Benjamin’s Musings

Six Sigma Oregon

This term I’ve started on the batch of classes that will culminate in my Masters degree in business administration. 
One of the classes that I am taking this term is a class dealing with product life cycles, which show the sequence of stages from
introduction to growth, maturity, and decline.  This month, the section we are focusing on is about improving processes by removing defects present in the product.  An example of a defect is an irregularity of a product or service.

One of the best methods that I’ve found to do so is Six Sigma. 
In the Six Sigma Online set of practices, some logical axioms are given.  Continuing efforts in reducing variations in
processes; Manufacturing processes and business decisions can be measured, analyzed, improved, and controlled; and complete commitment from all cells of an organization(especially the executive branch),  are all part of Six Sigma Online’s assertions to
reducing process defects.

In order to better familiarize myself with the system, I did some investigation to see if there was any more I could learn about the service.  Some of the pivotal roles in the service are organized in belts.  Six Sigma Green Belts are employees in an organization who use Six Sigma as part of their regular day-to-day responsibilities.  They are under the guise and watch of Black Belts, and generally do the tasks that construct a project.  They generally report to the Black Belts, which are the “managers” of a project.  The Six Sigma Black Belts spend all of their time conforming to and implementing Six Sigma.  Their general goal is the project execution.  They generally perform tasks that could be classified as a ‘project manager’.  Yellow Belts are at the opposite end, and consist of employees that are partially trained in the techniques of Six Sigma, but have not yet completed a project using it.  Master Black Belts too spend all of their time to Six Sigma, and are an oversight for Black and Green Belts.  They spend their time ensuring that Six Sigma is carried out in it’s entire implemented capacity.

Many classes are available to teach green and black belt techniques, as well as certifications that can make the training seminars much more valuable.  One of the really great things about these certifications is that if you’re going to go into a
management position, cerficiations and knowledge such as the Six Sigma set of practices are extremely valuable for future employers.  It just might make your next future employer choose you over the next person without the certification!