The Six Sigma hierarchy is defined and illustrated with this graphic. Starting at the bottom of the organization, we have Yellow Belts who are working under the level of Green Belts, who in turn work under Black Belts. From there, we have Master Black Belts, Champions, and Executives. Executives provide the top-down direction for the organization. They lead the organizational direction regarding what we’re going to do, how we’re going to do it, and the strategic objectives of the organization. The Executives sets the direction and the goals, and all levels of the hierarchy work to achieve them. Executive leadership and Champions have some critical responsibilities. The CEO and other top executives are responsible for the top-down bottom up aspect of success with Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma. They are responsible for the vision and strategy of Lean and Six Sigma implementation. They determine how the organization will align its actions with its overall business strategy.
Champions are the next level down. These are the folks that actually own processes, secure resources and sponsor projects. Champions are typically very experienced in the processes that might need improvement. They would have much to offer with respect to the inner workings of the organization on a more granular level than perhaps top executives may be aware of. The Champion can ensure that a project aligns with the overall organizational goals and that the corporate culture is being considered by all of those involved with our Lean Six Sigma project. Next, we will examine the roles and responsibilities of individuals with Master Black Belts. They tend to be at the highest level and there are relative few of them compared to the rest of the Six Sigma hierarchy. It’s their job to consider our alignment with the overall strategy under the guidance of the Executives and the Champions. Master Black Belts will most likely teach and mentor Black Belts. They’re typically the ones who would approve projects at the next level down. They also assess project performance and guide Black Belts to bring projects back under control. Master Black Belts also maintain expertise on the body of knowledge of Lean Six Sigma and how it will be used in this organization. They may also personally champion and drive certain mission critical projects.
The Black Belt is typically the overall project manager and mentor for very specific projects within the organization. They’ll act as a coach and a mentor to both Green Belts and Black Belts. They may also do large scale training of groups of Green Belts, Yellow Belts and other employees on the Lean Six Sigma methodology. They are also responsible for complex programs or analysis like quality function deployment, failure mode and effect analysis, or design for Six Sigma projects. They might also lead the effort in a design of experiments to determine root causes and eliminate problems in our processes. Finally, we have Green Belts, who fill the very important role as team leaders. They may lead small teams in specific tasks and small projects. They may also conduct research and provide data for the bigger project. Green Belts may also serve as subject matter experts on key processes. They will also document key deliverables and utilize the tools and techniques of Lean Six Sigma, such as statistical process control outputs, control charts, and balance scorecards. The Green Belt will gather data, calculate performance metrics, and prepare reports for management. There are many different aspects of Lean Six Sigma projects that Green Belts can accomplish. Their role is key in freeing up time for the Black Belt and the Master Black Belt to tend to more strategic or complex activities.