Can a Six Sigma Yellow Belt take on Green Belt Projects?

We often get calls from various companies wanting an instructor to come to their organization to train Six Sigma Yellow Belts. Before we answer the question, we ask “what is the purpose for the training?”.

The answer is often “to train the Yellow Belts so that they can take on Projects”. What they are really saying is that we want to train our people for one or two days and expect them to take on the role of a Green or Black Belt.

This is a common mistake that can lead to a failed Lean and Six Sigma Deployment. The Six Sigma Yellow Belt is not considered a trained Six Sigma Change Agent (Lean and Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt or Master Black Belt).

In a Six Sigma deployment, the Six Sigma Yellow Belt does not take on Six Sigma projects. The Six Sigma Yellow Belt is a S.M.E (Subject Matter Expert) who is trained as a Yellow Belt so they can effectively contribute as a Six Sigma project team member.

The S.M.E is the process owner of the process that the Six Sigma team is investigating. There is usually more than one S.M.E. in a team. The S.M.E. (Yellow Belt) is the most important person on the team. The Change Agent relies on the S.M.E. for process knowledge and experience.

Six Sigma Yellow Belt

The Six Sigma Yellow Belt training is usually a 2 day training that educates the S.M.E. on the tools that they will be exposed to during the Six Sigma project.

The following topics/tools are discussed in Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc.’s Six Sigma Yellow Belt course:

  • Deployment roles of Lean and Six Sigma
  • Six Sigma Project Definition (Project Charter)
  • Project Selection Process
  • Process Mapping (SIPOC, Value Stream Mapping, Variables Mapping)
  • Input Prioritization Tools (Using the C&E Matrix)
  • Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA)
  • Basic Statistics
  • Controlling the Process

Is your company tasking you with getting trained as a Six Sigma Yellow Belt so you can take on Six Sigma cost savings projects?