean Six Sigma certified.