40 Things A Green Belt Should Know

1. Green Belts lead Six Sigma improvement projects part time. Usually 25-50% of their time is spent on Six Sigma projects.

2. Six Sigma will become a "way of doing business" for Green Belts.

3. Green Belts will be able to explain why the y=f(x) formula is important for their process and business.

4. Becoming a Green Belt is an opportunity to gain valuable tools and experience.

5. Green Belts who display prowess of Six Sigma methods and produce significant benefits are usually promoted within organizations.

6. Unlike Black Belts who typically lead cross-functional projects, Six Sigma Green Belts usually work on projects within their own functional area.

7. Green Belts receive less instruction on Six Sigma methods, tools and techniques than Black Belts. They usually receive between three and 10 days, whereas Black Belts receive upwards of 20 days.

8. Six Sigma Green Belts are selected by the organization's management team.

9. Six Sigma Green Belts will be able to explain the Kano diagram and how it relates to customers.

10. Some organizations require all exempt employees to be "certified" Green Belts before promotion. Many require employees to at least undergo training.

11. Green Belts can be trained in classroom sessions, completely online, or a combination of the two (hybrid).

12. The Six Sigma Green Belt training curriculum varies from company to company.

13. Green Belt performance is usually evaluated in the employee's regular performance appraisal, although some companies may provide additional incentives for completing a project or becoming certified.

14. Six Sigma Green Belt certification requirements vary from company to company. Typical requirements include: completion of training, passing a written or online test, and completion of a Green Belt project.

15. Certification as a Green Belt from one company most likely will not be recognized at another company.

16. Some companies require Green Belts to complete one project per year to maintain certification requirements.

17. Green Belts are usually instructed on the Six Sigma DMAIC methodology and a limited tool set, including basic statistics. More advanced statistics usually require support from a Black Belt coach.

18. Six Sigma Green Belts should expect to schedule regularly occurring meetings with their Black Belt coach to review project progress and seek advice.

19. Project tollgate reviews usually take place with the organization's management team. Whether you like it or not, at some point you'll either get kudos or a kick in the bottom for your project's progress.

20. Green Belts will be able to create a histogram and pareto diagram, and know the difference between the two.

21. Adding Green Belt training and a project adds to what must be accomplished in the work day, but remember: productivity and benefits you gain from your project will make your life much easier later. Would you rather put out fires everyday or start preventing fires from occurring?

22. Not everyone on your Green Belt team is going to like the Six Sigma improvement process. Change is often difficult for people to embrace. Your leadership will play a critical role in shaping the team and the project's outcomes.

23. Putting off your Six Sigma Green Belt project until tomorrow will leave you a lot of work to accomplish the day before your tollgate review. Just because your project needs resuscitation and is critical to you does not automatically make it a priority for your Black Belt. Plan ahead and stay in control of your project plan.

24. Managing by data is always defensible. "Gut instinct" will not be valued in the business much longer. Green Belt projects help employees "see the light."

25. If you haven't dealt with finances much in the past, your Green Belt project is an opportunity to learn basic equations, quantify project benefits, and speak the language of management.

26. The Six Sigma Green Belt shouldn't necessarily know how to use every tool available. They should, however, know of the existence of tools and be able to ask Black Belts for help.

27. Six Sigma Green Belts will lead the data collection process of their project and validate the measurement system.

28. The Green Belt should expect to work on and improve their team facilitation skills.

29. The Six Sigma Green Belt will be able to calculate the mean and standard deviation of their process data sets.

30. The Six Sigma Green Belt will be able to calculate short term and long term Sigma value of their project's process.

31. Green Belts are selected because they are business professionals, not Quality gurus or statistical geniuses.

32. Green Belts will know how to perform basic statistical tests using a statistical software package like Minitab or JMP.

33. Green Belts will be able to develop a charter and SIPOC for their project.

34. Six Sigma Green Belts will understand how to create a Cause And Effect (Fishbone) diagram to identify possible causes of process defects.

35. Green Belts will be able to lead brainstorming sessions with their project team.

36. Green Belts can make their bosses and co-workers look good by using graphs to show process improvement in a highly visible and easily understood visual form.

37. Green Belts can help win support for Six Sigma by preventing the defects that create so many headaches for their bosses and co-workers.

38. Green Belts can help overcome resistance to change by involving their co-workers in the process and leading them to data-driven solutions.

39. Green Belts should only start a project if there is top management sponsorship willing to commit necessary resources.

40. Green Belts should have a solid communication plan that is reviewed at each meeting to ensure that the right information about the project goes up, down and out to all stakeholders.

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39 Hand-picked CMM / CMMI Training Sites

• European Software Institute, ESI

  Own description: "ESI - Tecnalia"

• QAI Asia - Quality Assurance Institute.

  Own description: "QAI provides inputs to knowledge organizations seeking ISO9000, Software Engineering Institutes, Software CMM, People CMM, Six Sigma, Knowledge Management and other framework–based business and process improvements."

• Wipro - Software development outsourcing and CMM/CMMI based consulting, assessments and training.

  Own description: "Wipro Technologies is the No 1 provider of integrated business, technology and process solutions on a global delivery platform."

• DQS India - CMMI training and assessments, and other quality management services. Located in New Delhi, India

  Own description: "DQS Certification, SEI Transition Partner, Carnegie Mellon, USA, Partner AFNOR Groupe, AFAQ-EAQA, Fifth Largest Certification Organization, CMMI, ISO"

• EdistaLearning - E-learning courses on Software Engineering and Management.

  Own description: "EdistaLearning offers elearning courses on Software Engineering and Management (SE and M), BPO, CMMI, People CMM, ITSM and Six Sigma. Register Now for a free demo account."

• Integrated System Diagnostics - CMM / CMMI based software process improvement consulting, training and appraisals.

  Own description: "Integrated System Diagnostics Incorporated can assist your business with model based process improvements. We offer Intro to CMMI and High Maturity Lead Appraisers and many services including appraisal, consulting, training and more."

• Nihilent - Software development and testing services, and CMM/CMMI consulting and training. Located in India with offices in other countries..

  Own description: "Nihilent"

• Object Training - Training in software engineering technologies, located in Australia.

  Own description: "Object Training | Be Smarter. Quicker."

• Systems and Software Consortium

  Own description: "SSCI - Systems and Software Consortium"

• Alcyonix - Software process improvement consulting.

  Own description: "Alcyonix - Welcome"

• Compita - Process management services.

  Own description: "Leading worldwide software process improvement consultancy, providing CMM, CMMI and ISO15504 assessment expertise, skills and training to the IT community. Providers of the Process Professional Assessment method."

• CyberQ Consulting - Process improvement and information security consulting, training and appraisals.

  Own description: "CyberQ Consulting - Management Consultants in India in IT and Telecom, Training and consultancy in Software Quality Assurance, CMMI, CMMI Consultants, CMMI Consultants Delhi Gurgaon Noida, SEI CMM, ISO 9000, Software Metrics, Software Quality Managemen..."

• Dunstan Thomas - Training in various software development related topics.

  Own description: "Dunstan Thomas provides Pensions Administration and Pensions Illustration Software provider for the UK Life and Pensions market."

• Lamri - CMMI appraisals and training, located in North Yorkshire, UK.

  Own description: "Lamri - Process Improvement Management Consultancy"

• Method Park - Consulting and training on software processes, software engineering and project management in Germany and USA.

  Own description: "Greater Software Quality using a proven process portal with real world CMMI & Automotive SPICE Consulting & Engineering experience."

• Process Group - CMM / CMMI based software process improvement consulting and training.

  Own description: "The Process Group"

• Process Improvement Associate - CMM training and assessment services.

  Own description: "Lowest cost CBA-IPI assessment and CMM training"

• Process Inc - CMM / CMMI related training, appraisals and consulting.

  Own description: "Process and project appraisals (CMM, CMMI, SCAMPI, Project Risk,), training and improvement coaching"

• Q-Success - Software Quality Management Consulting. Owner of Software-Pointers. com.

  Own description: "Q-Success offers consulting and training for SW-CMM/CMMI based software process improvement and software quality assurance"

• SE-Cure - Training and consulting on CMMI and specific process areas, in Switzerland.

  Own description: "SE-CURE AG offers high-consulting services to enable informed decision-making for software manufacturers"

• Software Management Solutions - Software process consulting and training,

  Own description: "Software Management Solutions"

• Software Six Sigma

  Own description: "Management consulting and training for software process improvement. We use our extensive experience in CMM, PSP, TSP and the application of six sigma techniques to software to help our clients develop and implement an integrated approach to SPI throug..."

• Software System Quality Consulting - Consulting and training for software, hardware, and systems engineering process improvement.

  Own description: "Consulting services for CMM, CMMI, ISO 9000, 9001, 9000-3, BPR, Business Process Re-engineering, SQA, SPI, Software Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Software Inspections, Hardware Inspections, Business Process Reengnineering, ISO 9000 Assessments, ..."

• SPI Partners - Dutch group of independent consultants.

  Own description: "SPI Partners. The Dutch website with answers to all your Software Process Improvement questions."

• Tantara - Practical advice for software process improvement.

  Own description: "Hotlist (links), articles, job aids (toolkit) and more for: software process improvement, software quality assurance / management, ISO 9000-3,..."

• Trimentus - CMM, CMMI, P-CMM, Six Sigma process improvement consulting, training and appraisal services.

  Own description: "ITIL v3 Foundation by Trimentus Chennai adds value our ISO, CMMI, Quality Certification Services, S/W testing, Training from Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad India"

• Abridge Technology - CMM / CMMI based software process improvement consulting and training.

  Own description: "Abridge Technology"

• Allied Boston Consultants India - CMMI, ISO 9000 and training and consulting in India.

  Own description: "ISO 9000 and TQM Consultants India, ISO 9001 Consultant India, ISO 27001 Service Providers, SEI CMMI Consultants in India, ISO 14001 Consultancy Services India, ISO 20000 BS 15000 Service Providers, ISO Product Certification Company in India, Training ..."

• ASK Process

  Own description: "ASK Process, Inc. helps software development organizations improve quality, streamline processes, cut defect rates, slash testing time, and trim development costs."

• Broadsword - CMMI appraisals, consulting and training in Waterford, Michigan, USA.

  Own description: "CMMI-SVC, CMMI-Services, CMMI-DEV, CMMI Appraisers, CMMI Certification, CMMI Appraisal, CMM Appraisal, CMM Certification, CMMI Training, CMM Training, CMMI Michigan, CMMI, Agile, Agile CMMI, Lean CMMI, CMMI Consulting, CMM Consulting, CMMI Assessments, ..."

• Management Information Systems - Software process improvement training and consulting.

  Own description: "Index"

• Process and Product Quality Consulting - CMMI consulting, training, and appraisals in Houston, Texas, USA.

  Own description: "Process and Product Quality Consulting (PPQC) is an SEI Partner that offers a full suite of products and services to support organizations using the CMMI."

• QAI Middle East and Africa - Quality Assurance Institute. Provides CMMI training, consulting and appraisal services.

  Own description: "Quality Assurance Institute - Middle East and Africa"

• Wibas - CMMI assessments, consulting and training in Germany.

  Own description: "Leading Change. Sharing Knowledge."

• People, Process & Performance - CMM/CMMI training, assessments and consulting in UK.

  Own description: "Home"

• Applied Process Solutions - Consulting, appraisals and training for CMMI, ISO 9000.

  Own description: "Today's business environment is highly competitive, and organizations must work to continuously improve their performance to meet the challenges they face."

• Fusion Technologies - Iso 9000 and project management consulting and training in Secunderabad, India.

  Own description: "Company Profile"

• Process Plus - CMM / CMMI based process improvement consulting, training and appraisals.

  Own description: "Process Plus Inc provides software process improvement engineering assessment consulting and training services to all industries as a means of improving productivity and compliance."

• DQS Certification - CMMI consulting, training, and appraisals in India.

  Own description: "DQS Certification India provided various CMMI Services like CMMI Certification, CMMI Assessment, CMMI Training, CMMI Appraisal, CMMI Lead Appraiser, SCAMPI Assessments, Process Improvements"