LEAN MASTER IS NOT LEAN SIX SIGMA BLACK BELT
A big confusion which frequently happens is to assume that someone who has obtained a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt has the full knowledge and skillset of Lean.
Having been certified as a Lean Master and in six Sigma separately; and practicing both for clients for twenty years, I have had the opportunity to see significant differences.
Both are powerful methodologies. However, I see Lean as beyond an improvement methodology. Lean is more than that. Lean is an overall organizational transformation philosophy based on the Toyota Production System. Lean has also been ever evolving into something more holistic and bigger.
I have created a simple infographic to point out the key differences of a Lean Master and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. These differences may not be there for some people as they may have extra exposure in either of the body of knowledge beyond what the certification process itself has taught them.
Today with more than twenty-two years of exposure on these two methodologies I use them primarily as follows with occasional sharing of tools and approaches:
LEAN PHILOSOPHIES & METHODS:
· Organizational & Operational Strategy
· Operational Diagnostics & Value Stream management
· Achieving Operational Excellence
· Improving Profitability within a brief period
· Improving Flexibility and Customer responsiveness (Cycle Time Improvements)
· Inventory Reduction
· Warehouse and Supply Chain Optimization
· People engagement at all levels
SIX SIGMA DMAIC TOOLS:
· Quality Improvement which needs statistical studies
· Systematic way of problem solving
· Optimising parameters
· Reducing variability in processes and input variables
· Managing improvement projects
The Lean Master certification process is a full 5-6 months training coupled with projects completion. This covers more than twenty methods and tools which are not part of the Lean Six Sigma certification. Relevant statistical tools are also taught – about 20% of what is taught in Six Sigma
The Lean Six Sigma certification process is also a full 5-6 months of training with project completion. This covers more than twenty statistical tools and methods not covered in Lean Masters. On the other hand, about 20% of the tools of Lean are taught at some depth.
So, it is important to give people the right set of knowledge based on an organization’s needs.
On our Lean Services and Lean Masters certification program. We have been certifying Lean Masters all over Asia since 1999.
J Ramesh Victor
