“When we started our Six Sigma deployment back in 1998-99, we recognized that it was people who would make it happen,” recalled Don Linsenmann, vice president and corporate Champion of Six Sigma at DuPont. “We wanted to provide special recognition and rewards to those people.” Advised to certify Black Belt and Master Black Belt positions, Dupont has been doing that “practically since day one,” Linsenmann said.
The company is not alone in the way it has embedded certification in its Six Sigma practices. Certification is more the norm than the exception these days. More than half (53 percent) of respondents to an iSixSigma survey reported receiving their certification from a company. It has become an important tool for ensuring and improving the quality of Six Sigma efforts.
Here’s a look at certification at three leading Six Sigma companies.
The following comparison of Lean Six Sigma certification requirements was excerpted from the iSixSigma research report entitled, “Six Sigma Certification Research Report“, and is used with permission from iSixSigma.com.
Level |
Motorola |
DuPont |
Microsoft |
Minimum number of projects completed as leader
|
|||
Green Belt |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Black Belt |
2 |
2 |
Must be GB certified and lead 1 project |
Master Black Belt |
12 (lead or mentor) |
Must be BB certified; emphasis is for MBBs to teach GBs and BBs |
Must be BB certified and lead a cluster of related projects |
Targets for project outcomes
|
|||
Green Belt |
$50,000 |
None |
Varies by project. Targets are set for each project and aligned around key metrics. The MBB is expected to affect a metric that appears on the business scorecard. |
Black Belt |
$250,000 per project |
$350,000 cumulative |
|
Master Black Belt |
$250,000 per project |
None |
|
Amount of training (days)
|
|||
Green Belt |
Varies |
9 |
6 |
Black Belt |
Varies |
20 |
GB plus 6 |
Master Black Belt |
Varies |
BB plus 10 |
BB plus 6 to 9 |
Time in role before certification
|
|||
Black Belt |
18 to 24 months |
18 months |
Requirements include BBs and MBBs mapping into a QBE career profile so dedication to role and results can be tracked. |
Master Black Belt |
24+ months |
BB plus 12 months |
|
Type of certification exam (oral, written or both)
|
|||
Green Belt |
Written |
None |
Written |
Black Belt |
Written |
None |
Written and oral |
Master Black Belt |
Written |
Champion confirms they know content and have leadership skills |
Written and oral |