Key steps in Six Sigma training

Implementing Six Sigma can take several months to complete. Since the cost of Six Sigma is pretty expensive, several companies have begun developing their own Six Sigma training programs so they can properly train their employees. Major Universities are also offering Six Sigma certification courses to keep up with the demand from customers.

Each company will have its own standards and rules about their Six Sigma training programs however it is important to keep the central focus of Six Sigma in mind. Individual training institutions use some of the same testing and training methods as the major universities, giving their six sigma training programs some clout.

There are several key steps a company must follow in order to properly train their employees in Six Sigma. The central theme of your Six Sigma certification program must remain similar to other programs in order for it to be accepted and recognized by other businesses. Here are some of the important steps you must take with your Six Sigma training:

• Training on the DMAIC process and a complete training on the Six Sigma methodology. You must be able to properly educate your employees on the 5 elements of the DMAIC process along with the reason why you use it within your company.


• Training on individual roles. In order for Six Sigma to be properly introduced to a company, each person has a vital role to play. You must be able to properly train everyone in their different roles and help them learn how to communicate between the different roles to improve the entire company.


• Another step in the Six Sigma training process is to teach employees how to define and then work on projects. There is a big emphasis placed on streamlining processes to find the wastes within the process. You must be able to teach your employees how to evaluate the process and identify some of the things that cause defects to occur and valuable production time to be lost.


• Cross-training. In Six Sigma, employees are taught how to do multiple jobs. You should never pay your employees to sit by a machine that is not in use. They should always have some type of job to perform, even if it is not their regular job. This helps to keep employees on their toes and it promotes a team-like work environment. Cross-training helps your company save additional costs since you no longer need to pay for multiple salaries for the employees that were considered a "waste". In order for cross-training to work, you must be able to teach your employees proper communication skills so they can easily transfer information between different departments. Communication plays a large role inyour ability to eliminate wasted time.


• Problem-solving. Within Six Sigma training employees are taught basic and advanced problem-solving tools that help them organize and analyze problems. They are then taught how to use statistical methods to solve the problem. Since some people may not have formal training in statistics, you may need to pay for additional college training course to be taught to them.


• Presentation and closing techniques. Another critical step in Six Sigma training is to ensure that everyone within the company is taught how to manage their process and to become decision makers. You must also teach employees how to close projects when they completed or abandoned.

Customer satisfaction and product quality are the main focus points of Six Sigma. Make sure you train your employees on collecting information, analyzing it, and making proper decision to improve the company based on this data since it is used to implement other Six Sigma tools.