What’s the Difference Between a Green Belt and Black Belt in Six Sigma?

Earlier this year, your organization decided to adopt Six Sigma and, since then, efficiency and productivity has gone up drastically. You can’t believe it’s still the same organization that it was last year. No more dead ends or time wasted on processes that take forever to get the product out—everything seems to work, well, better.  

Two people are leading the change: Linda, an Optimization Manager, and Sean, a Strategist. They are both Six Sigma practitioners who have dedicated time and effort to learning about process improvement and how it can be used in the organization, but Linda is a Six Sigma Black Belt while Sean is a Six Sigma Green Belt. Does that mean that Linda is higher up than Sean? Or that Sean is still learning the system? What makes them different?

Keys to Success

Because of the complexities of the data-driven methodology, education and training are critical to a successful Six Sigma implementation in any organization. Like martial arts, Six Sigma offers training at distinct levels defined by different color-coded belts. The belts range in ascending order:

• White

• Yellow

• Green

• Black  

• Master Black Belt

Each step up the Six Sigma belt system offers higher knowledge and expertise in the methodology that can be applied to your organization.

Even though they are different levels, the Green Belt and Black Belt are arguably the most common and important levels in the entire system. There are differences, each with distinct roles and skill sets, but both belts rely on each other and work together in improving an organization.

But first let’s explore each belt level to give you a better context of what Green Belt and Black Belt mean for Six Sigma.

The Six Sigma Belt Levels

Below are the five belts in Six Sigma:

• White Belt: Gives you the basics of Six Sigma and how it can be used

• Yellow Belt: This is where you learn more about essential tools and techniques in Six Sigma and how to use them to support a Six Sigma project team. At this level, some Yellow Belt training includes how to gather data and create process maps.

• Green Belt: Green Belts have a strong understanding of Six Sigma techniques, tools, and data analysis to greatly assist project teams and occasionally lead Green Belt projects. To earn a Green Belt, generally you will be required to pass a certification exam.  

• Black Belt: Black Belts have mastered the techniques, tools, and data analysis of Six Sigma to lead project teams and mentor Green Belts in an organization. To become a Black Belt, generally you will be required to successfully complete a Six Sigma project and pass a certification exam.

• Master Black Belt: The pinnacle of Six Sigma training, Master Black Belts have mastered all aspects of Six Sigma and typically mentor Black Belts while also influencing enterprise-wide projects. To become a Master Black Belt, generally you will be required to successfully complete several Black Belt projects or have at least five years of experience as a Black Belt and pass a certification exam.  

Now that you know the levels of Six Sigma training, let’s take a closer look at the responsibilities of Green Belts and Black Belts and acknowledge what makes them valuable to a project team.

What Green Belts Do

Green Belt training is where you start making an impact within your organization using the methodologies of Six Sigma. At this level, most people are professionals already working towards process improvement to not only better their organization but also become leaders in their field. People in this level are experts in DMAIC, a critical pillar of the Six Sigma methodology.

What is DMAIC? It is an acronym standing for:

• Define the problem

• Measure the data for current processes  

• Analyze and identify the cause of the problem

• Improve existing processes using data analysis

• Control processes to avoid defects going forward

While Green Belts often work and are mentored by Black Belts, they play a vital part in completing data collection and analysis work. They also will supervise and utilize the help from Yellow Belts.

What Black Belts Do

Black Belts have the knowledge and skills learned by Green Belts, but they have a deeper understanding of how to best utilize the methodologies of Six Sigma within the organization. They are often found in leadership positions where they supervise and mentor Green Belts in Six Sigma project teams.

As Green Belts collect and analyze the data, Black Belts make sure the information is both correct and best implemented within the organization. Unlike Green Belts and Yellow Belts, who often work part-time on Six Sigma projects, Black Belts often work full-time on their projects. Additionally, since they have such a thorough knowledge of their team and the organization, they often act as a crucial connection between leadership and the rest of the organization.  

Even if Linda and Sean have different belts, both play a crucial role in utilizing the methodologies of Six Sigma to best improve the organization. If you’re interested in truly making a difference in your organization and reach your career potential, earning these Six Sigma belts will be a massive step forward.

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