Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Below are the eligibility requirements of each Six Sigma certification: 

1.  ASQ

• For the Yellow belt certification, there is no education or experience requirements.

• For the Green belt certification, you need to have three years of experience working in an area of  IASSC Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Body of Knowledge™. This experience must be in a paid, full-time role. They must have participated in a quality improvement project where they had demonstrated the knowledge of processes and tools of six sigma. 

• To be eligible for the Six Sigma Black Belt certification from ASQ, you must either have signed affidavits stating that you have completed two projects or one project alongside three years of working experience in an area of Body of Knowledge. All the work experience must be in a paid, full-time role. 

• For the Master Black Belt certification from ASQ, you need to have an ASQ Black Belt certification and pass the portfolio review process of MBB. Also you must either have completed 10 six sigma projects as a black belt or have at least 5 years of experience working as MBB or SSBB.   

2. IASSC

• There are no prerequisites for the IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt™ (ICYB™) , IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt™ (ICGB™) , and IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt™ (ICBB™)  from IASSC.  

3. CSSC

• The Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification from CSSC has no prerequisites. There is no project requirement either. 

• There are no prerequisites for the Green belt certification from CSSC. Also, there is no project requirement. However, you need to pass this certification exam for pursuing the Level II Green Belt certification. 

• For the Six Sigma Black Belt certification from CSSC, there are no prerequisites. There is no project requirement. However, you need to take this certification exam to be eligible for the Level II Black Belt certification. 

• For the Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification from CSSC, you must have a signed affidavit stating that you have a minimum 4 years of working experience in the six sigma projects as a Black Belt. Also, you need to complete a project that must be different from the level II or level III black belt certification. 

1. Yellow Belt certification cost

This belt demonstrates your knowledge of the foundational concepts of the Six Sigma approach. The cost of the exam depends on the organization you are using for the certification. Through IASSC, the certification will cost you $195. The CSSC provides the certification at a much lesser price of $79. The ASQ has different rates for its members and non-members. The price of certification for a non-member is $394, while a member can save $100 and get multiple discounts in future certifications through ASQ. There will be varying costs if you use your school, a local provider or an independent program. In most of the cases, this cost will be less than $200. 
 

2. Green Belt certification cost

This certification is used for distinguishing individuals with knowledge of Six Sigma from individuals who can lead projects of Six Sigma. The members of ASQ have to pay $338 for the exam while the cost of the exam for non-members is $438. Every retake will cost $238. The CSSC provides the Green Belt certification in two levels. The first one is the standard and the second one is additional for  proving their efficiency. The price of the CSSC certification is $119. The additional certification will cost $300. The exam fee for the IASSC certification is $295.  

3. Black Belt certification  

This certification is for major Six Sigma professionals who are leading the implementation process of Six Sigma. For ASQ certification, members pay $438 and non-members pay $538. If you are applying for recertification, the price for members is $388 and non members is $498. The CSSC offers four levels of Black Belt certification. The cost of the basic level is $159 and the cost of level II is $300. The cost of level III and Master Black Belt level will cost $300 and $665 respectively. The IASSC charges $395 for its Black Belt certifications. 

If you are planning to work in the field of Quality Management in the domain of manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, or service industries, a Six Sigma certification will put you ahead of your competitors.   

For example, if you have just started in the field of quality improvement, you can go for the Six Sigma White belt. All certified candidates have been trained to use the Six Sigma approaches. They have the knowledge of the fundamental concepts and the basic vocabulary of the methodology. In other words, if your company works with the Six Sigma approach then you would need this Six Sigma certification. 

Now, if you are a member of the Six Sigma team, you might consider taking the Six Sigma yellow belt certification. You will have more knowledge of the methodology than the white belt. Also, it will allow you to be a productive and functioning member of the Six Sigma team. However, with this certification, you will not be able to lead a team.  

For becoming process leaders and working within the processes like in the manufacturing line or the accounting group, you need to get Six Sigma Green Belt certified. You will have the ability to implement Six Sigma projects in the department. You need this certification if you want to lead a team through project toolset and framework, reduce defects, and evaluate solutions. This certification will help you get ahead in your career by increasing your marketability. 

You need a Six Sigma Black Belt certification for implementing strategically important and complicated improvement projects. With the certification, you will have the ability to solve process problems and acquire cross-functional and leadership skills. You will also be able to mentor or coach Green Belts.   

Six Sigma Master Black Belt is for the most skilled and comprehensively trained practitioners. They are experts in strategic management, facilitation, leadership, and root cause analysis. With this certification, you will be able to lead any team of Six Sigma. You will be setting a strategic direction for your enterprise, removing roadblocks for assigned Green Belts or Black Belts, and overseeing and delivering training of other employees. 

Here are the different levels of Six Sigma belts: 
 

1. Yellow Belt

This certification will demonstrate that you have the foundational knowledge of Six Sigma. However, you won’t be able to lead any Six Sigma projects. You will be supporting the Six Sigma team by helping create process maps. You might be considered as a subject expert and be a part of a team in a Six Sigma project. As a yellow belt, you will be actively participating in less complicated projects of process environment using PDCA or Kaizen. PDCA (Plan Do Check-Out) is a technique created by Dr. Deming for continuous improvement. You can graduate to the Green Belt or Black Belt level where you will be maximizing the savings of bottom line to an exceptional level using the DMAIC methodology. 

2. Green Belt 

Green Belt has knowledge and expertise in all aspects of all phases of DMAIC. Under the guidance and supervision of Black Belts, Green Belts professionals operate for analyzing and solving issues related to quality. They are known for participating in projects of quality improvement. Black Belts lead cross-functional projects whereas, Green Belts lead projects that are within their functional area. They are responsible for scheduling regular meetings with their Black Belt mentors for seeking advice and reviewing the progress of the project. They also assist Black Belts in looking out for process gaps and lead projects of process improvement in their work area.  

3. Black Belt 

A Black Belt certified has a high level of knowledge of principles of Six Sigma like supporting tools, systems and techniques. They are responsible for maintaining team dynamics, allocating roles and responsibilities to the team members, and exhibiting leadership as problem solver. They are familiar with the DMAIC methodology’s aspects aligned with the principles of Six Sigma. Due to their knowledge of lean concepts, they are able to figure out the activities that are non-value-added and what tools should be used for reducing them. Not only do they mentor the Green Belts on projects of organizational improvements, but also coach and lead a cross-functional team consisting of Yellow Belt and Green Belt projects.  

4. Master Black Belt

These professionals convert the high-level business goals of the organization into a Six Sigma strategy and supporting tactics for the division. They oversee the development of skills related to Six Sigma in the organization for the yellow belts, Green Belts, Black Belts, and the general base. They are also responsible for ensuring the value, quality, and sustainability of the projects. Apart from this, they also mentor teams, display cross-functional leadership, remove roadblocks, execute projects, achieve lean Six Sigma results, and manage function’s project. 

Six Sigma is an approach towards quality management that can be used for improving the process outputs’ quality. This is done through identification and removal of the causes of errors or defects and minimizing variability in business processes like manufacturing. There is no single, global body that governs the rules of Six Sigma. However, there are multiple organizations offering certifications in the methodology. With these certifications, you will be able to reap several benefits. To get this certification, you need to follow the below-mentioned steps: 

1. Figuring out the management philosophy

• For this, the first step is considering the requirements of your organization. What management style would benefit it? What is the organizational culture? Is there too much waste and overhead in the supply chain? 

• The next step is deciding how you can contribute towards optimizing these processes. You might either guarantee quality for ensuring that there are consistent processes with as few variations as possible or you can choose the efficiency of producing a product with as little overhead and waste as possible. 

• The last step is to determine whether to go for Six Sigma or lean Six Sigma certifications. Use your management philosophy for this. With Six Sigma, you will be defining waste as a variation of the business processes. This certification is for professionals who want to work with a consistent process. Lean Six Sigma is based on both lean and Six Sigma methodology. In this approach, waste is non-value-added entity to the finished product. If you prefer efficiency, you should go for this certification.

2. Deciding the Six Sigma certification level that is best suited for you 

• This requires you to have an understanding of your role in the organization. Before you select the level, you need to figure out your role. Are you the manager of a project? Are you assistant to the project manager? Does your work involve more than just being a part of the team using the Six Sigma? This will help in determining the certification level you need. 

• Next, you need to start considering your career goals. You need to know if you want to get involved in project management in the future or not.  

• The last step is selecting the level of Six Sigma certification. There are 4 levels: Yellow, Green, Black, and Master Black Belt. 

•  Yellow Belt is for those who will be supporting Green Belts and Black Belts. They need to have a basic knowledge of the Six Sigma process. 

• Green Belt is for professionals working closely with Black Belts. The primary responsibility of a Green Belt is collecting data. They are also working outside a Six Sigma project. 

• Black Belts are the project managers who guide and supervise the Yellow Belts and Green Belts. They are working full-time on the Six Sigma project. 

• Master Black Belts are experts in the field of Six Sigma. The play a role when the team is facing an unexpected turn and a correction in project course is required. 

3. Getting Certified

• The first step in this is selecting the right training program. Since you will be needing classroom instructions, start by locating training classes that are near you. Then talk to people with Six Sigma certification about their programs and experiences. Enroll in the one with positive recommendations. Next, look for the programs accredited by the organization. Remember that there is no standard body defining Six Sigma.

• The next step is enrolling in the training program. Start studying rigorously and put in a lot of class time. 

• Next step is taking the written test. It will prove that you have learned whatever there is to know about Six Sigma. The duration of the exam (in hours) for different accrediting bodies is as mentioned: 

• The last step is completing the assigned projects using the Six Sigma methodology. Make sure that you are putting your learning into practice. 

For getting Six Sigma certified, a candidate needs to demonstrate their competency by passing a written certification exam. Almost all the certification bodies provide training for the exam, which includes study materials. For Six Sigma certification, you can select one of the following certification bodies:  

1. ASQ Certifications

The ASQ or the American Society for Quality certification program offers 18 different certifications including the yellow, green, black, and master Black Belt certifications. There are 14 other certifications offered by ASQ that are specific to different job roles. ASQ offers membership to candidates at a price ranging from $29 to $159 every year. This depends on whether you are joining at the student level, associate level, or full level. Members of ASQ save a lot of money on certifications.  

2. IASSC Certifications

The primary focus of these certifications is the lean Six Sigma. It is a combination of the manufacturing processes of lean and principles of the Six Sigma approach. You can find all the topics of the IASSC exams in the IASSC Lean Six Sigma Body of Knowledge™ . For the Lean Six Sigma certification program, IASSC offers three certifications, Yellow, Green and Black Belt. For this certification, you don’t need to have any project or work experience as a certification requirement. They do not provide any official training and all you need to do is pass the written exam to get the certification.  

3. Others

There is a Council for Six Sigma Certification that is responsible for maintaining the Six Sigma Body of Knowledge for Black, Green, and Yellow belts. It also has the authority of accrediting organizations for administering certifications. There are some other organizations offering training and certifications for Six Sigma like Villanova University and Six Sigma Certification Tulsa. 

To get the Six Sigma belts, you need to follow the below certification process.  

1. Selecting the accreditation body

There is no official body that conducts the training and certification exam for Six Sigma. There are several organizations providing guidelines, training and certifications for Six Sigma. But, there are two accrediting bodies that are recognized by the top global enterprises.

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is one such organization that makes sure that the training it provides and the certification exam it conducts are according to the industry standards. It is best to take the Six Sigma training from the courseware that is ASQ accredited. There is no accreditation for Lean Six Sigma in ASQ.

Apart from ASQ, there is the International Association of Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) that accredits the courseware for Six Sigma and lean Six Sigma.  

2. Selecting the training partner

Whether you select the training for Six Sigma and lean Six Sigma, you will have to study about the complex tools and methods. With so many options available, it is important that you need to select the right standard, recognized training. Here are the aspects that need to be considered for evaluating the right training partner: 

• Accreditation - You need to select an organization accredited by IASSC or ASQ. It depends on the track you are selecting, Six Sigma or lean Six Sigma. This will ensure that the training that you are going through is according to the standards of the accrediting body. 

• Mode of Delivery - You have to choose an organization providing training suited to your needs and offering different delivery options. There are several options like classroom, online self-learning, and instructor-led online classes. This will provide you with the flexibility of selecting the right fit suited to your needs.  

• Duration - There are some courses that are condensed so that they can be finished in one or two days. Some other courses are more elaborate, and are spread through 4 to 5 days. You need to look through your experience and level of preparation for selecting the most appropriate training for your needs.  
  
  

3. Giving the certification exam

Now, you need to select the Six Sigma certification according to your role and experience. 

Here are the benefits of getting Six Sigma certification for individuals:  

• You will help the organization by eliminating defects and errors and reducing risk. A Six Sigma certification and knowledge of project management software such as Celoxis will help you become indispensable to your organization to identify and eliminate errors. 

• You will be able to sustain quality improvement and improve business processes. After you have completed the Six Sigma course, you will be analyzing the business and manufacturing processes of the company and taking steps for improving them. Also, you will be responsible for conducting the review of current practices and understanding how quality performance can be impacted. Also, with this certification, you will be achieving a level of sustained quality improvement. There will be monitoring processes ensuring that there is as little deviation as possible from the mean. You will be implementing corrective measures for reeling in a project. 

• The certification will enhance your value in the industry. You can use the techniques of Six Sigma for aerospace, banking, telecom, electronics, IT, finance, marketing, HR, and many more. You will have knowledge of several methods that you can apply to business processes for improving employee acceptance, reducing costs, and increasing revenue. You will be a change agent of the organization. Also, you will have improved leadership skill set that you will be using to spearhead quality improvement.

• You will have the ability to ensure compliance. This is the reason why Six Sigma standards are applied by several procurers, vendors, and oversight organizations for evaluating their accounts or products. With this certification, you can help in assisting your organization to maintain profitable contracts and comply with international standards. 

• This certification will help the holder rise up to managerial positions. This will help you gain knowledge of how to measure and quantify financial benefits after execution of a Six Sigma project. You will be acquiring financial management and risk assessment skills. These qualities are valued by top level management. Also, promotion to the top level management will result in a higher salary. 

Here is how Six Sigma certification can benefit the organization: 

• Increased productivity 

With the DMAIC methodology and the lean tools, you will be improving the production rate.  

• Reduced costs 

The reduction in defect and waste results in higher profits and low production cost. If you don’t create a quality product, it can cost you a lot. If you create a substandard service or product, it will reduce the cost significantly. This is what is the meaning of cost of quality.  

• Boosting the confidence of the clients 

With the help of Six Sigma, you will be reducing customer complaints and streamlining processes. You can apply the CFPM or Cross-Functional Process mapping methodology for identifying wasteful steps and correcting them. This will also improve the level of customer satisfaction. 

• Gaining the trust of the stakeholder 

With relevant qualifications, you will be able to gain the trust of stakeholders as well as the customers. Having Six Sigma certified employees means that quality is your number one priority.  

• Reducing the cost of training and employee turnover 

When you apply the DMAIC methodology in HR management, you will be able to reduce employee turnover. Factors like low compensation and poor career prospects need to be identified and remedied. Also, there is the cost of training new employees and starting new hiring processes. 

ASQ

ASQ calculates the passing score through its Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. They use a procedure named cut score study for calculating the passing grade. A new cut point is established every time there is a creation or revision in the Body of Knowledge. A panel of matter experts is created who set the performance standard for the exam. With the help of consensus, they build a set of characteristics that is expected of a borderline candidate.

The performance expectations are clearly stated. After the characteristics are determined, they are used as a guide for rating every question in terms of how many borderline candidates out of 100 will be able to get the right answer. The result of this study is presented to the board. Once the board approves the raw cut score point, it is converted to scale score. 

IASSC 

CSSC 

For selecting the right Six Sigma certification, you must know the difference between all of them and see which one suits your needs the best: 

• White belt 

This certification has training lasting for a few hours and includes the fundamental concepts and basic vocabulary of the methodology. This is a certification that is well suited for all the employees working in an organization that practices Six Sigma. It is basically an overview training level. This level is only offered by CSSC and is for professionals who want to display their knowledge of history, definition and structure of quality improvement. They must be aware of people involved in the implementation of six sigma.  

• Yellow belt 

This certification is for professionals working as a member of the Six Sigma team. The training takes a couple of days to finish. A yellow belt would by virtue of knowledge know more than white belts, but less than Green Belts. Yellow belts have the knowledge to be a functional and productive team member of a Six Sigma team working on a Six Sigma project. However, the education is not enough to lead a Six Sigma project. 

It is offered by ASQ, IASSC as well as CSSC. According to ASQ, this certification advances the potential of methodologies and tools of six sigma. It is aimed at entry-level employees who have an interest or a small role working with six sigma. For IASSC yellow belt certification, you need to have knowledge of the DMC (Define, Control, and Measure) phases defined by the IASSC Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Body of Knowledge™  .  

• Green Belt 

Professionals with a Green Belt are trained for solving problems related to processes. The training lasts about 10 days. Most of these professionals are process leaders or working within processes like employees in the manufacturing line or accounting group. They are responsible for implementing Six Sigma projects in their department. They are also improving processes. As a Green Belt, they lead the members through project tool set and framework, reduce defects, and evaluate solutions. They are supported by a Black Belt who is mentoring and coaching them.

A Green Belt certification will do wonders for you if you want to move up the corporate ladder. You can get this certification through ASQ, IASSC, and CSSC. Since a green belt works under the leadership of a black belt, they must have the skills of analyzing and solving quality problems. The ASQ certification is for individuals with knowledge of processes and tools of six sigma. CSSC offers Green belt certification in two levels. The standard certification is for candidates with knowledge of the DMAIC model. The advanced certification will help demonstrate your ability to work as a trained team member with a specific function. With this, you will be able to work in a defined six sigma project without much supervision of a Black Belt.  

• Black Belt 

These are professionals who go through 20 days of training to learn solving process problems. They are highly trained in the methods and tools of lean and Six Sigma. Black Belts are responsible for implementing improvement projects that are strategically important and complicated. They are cross-functional and need leadership skills and significant data. They also mentor and coach the assigned Green Belts. With a Black Belt certification, you will be able to deliver projects with financial benefits to the enterprise.

There are several companies who want Black Belt as a prerequisite for the managers because they will be able to look into processes and defects. Offered by ASQ, IASSC, and CSSC, this certification is for candidates who understand and can explain the principles and philosophies of six sigma. For CSSC, there are three levels of Black Belt certification. The first level is the standard level for which you need to cover the Body of Knowledge. For level II, you need to execute a DMADV or DMAIC project for demonstrating your knowledge. The Level III requires submission of one more approved project where you have displayed understanding of principles and philosophies of six sigma.  

• Master Black Belt 

This is the most comprehensive training for the most skilled professionals of Six Sigma and lean. They have expertise in leadership, root cause analysis, strategic management, and facilitation. They also have training in design for Six Sigma. 

They work in change management leading a project and group to successful completion. They create a strategic direction, remove a roadblock that the Green Belts or Black Belts are facing, and overseeing and delivering training of other employees working in the organization. A master Black Belt can coach between 2 to 10 Black Belts simultaneously. You need this certification if you want a career in lean Six Sigma and quality. You can get this certification through ASQ and CSSC. IASSC does not offer Master Black Belt certification. 

When you are going for the Six Sigma certification, you need to select the one that is most respected, recognized and capable. There are several vendors, industry organizations, individual corporations, and for-profit schools that are offering Six Sigma certifications. The certification is available in three forms. The first one is the main bodies like IASSC, ASQ, etc. The second one is a university like Villanova and the last one is in-house certifications from different organizations. All of these are trusted options that ensure that the expectations and standards are met.   

The leading contenders in the field of Six Sigma are IASSC and ASQ. For testing you, they use Body of Knowledge. Both the certification bodies focus on some subjects more than others.  

As long as the university is accredited, the certification they provide would also be of value. If the university is providing training with no proper accreditation, the certification will be of no use. Some accredited universities also offer online training for Six Sigma.  

There are some businesses that consider Six Sigma as an important part of their success. So, they offer in-house certification for their employees. GE and Cummins are some of such enterprises. They want their employees to have the required standard and experience. 

The Six Sigma Green Belt certification exam is for professionals who are familiar with all the elements of the Six Sigma methodology. They are either leading the improvement projects or are a member of a complicated improvement project. The certification validates your competence in phases of DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). You must know about implementing, performing, interpreting, and applying Six Sigma with efficiency and proficiency. 

This certification is for professionals interested in reducing waste and continuous improvement. You must have experience in business management or supply chain. With this certification, you will become a skilled team player working for improving process quality. They are responsible for bridging the gap between real-world application and Six Sigma theory. They have an important role to play in data inspection, improving processes and project management. The certification will help you learn about the basic tools and application of DMAIC skills related to the Six Sigma project. With the Six Sigma certification, you will be able to boost your proficiency in subject matter leading to increased desirability by organizations. You will control costs, improve outputs, and contribute towards better results.   

The prerequisites for this certification is work experience of 3 to 4 years working in quality improvement. Also, you must have qualities like perseverance, passion for improvement, analytical and logical mind, and leadership skills. 

ASQ 

As the eligibility requirements, all candidates appearing for ASQ's Six Sigma Green Belt certification exam must have at least 3 years of working experience in at least one area mentioned in the Body of Knowledge. They must be skilled in analyzing and solving quality problems. Also, they must have worked in quality improvement projects.

Make sure that your experience is in a full-time paid role. No work experience will be counted for co-op, paid intern or any other course work. Here is a list of expectations from a certified Green Belt:  

• Operating in support or supervision of a Black Belt 
• Analyzing and solving quality problems 
• Working in quality improvement projects 
• Demonstrating their skills and knowledge in Six Sigma processes and tools 

IASSC 

There are no eligibility requirements for Six Sigma Green Belt certification from IASSC.  

CSSC 

There are no work experience or project requirements for the Green Belt certification from CSSC. 

The exam structure of the ASQ’s computer-based Six Sigma Green Belt is: 

1. 4 hours long 
2. Multiple Choice Questions 
3. 110 questions, 10 are unscored. 
4. Open book where you can bring reference materials  
5. Using calculators is allowed 
6. Only available in English  

The exam structure of the ASQ’s paper-based Six Sigma Green Belt is: 

1. 4 hours long 
2. Multiple Choice Questions 
3. 100 questions 
4. Open book where you can bring reference materials 
5. Using calculators is allowed 
6. Available in English, Mandarin, and Spanish. 

The exam structure of the IASSC’s Six Sigma Green Belt is: 

1. 3 hours long 
2. Multiple Choice Questions and True/False questions 
3. 100 questions, at most 10 non-graded questions 
4. Closed book, proctored exam 

Whichever certification provider you choose, will provide you with the resources you need to prepare for the exam. Make sure that you go through the Body of Knowledge. Here are a few steps you can try to prepare for Six Sigma Green Belt:  

• Practice questions 

Before you attempt the certification exam, test your knowledge with online practice tests. This will also help in honing your exam technique. There are a lot of practice tests, questions, and exams available online.  

• Study Guide 

There are several study guides that are available online. They are designed to help you prepare for the Green Belt certification exam. Trivium Test Prep published a study guide for Green Belt that is currently the most popular study guides available for preparation of the Green Belt exam. 
 

These study guides have streamlined and easy to understand content containing a full and comprehensive review of all the exam concepts and practice questions. If you want to do some additional reading or want to learn about a practical approach to implement Six Sigma methodologies, you can buy the Lean Six Sigma Minitab authored by Quentin Brook. It has established its reputation as being a practical guide for improving business worldwide. It contains lean Six Sigma techniques and tools and interactive examples.

The book is designed to offer practical knowledge to professionals wanting to implement Six Sigma in their business. Managers can use this book for implementing process improvement methods. Also, there are interactive examples, easy to navigate DMAIC tabs, and logical route maps that help study better.   

• Certification course 

There are several Six Sigma Green Belt certification courses available online that will help you get all the skills and knowledge required to implement Six Sigma methodology in a real business environment. The type of course you select to enroll in will determine the benefits you will be receiving. If you opt for a classroom based course, you will have an instructor to clarify all your business specific questions. 

• Immersing yourself in the methodology 

When you are preparing for the certification exam, it is important to go for a trial version of technology or product through the experiences. When it comes to Six Sigma, all you can do is immerse yourself into it outside of just studying for the exam. There is a myriad of blogs, websites, and other online content that you can take advantage of.

The website Six Sigma Ninja created by Green Belt alumni helps in breaking down Green Belt in a digestible and straightforward fashion. You also need to go through the blogs about the latest developments and trends in Six Sigma. This will give you an understanding of how the methodology is evolving and how you can use your skills and knowledge in the real world environment. 

• Green Belt forum 

Thanks to the broad and applicable nature of Six Sigma in the project management, you can mind a number of forums and discussions online, all of different quality levels. iSixSigma hosts one of the best forums where there are a number of contributors discussing a large number of topics. The forum is divided into a wide range of Six Sigma topics for easy navigation.

However, you need to be careful in these forums as not everyone is an expert and not all contributions are relevant or applicable.
 

The more you learn, the better position you will be in for bringing your knowledge and skills to help reduce errors and improve processes in your business. 

The cost of your Six Sigma certification will depend on a number of factors like the credibility of the trainer, institute, recognition of certification, etc. Also, there will be the added cost of Green Belt training which will depend on the provider you are choosing.  

First, let’s discuss the exam conducted by the IASSC. The certification cost of this exam is $295 USD. The exam will be 3 hours long and contain MCQs and true/false questions. It is a closed book exam where you will be provided with a reference document containing all the tables and formulas you will need for the exam. You cannot attempt the IASSC exam for more than once in a period of 2 weeks. In a 3 month period, you can attempt the exam for only 3 times.  

ASQ is another major player in Six Sigma certification. The cost of the exam is $438 USD. The members of the ASQ enjoy a discount where they can take the exam at just $288 USD. The questions in the exam will be MCQs and true/false. You will be given 4 hours to finish the paper. It is an open book exam where you can bring your own reference materials. However, no question papers or refresher-course quizzes are allowed. To get certified, you need to scope 550 out of 750. There is no limit to the number of attempts for this exam but you will be charged a retake fee for every new attempt. Also, you need to take the retake exam within 2 years of your last attempted exam. Failure will do so will require submitting a new application with full fees for the next attempt. 

The Six Sigma Green Belt from IASSC is for professionals who have a deep understanding of the core as well as advanced concepts of the Six Sigma methodology. They are currently leading the improvement projects or are a part of a complicated improvement project that is led by a Black Belt.  

The Certification exam for the Six Sigma Green Belt from the IASSC contains 100 questions to be done in 3 hours. It is proctored, closed-book exam with at most 10 non-graded questions. There will be 20 MCQ and true/false questions from every major concept of the IASSC Lean Six Sigma Body of Knowledge™. There are about 8000 testing centers across 165 countries that are administering the IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Exam™ through on-demand testing system and accredited providers.  

The exam will validate your skills of supporting or working under the supervision of a Black Belt, analyzing and solving problems related to quality and getting involved in projects of a quality environment. With this certification, you will be able to display your skills and expertise in Six Sigma processes and tools.  

The CSSC or the Council for Sigma Certification has 2 certification paths for Six Sigma Green Belt. Professionals who have been properly trained and have knowledge of all the topics included in the Body of Knowledge can attempt the standard comprehensive examination. 

Professionals who are using self study guides for their preparation can attempt multiple short exams as they complete the different sections of Body of Knowledge. There is no additional fee for this path. 

A Six Sigma Green Belt certified professional is responsible for analyzing and solving quality problems, and working in projects of quality improvement. They operate in support or under the supervision of a Black Belt. Before you get this certification, you need to ensure that this is the right certification for you.

Read all the exam specifics and requirements of the Six Sigma Green Belt. After this, you can start using the references and body of knowledge for preparing for the exam. Take the help of sample exams and study guides. Once you think you are ready for the exam, here is how you can schedule it through the ASQ: 

• Select an exam date. Also, you need to choose a location that suits you. 
• Register yourself on the website. You will be asked to fill a few details like name, address, phone number, etc. 
• Click on the certification tab. 
• You will be redirected to the certifications page where you will find ‘Apply for Certification’; under the Get Started section. 
• You will find a list of all the available certifications. Click on the Apply button present on the side of ‘Certified Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB). 
• On the next page, you will have to fill in the details of your work and select your exam data and location. Once you are done, click on ‘Continue’. 
• Next, you will be asked to fill in the details of your office and home address. After filling it, click on ‘Continue’. 
• Review all the details and click on ‘Confirm’. 
• After this, you will be redirected to a payment gateway where you can pay the fees and your exam will be scheduled. 

a) What is the exam format for Six Sigma Green Belt exam: online based?

The exam format for Six Sigma Green Belt online exam 

b) What is the exam format for Six Sigma Green Belt exam: paper based? 

This is an obvious question that any aspirant would have. Considering the different course offerings, Green Belt certifications offered by some facilities require a minimum of three years’ experience with DMAIC phases. However, some facilities do allow you to begin training straight away. 

There is work-at-home program requiring 30-hour online class time along with the completion of assignments as well as intense onsite 2-week programs. With both these Green Belt training, the basics of DMAIC are covered, along with learning tools of Six Sigma like Pareto and Gantt charts, data collection and organizational skills. 

After the completion of training, the candidate has to attempt a Six Sigma Green Belt certification exam. The candidate receives the certification on passing the examination. 

As far as the difficulty of the exam is concerned, it actually is not that hard. You may face difficulty in managing time if you have a hectic life. It is all about allocating sufficient time for preparation of your exam while also parallelly managing other activities. 

ASQ knows that it is very important that you get the prompt notification of the results of your certification exam. The exam results are confidential. So, they will not be given over the phone. Also, if you want the information regarding your exam results to be given to third-parties, you will need to give a written request. All the candidates who have passed the ASQ Green Belt exam will have their details in the voluntary Certification Registry. Now, there are different methods to get the results for the computer based and paper based tests.  

For the computer based tests, you will be given your test results on the screen you are using for your exam at the prometric testing center. Also, your test results will be sent to you through a follow-up email from Prometric as well. The only exception for this is the exams piloting the new BoK or MBB. You will be receiving your official ASQ results via the exam notification within 7 days. Along with this, there will also be a short survey with questions regarding your exam experience. The results for the pilot exams, MBB and exams with updated BoK will be sent through email in about 4 weeks.   

For the paper based test, your completed paper-exam documents will be mailed to the ASQ by your exam proctor. After they have been graded, you will be receiving the exam results of your Green Belt exam in an email in about 2 weeks. Along with that, there will also be a short survey asking questions regarding your experience in the exam. It will take about 4 weeks to get the results for the pilot exams, MBB, and exams with updated BoK.

If you have taken the IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Exam™, you will be provided your results through email within 1 to 2 days after giving the exam. If you pass the exam, you will be getting a certification from the IASSC. 

When the validity of a certification expires, the candidate is required to get recertified. Recertification is important, when it comes to professional credentials. Not only does recertification ensure standard integrity, but also serves as an exhibit of the regard a professional has for the best practices associated with the certification. It is proof of ongoing professional competence of individuals. It adds to the ongoing accomplishment, while also demonstrating to peers and employers proof of skill and knowledge maintained for being proficient as an active Lean Six Sigma Practitioner. 

IASSC Certified Professionals are recognized by The International Association of Six Sigma Certification. Once a professional receives the certification, a Current status is granted for three years. After that, an Elapsed status will be applicable unless successful recertification of the individual is completed. 

The IASSC Recertification Green Belt Exam is a closed book, 1.5-hour long, proctored exam consisting of 50 questions. A professional should achieve a score of at least 70% to get recertified. The recertification fee is $175. 

ASQ also requires recertification every three years to make sure the required level of knowledge is maintained. However, certifications like the Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB) are lifetime certifications. This means they don’t have any recertification requirements. 

In case you fail to achieve a passing score for your lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam on your first attempt, it won’t be possible to sit for the same exam for the second time within 2 weeks of the first sitting. It is not possible to undertake a third sitting within 3 months of the first sitting. Subsequently, there must be a minimum duration of three months between further sitting and sitting you failed most recently in. 

An IASSC exam voucher is valid only for a single attempt at an examination. In case you do not pass, you will be required to purchase another examination voucher for retaking it. 

Only a single retake attempt is allowed for ATA application candidates. ATA candidates failing the initial exam attempt and then the subsequent retake has to wait for 6 months after their original application for reapplying for the accreditation. 

• Computer Based Testing: In case you fail to achieve a passing score on your CBT (Computer Based Testing) exam, you can reapply and then retake the CBT exam at the test window available next. It is not possible to retake examination within same test window as your previous exam. 

• Paper and Pencil Testing: Reapplying and retaking the paper exam is possible at a test date that is available next. 

The Six Sigma Green Belt certification is in high demand since companies from across the world are looking to cut down on costs, eliminate waste, and improve processes. A professional certified with Six Sigma Green Belt would be able to implement Six Sigma methodologies and tools for preventing defects and increasing customer satisfaction. 

According to Payscale.com, a salary survey website, the average annual salaries for employees with Six Sigma Green Belt Certification according to their job is: 

• $75,873 for Mechanical Engineer 
• $70,154 for Manufacturing Engineer 
• $80,753 for Operations Manager 
• $72,250 for Process Engineer 
• $65,187 for Industrial Engineer 
• $62,446 for Production Supervisor 
• $80,232 for Quality Manager 

In case of jobs like Mechanical Engineer, Operations Manager and Process Engineer, most professionals move to other jobs if their experience in the respective field is more than 20 years. This is because of the influence experience has on their salary. In case of Industrial Engineers, the case is opposite as they don’t move to other jobs on accumulating over 20 years of experience. There is not much change in salary with experience for Production Supervisors. 

However, if the employees are certified with Six Sigma Green Belt, there is a significant increase in average annual salary with years of experience. As compared to someone who has less than 4 years of experience, a professional with over 20 years of experience earns over $30,000 more. 

The data published by Payscale also shows that the median salary of $85,140 for the IT services industry is the highest, with the manufacturing industry having the lowest median salary of $77,530. 

Lastly, it is evident that for Six Sigma Green Belt Certified employees, the salary is significantly influenced by factors such as career, industry, workplace and experience, among other factors. 

Are you still wondering whether attending a Six Sigma Green Belt training would be of any help for your exam? 

Although it is not mandatory to enroll for training, getting trained through a qualified institution such as KnowledgeHut will surely give you a solid foundation on your Six Sigma journey.

To get a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification, you should attend the training program to acquire knowledge on the subject matter. This would make you understand how to analyze the organizational processes and implement Six Sigma to achieve high-quality work on projects. 

Hence, while it is not mandatory, getting training is very important. Whatever you will learn will never become obsolete as every professional requires problem-solving skills to work efficiently and effectively in all the industries. 

As a Six Sigma Green Belt certified professional, you will have the knowledge of all the business processes and the ability to solve any problems related to those processes. 

You would lead projects and assist Six Sigma Black Belts in collecting, organizing, and analyzing data. Also, your understanding of the Six Sigma tools and processes and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) methods will make you stand out from the rest, and make your organization more profitable. 

So, you should get training first and then appear for the exam to get the certification and be on top of your career. 

1. Many wish to attend the Six Sigma Green Belt training but seem hesitant about how it could benefit them and their organization. To take away all your hesitations, here are some pointers on how the training will be beneficial to you: 


2. Professionals with Six Sigma Green Belt Certification have broader and better career opportunities as Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training and certification is recognized by organizations all over the world. 


3. Get attractive salary packages: The average annual salary of a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt is $82,000 in the United States. 


4. A Green Belt project gives you exposure to both the people and the processes of the organization, which increases your understanding of the business processes. 

Six Sigma Green Belt Training & Certification helps you to build problem-solving skills and learn the tools and techniques which increase productivity by 15% just by applying those techniques to any work area. 

ÏThe tools and techniques learned in Green Belt training can be applied to your personal life too. Most of the professionals have used 5S to organize their kitchen, garage, and even their closets! 

1. It's a sure-fire way to climb up the career ladder: In some companies, employees require a Green Belt certification to get a promotion.


2. You can solve the root cause of the problems and develop a system of continuous improvement in your organization. 

These are the prime benefits of the Six Sigma Green Belt training, and if you want to improve your performance, invest in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training and get recognized in the industry. 

With cut-throat competition in the workplace today, the employee strives to be the best in what he/she does, and the Six Sigma Green Belt Certification is just what they need to distinguish themselves from others.

But, you might be wondering about how would this training help your career? The benefits of getting a Six Sigma Green Belt Certification are as follows: 

• Strategic Benefits 

Six Sigma Green Belt certified professionals specialize in strategically handling projects. The trained Green Belt experts are able to solve tricky situations in minimal time. They do the root cause analysis of the problems and prevent them from occurring again. 

• Professional Development Benefits 

A Green Belt certified professional has skill sets that benefit the organization and themselves as well. The training makes them more confident in solving problems efficiently.

They can suggest if a change is required in the organization and help others to understand the problem, do root cause analysis, and implement solutions effectively. 

• Financial Benefits 

A Green Belt certified professional reduces the operating costs of an organization as he/she is trained to complete more projects in less time. This is yet another testament to the fact that implementing the Six Sigma principles helps to reduce the use of reserve funds for projects, which is the usual case. 

• Customer Service Benefits 

The Green Belt experts provide better quality services and products which benefit the customers. Hence, many customers look for companies that use Lean Six Sigma. 

Certified Green Belts improve an organization's reputation by guaranteeing that they provide the best services and products in the market.
 

This enables the customer to enjoy quality service with fast delivery. 

• Competitive Benefits 

You can implement Six Sigma to your business and enjoy a competitive advantage and be ahead of your competitors. Six Sigma certification gives you the confidence to make tough decisions with ease, making your performance better than ever!

There are many more career benefits that you will reap from acquiring a Six Sigma Green Belt certification, but these are the major ones! Getting a Six Sigma certification will only add to your career. 

A Six Sigma Green Belt certification will open more doors for you in terms of your career. You will get an edge in obtaining high job positions with attractive salaries in top companies such as TCS, Genpact, Accenture, Honeywell, HCL, IBM, etc. 

Six Sigma Green Belt Certification adds more value to your resume by showcasing your excellent analytical skills and ability to improve the business. It enables you to understand the practicality of business problems allowing you to implement the cost reduction techniques, which increases the business revenue. Also, it improves your leadership skills, which helps you in obtaining a new job or getting job promotions. Ultimately, this credential makes you stand out in the crowd. 

The principles of Six Sigma are extensively used in most of the companies today, giving employees skilled in this area high value in the organizations. So, to help you with the decision to take the training here is a list of job opportunities with salary packages available for Six Sigma Green Belt certified professionals: 

Source-Payscale 

You may be unsure whether you have the skills needed to become a successful certified Green Belt, but it is completely fine, as these are skills that can be developed! 

• Leadership Skills  

As a Green Belt, you will lead small and defined projects where your leadership skills will come handy in choosing the right team for the projects. As the project leader, you will require leadership skills to engage and encourage the team members and motivate them to work together effectively. 

• Organizational Skills 

Green Belt certified professionals assist the Black Belt in various tasks of the projects along with their daily job activities, and hence need exceptional organizational skills. 

• Communication Skills 

Mastering communication skills is a critical factor in becoming a successful Green Belt professional. Explaining the changes required to implement the Six Sigma process to all the team members is an important task to be performed by the green belts, which requires excellent communication skills. 

• Analytical Skills 

Green Belts must have logical thinking and analyzing capabilities to examine a problem thoroughly. One should understand the problem, do root causes analysis, and implement corrective measures on time. 

• People Skills 

To become a successful Green Belt, you are required to have great people skills as you have to work with cross-functional teams and communicate your ideas with the team members concisely after understanding the needs of the stakeholders. 

A Green Belt’s knowledge of Six Sigma tools and techniques, along with the leadership skills, organizational skills, communication skills, analytical skills, and people skills, will surely help you with better career opportunities. 

Certification and credential holders are the first ones to get noticed when it comes to hiring new employees. Six Sigma Green Belt Certification is the best way to tell your employer that you belong to the category of niche professionals who can make a difference and stand out from the competition. 

Six Sigma Green Belt Certification will assist you in understanding real-world business problems. Getting Six Sigma Green Belt Certification helps you in obtaining a career position with some of 

Six Sigma is a data-driven and disciplined approach and a methodology for continuous improvement that uses statistics to eliminate defects in a product, service or a process. Developed by Bill Smith and Motorola in the 1980s, the approach was created on the basis of the fundamentals of quality management. It was popularised in the 1990s when Jack Welch adopted the methodology at General Electric (GE), and it was found to be very effective in establishing high-quality benchmarks in product management processes. The approach was created after studying the methods taught by Ronald Fisher, Walter Shewhart, and W. Edwards Deming. Today, there are hundreds of companies across the globe that are using Six Sigma for their business.  

The sigma here is representing the population standard deviation. It is the variation measure in a dataset that was collected regarding the process. For all the defects that are defined using specification limits that separates good and bad outcomes of a process, there is a Six Sigma process with a mean which is exactly six standard deviations away from the nearest limit of the specification. Because of this, there is enough buffer between the specification limits and the process of natural variation. 

For many organizations, Six Sigma is a quality measure to strive for perfection. More than often, organizations use customized names for the Six Sigma approach such as Customer Perfection, Zero Defects, or Operational Excellence. Whatever the name, the underlying use of this approach is to eliminate defects from all processes, including transactional and manufacturing of products or services. 

There are several definitions proposed for the Six Sigma approach:  

1. Philosophy - When you take a look at the Six Sigma approach philosophically, you will notice that all the views work together as processes that can be used for defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling. For these processes to work, you will need inputs (x) that will be producing outputs (y). For controlling the outputs, you need to control the inputs. The equation for expressing this is y=f(x). 


2. Set of tools - For the Six Sigma approach, specific quantitative and qualitative tools and technologies are used for driving the process improvement. Different Six Sigma professionals have varying views on the tools making up the Six Sigma set. Some common tools used for the approach are process mapping, control charts, statistical process control (SPC), and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). 


3. Methodology - This view of the Six Sigma approach takes into account the underlying, rigorous approach called DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). In this, all the steps that a Six Sigma Practitioner must follow have been defined. It starts with identification of the problem and ends with implementing a long-lasting solution. There are several other methodologies of Six Sigma that are currently in use. However, DMAIC is the most recognized and adopted. 


4. Metrics - The quality performance of the Six Sigma approach is 3.4 defects per million opportunities. This also takes into account the shift of 1.5-sigma in the mean. 

All these views of the Six-Sigma approach share the following threads:  

• A management environment supporting the initiatives of the Six Sigma as a business strategy. 

• Emphasizing on the DMAIC approach to solve problems that include defining, measuring, analyzing, improving and controlling.

• Using the teams assigned with well-defined projects. They have a direct impact on the bottom line of the organization. 

• All the levels should be trained in statistical thinking. The key people must be provided with extensive training in project management and advanced statistics. A “Black Belt” will be designated to all the key people with this training. 

The term “Lean Six Sigma” is now a  very commonly used term. Lean and Six Sigma are different approaches. But, both approaches are required for attaining positive results in improving the business. Lean approach is used for driving out waste like non-value added procedures and processes, and promoting work flow and standardization. The primary focus of the Six Sigma approach is to reduce process variation and enhance process control. A Six Sigma practitioner should be familiar with both approaches.  

Lean Six Sigma is a data-driven, fact-based philosophy that is used to improve the process by valuing preventing defect over detecting defect. It reduces waste, variation and cycle time by driving bottom-line results and customer satisfaction. It also creates a competitive advantage by promoting the use of workflow and standardizations. You can apply this approach to any place where waste and variation exist. Every employee of the organization must be involved in this.  

Both these approaches provide customers with the best cost, quality, and delivery options along with a new nimbleness. Both the disciplines overlap a lot and serve a common purpose with some minor differences:  

• Six Sigma focuses on reducing variation while Lean focuses on reducing waste.

• Six Sigma uses tools like statistical data analysis, hypothesis testing, and designing experiments for achieving its goals. Lean uses much less technical tools like workplace organization, kaizen, and visual controls. 

For the best implementation, you need to start with a lean approach to make the workplace as effective and as efficient as possible. Then, you have to use value stream maps for better understanding. If the problem of the process still persists, you can apply technical statistical tools of Six Sigma.

There are multiple options available for Six Sigma certification. Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma are some of them. Both of them are methodologies of process improvement that are used for accomplishing similar tasks. So, often, they are used in conjunction. They began in the manufacturing sector and now, they have found their ways in other industries as well.   

The aim of the Six Sigma methodology is eliminating inefficiency and waste. This increases customer satisfaction as you are delivering according to the expectations of the customer. It is a disciplined process focused on development and delivery of near-perfect services and products. The idea behind this approach is that after measuring the number of defects, you can figure out how they can be eliminated. Its aim is to get close to zero issues in the product.  

The lean approach is focused on providing optimum performance with the least amount of energy and effort. This is done through supply of product according to the needs of the customer in just the right price and the right amount with minimum materials, workspace, time, equipment, and labor resource. It focuses on removing all the unnecessary waste from the process and producing output of high quality.