The Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification is an important step in becoming a master of the lean six sigma technique and leading improvement projects for a company. LSS Green Belts identify critical areas for improvement and play a key role in executing the necessary changes, based on the ideas and abilities learned throughout LSS Yellow Belt training.
Before we jump to the examples and ideas of six sigma green belt projects, let us learn some of the basic aspects of Six Sigma Green Belt. As an LSS Green Belt, you'll have the chance to lead small-scale improvement projects that, if successful, can provide a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Green Belts are significantly involved throughout an improvement project, resulting in increased company’s productivity & profitability. They are the ones who put the improvements into practice, under the supervision and instruction of an LSS Black Belt or Master Black Belt.
An Overview of Six Sigma Green Belt Projects
A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt project is an effort to solve business problems one at a time. Any company's strategic objectives (or KPIs) govern the Lean Six Sigma projects. These projects aim to solve the problems of customers (both internal and external). As the project moves toward its successful completion, any Six Sigma Green Belt Project should result in cost savings, quality improvements, and capacity additions.
Before you move on to work on the examples of six sigma green belt projects, here is how you start building them. Here is how you can do so.
Build Your Project
Get Sponsor
To offer you the most benefit, we'll start from the "real" beginning. First, meet with your manager or, if they are not the same person, the Project Sponsor. Do this before you sign up for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course and LSS green belt project examples, register for it, or pay for it. While this may seem obvious, it's amazing how many students I meet who sincerely want to obtain their Green Belts but have no idea who would support them or if they will even be able to find a project to work on.
Project Scope
Assuming you have a Sponsor—ideally, your boss or another supportive leader— The first topic to address is the processes that need to be improved. If the project is too tiny, you will not be able to grow and learn as much as you would like. If the project is too big, it will be difficult to finish in the time allotted—or even impossible to do at all. This is where having a broad scope comes in handy. Focusing on a process that is fairly stable, not well-organized, and in need of assistance is a good strategy to help reduce the range of viable projects.
Know Measure Phase
This fourth recommendation is in direct opposition to what I refer to as the "jumping to analysis and improvement" error. However, in far too many Green Belt initiatives and lean green belt project examples, students identify what they'll measure first and then dive right into the Analyze and Improve phases. Following DMAIC, the Measure Phase is the next proper step after you've defined your project. It is vital that students take the time to completely assess their current process. Before considering or even making any changes, it is necessary to first grasp the current situation.
Record The Before
In the Measure Phase, the sixth tip is also implemented. Take as many images as possible of the current status when it is possible and appropriate. Return to the same vantage points or angles after the improvements have been made. It accurately depicts the adjustments and progress made. Those images are worth a thousand words on their own. They're also nearly tough to duplicate once the technique has been altered.
Use Tools
In the Analyze and Improve phases, the best advice is to employ only the core Lean Six Sigma Tools that are most appropriate for your project. Students frequently want to utilise all of the tools in the toolbox, if not all of them. However, this isn't required. You'll notice a significant improvement in the measures if you use the appropriate tool(s).
Now we will get to some green belt project examples.
Examples of Green Belt Projects
Let us start with this example.
Andrew Slaney works with BSI as a Principal Consultant, coach, and trainer in Business Improvement methodologies and Lean Six Sigma. He suggests a number of relevant topics and areas for conversation that all Champions, Sponsors, and Belts should explore based on his 15 years of experience. You may ensure that the major concerns of any future DMAIC improvement project are taken into account right from the start by using this checklist. Benefits, strategic link (or business priority), scope, measurements, and the potential to introduce continuing process control are all important DMAIC project concerns.
Possible green belt project ideas out of this scenario can be:
- Reduction of time taken to complete a task or a project
- Reduction of time taken to hire a new employee
- Reduction of errors in orders
- Product delivered on time
- Reduction of error while manufacturing or designing the project
You can find a good project that is stable but not organised. It should not need help. Let us see the real- time examples.
- Accounting - The areas include Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Cost Accounting, and others. You have to have a good cost accounting project. It should improve monthly costs or reduce cost changes. It increases the scope of the project.
- Manufacturing - Here you can focus on the final assembly to improve the quality checks and reduction in the packing cycle. It drives improvement. With time and support you can apply lean six sigma tools and techniques to make it a success.
- Education - If a school requires instructors and coaches, their hiring process should be improved upon. It can be well- coped with the green belt certification.
Characteristics of Six Sigma Green Belt Projects
There are many characteristics of a green belt project. These include support from the top management, well-defined and potentially scoped project, project teamwork, and candidate's quality. People will make a continuous effort to make it successful.
Green Belt Project Characteristics
- Improve the implemented processes
- Create output to make it better
- Address qualities like defects, complaints by customers, returns, time, and extra expenses
- Reduce waste
Green Belt Candidate Characteristics
They should have perseverance
The continuous team improvement and functioning should not be compromised even if there is change. A successful candidate for the green belt should adjust in accordance with the change. Implementing change can be difficult to cope with. It involves change in the technical and cultural obstacles. If someone is struggling to work through resistance, they can become discouraged. As a skilled green belt, one has to understand that pushback against change cannot be changed. They need to face resistance with perseverance and determination.
They should have a logical and analytical mind
Statistical analysis and other mathematical concepts are important for a professional green belt candidate. These skills and characteristics are important for them to work with problems methodically and logically. Green belt training can teach you to fully understand the problem, measure the current state, identify and know the root causes, they also put the controls. Hence, they need to comprehend the process of problem solving.
They should have passion for improvement
You may have people skills and other analytical knowledge but will not dig deep for improvement. They do not question the work or processes, and go for the deep root problems and insufficiency. They should always go for the improvement and work together with the team for the same.
They should have leadership skills
As a green belt you are the project manager and the team leader. You have to assign the tasks, manage the team, and get follow-up results and conclusions with the stakeholders. You have to see team communication and collaboration. Your leadership style should vary from analytical to laid- back.
They should have people skills and take initiatives
Proactive green belts should be motivated and are successful in the firm. Along with the other skills you also need a special skill called soft skill. It is for the people and communication.
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Tips for Building Awesome Green Belt Projects
The Criteria
One should start easy and something new. It is like a new language that one should learn.
- Start by selecting a simple project that can be accomplished within 2-3 months. You don’t need anything comprehensive or complex.
- Look for sponsors that can support your project. Make sure to fetch a project that can be sponsored.
- All the benefits and features your project will deliver should be understood by the sponsor. Make it transparent enough.
- All the problems and risks associated with the project should be well understood by you. You have to be familiar with the problems and address them.
- You will require a team. Make sure to get 3-4 team members for your first project.
- Make sure to not involve other departments and team members from other sectors. You have your own working group. Select a problem and work accordingly.
- You can select the tools like project charter, process map, Pareto analysis, etc. Do not use heavy or complex statistics.
- Make sure to get the time available for the activity.
Selection Calculator
One should use the project idea on the calculator. It will help you know the demand of the project and its lead. Let’s take an example to apply all these things.
Planning and Scheduling – Example
For office-oriented projects planning and scheduling is important. You have to work on production and release of projects for the process. Identify all the wastes that may be slowing down the production of the process. It can be as small as a walk to the printer. Find a way to optimise it and use process mapping. Create a plan and know how to reach it.
Conclusion
The final piece of advice is for anyone who procrastinates. You're preparing to fail if you don't plan. From the start of the lesson, keep working on your project. Stay ahead of the curve by working ahead of the curve and enroll for KnowledgeHut lean six sigma green belt certification training.
The most prevalent mistake made by prospective Green Belts is waiting until it's too late and hurrying to complete a project. Avoid this blunder at all costs. Procrastination can sabotage good projects. It has ruined otherwise good efforts. It will come in handy later because unexpected events can create delays. You'll be relieved that you were able to get ahead of the game.
