Six Sigma and the Organization (Advanced) from Coursera

This course is for you if you are looking to dive deeper into Six Sigma or strengthen and expand your knowledge of the basic components of green belt level of Six Sigma and Lean. Six Sigma skills are widely sought by employers both nationally and internationally. These skills have been proven to help improve business processes and performance. This course will introduce you to the purpose of Six Sigma and its value to an organization. You will learn about the basic principles of Six Sigma and Lean. Your instructors will introduce you to, and have you apply, some of the tools and metrics that are critical components of Six Sigma. This course will provide you with the basic knowledge of the principles, roles, and responsibilities of Six Sigma and Lean.

Every module will include readings, videos, and a quiz to help make sure you understand the material and concepts that are studied. You will also have the opportunity to participate in discussions and peer review exercises to give you the opportunity to apply the material to your daily life.

Registration includes online access to course content, projects, and resources but does not include the companion text The Certified Six Sigma Green Belt Handbook (2nd edition). The companion text is NOT required to complete the assignments. However, the text is a recognized handbook used by professionals in the field. Also, it is a highly-recommended text for those wishing to move forward in Six Sigma and eventually gain certification from professional agencies such as American Society for Quality (ASQ).

What's inside

Syllabus

Six Sigma and the Organization

Welcome to the Six Sigma Green Belt Specialization! Six Sigma skills are widely sought by employers both nationally and internationally. These skills help to improve business processes and performance. Your team of instructors, Dr. Bill Bailey, Dr. David Cook, Dr. Christine Scherrer, and Dr. Gregory Wiles, currently work in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University. They have collaborated to create a specialization that is all encompassing of the Six Sigma methodologies for both Yellow and Green belt. Completion of this specialization will provide you with the knowledge to either continue to full Six Sigma certification or simply advance your knowledge professionally. In this module you will be introduced to how Six Sigma interacts with the organization, lean principles, and project management basics.

Lean Principles in the Organization

In this module, Dr. Bill Bailey will introduce you to the history of lean as well as new lean concepts. Dr. Bailey will also explain the five lean principles. In addition, this module will introduce you to more quality tools used in lean. This module also begins with a Yellow Belt Refresher Area, since some learners may have entered this course without having taken the previous yellow belt material. This refresher area does not serve as a "replacement" for taking the yellow belt material. It is only a "patch" for those who already have some knowledge of six sigma, but find the yellow belt specialization to be too introductory for their current situation. If you find yourself struggling with the green belt material in this course, it is highly recommended that you travel through the yellow belt specialization before attempting the green belt content.

Design for Six Sigma

In this module, Dr. David Cook will introduce you to design for six sigma.

Project Identification - VOC - Project Management Basics

In this module, Dr. David Cook will introduce you to project identification, voice of the customer, and project management as it pertains to six sigma.

Management and Planning Tools & Business Results for Projects

In this module, Dr. Bill Bailey will introduce you to management planning tools and business results for projects. This module also begins with a Yellow Belt Refresher Area, since some learners may have entered this course without having taken the previous yellow belt material. This refresher area does not serve as a "replacement" for taking the yellow belt material. It is only a "patch" for those who already have some knowledge of six sigma, but find the yellow belt specialization to be too introductory for their current situation. If you find yourself struggling with the green belt material in this course, it is highly recommended that you travel through the yellow belt specialization before attempting the green belt content.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by David Cook and Bill Bailey, who are professors in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University

Strengthens core components of Six Sigma and Lean without the need for the companion text, which is used by industry professionals

Provides various modes of media, including readings, videos, and discussions, as well as the opportunity to apply Six Sigma concepts

Covers quality tools, including those used in lean

Emphasizes cost and time savings as benefits of green belt certification through Six Sigma

Provides a strong foundation for individuals looking to advance in Six Sigma and eventually gain professional certification

Reviews summary

Six sigma for organizational improvement

Learners say this course provides engaging assignments and is largely positive, despite some concerns about difficult exams. Lectures and readings cover six sigma, DMAIC, and quality control in businesses. This course introduces tools such as quizzes, homework assignments, and graded quizzes to support interactive learning.

Evaluates learning through challenging but fair assessments.

"Well paced and organized course."

"I learned a lot of concepts and principles for Lean Six Sigma and many tools to use in the future."

Well-organized and easy to navigate, with clear deadlines and expectations.

"Everything was straight forward."

"There never was any confusion on assignments/quizzes."

Features knowledgeable professors with industry experience.

"Great supplemental reading and to the point instruction."

"I am Mechanical Engineer from India, working on production shop floor. I find these course very knowledge oriented, excellently designed for every industry person."

Provides a structured learning environment with lectures, readings, and graded quizzes.

"The Program covers the basic requirements for Six sigma and clearly helps us to understand the concepts."

"The Graded quiz helps us to identify how much we understood through the class."

Covers advanced six sigma topics, including DMAIC and quality control.

"Learnt very much about Six Sigma and the Organization."

"Learnt about Quality Control tools and techniques."

"And six sigma as well as lean six Sigma tools."

Provides limited opportunities to apply course concepts to real-world scenarios.

"Course has a good overview, would be great if we can get a better in-depth idea about the process and the problem solving methodology that is DMAIC."

"Would have liked some more practical examples and/or exercises on the use of some of the tools."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Six Sigma and the Organization (Advanced) with these activities:

Review Lean Principles

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Review the foundational principles of Lean to strengthen understanding for the course.

Browse courses on Lean Principles

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Identify the 5 Lean Principles
Explain the role of waste reduction in Lean
Describe the concept of continuous improvement

Read 'The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook'

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Reading a reference book will help you solidify your understanding of the concepts.

View Lean Six Sigma - An Introduction and Toolkit... on Amazon

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Read the chapter on the DMAIC process
Read the section on using Six Sigma tools
Review the case studies in the book

Using Six Sigma Tools

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Applying Six Sigma Tools will make you more proficient in using them in real-world scenarios.

Browse courses on DMAIC

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Practice using DMAIC to solve a problem
Create a process map for an existing process
Conduct a root cause analysis using a fishbone diagram

Show all three activities

Career center

Learners who complete Six Sigma and the Organization (Advanced) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Six Sigma Master Black Belts are the highest level of Six Sigma certification. This course will give you the skills and knowledge you need to become a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. You will learn the advanced principles, tools, and techniques of Six Sigma and how to apply them to improve the quality and efficiency of your organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Six Sigma Black Belt

Six Sigma Black Belts are experts in Six Sigma methodologies. This course will give you the skills and knowledge you need to become a Six Sigma Black Belt. You will learn the principles, tools, and techniques of Six Sigma and how to apply them to improve the quality and efficiency of your organization.

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Quality Assurance Manager

Quality assurance managers work to design and implement quality control standards and processes. This course will teach you many tools for carrying out your essential responsibilities, such as identifying defects and implementing quality improvements. The tools you learn will build a strong foundation for your role in quality assurance management.

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Process Engineer

Process engineers design and improve processes. This course will teach you the tools and techniques that process engineers use to do this, including Six Sigma tools, methods, and metrics. With these Six Sigma skills, you can make data-driven decisions that will help you improve your processes and achieve your process improvement goals.

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Quality Engineer

Quality engineers develop and implement quality systems. This course will enable you to improve your quality systems and processes. The course will give you a strong foundation in Six Sigma principles and tools. You will learn how to use these tools to identify and eliminate defects, improve quality and efficiency, and reduce costs.

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Operations Manager

Operations managers are responsible for running departments of companies. They will typically make mid-level pivot decisions in order to optimize their operations for efficiency and profitability. Six Sigma is a potent way to make these decisions. This course will give you a strong foundation for understanding how to implement Six Sigma principles, frameworks, and tools within the context of advanced operations management.

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Continuous Improvement Manager

Continuous improvement managers are responsible for developing and implementing strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their organizations. This course can provide you with additional tools to support your process improvement responsibilities. The course will give you a strong foundation in Six Sigma principles and tools. You will learn how to use these tools to identify and eliminate waste, improve quality and efficiency, and reduce costs.

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Project Manager

Project managers plan, execute, and close projects. This course will teach you the tools and techniques that project managers use to do this, including the principles and roles of Six Sigma in projects. You will also learn project management basics like VOC and business results that apply both to general project management and to project management within the context of Six Sigma.

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Operations Research Analyst

Operations research analysts use mathematical and analytical methods to solve problems in business and industry. Six Sigma techniques are common in this field and can aid problem-solving. This course will give you a strong foundation in the principles and tools that operations research analysts use, in addition to the principles and tools of Six Sigma. You will learn how to use these tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your operations.

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Manufacturing Engineer

Manufacturing engineers design, develop, and implement manufacturing processes. Six Sigma plays a key role in improving manufacturing processes. This course will give you a strong foundation in Six Sigma principles and tools. You will learn how to use these tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your manufacturing processes.

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Quality Control Inspector

Quality control inspectors ensure that products and services meet quality standards. This course will teach you the tools and techniques that quality control inspectors use to do this, including Six Sigma tools, methods, and metrics. You will also learn the purpose of Six Sigma methodologies, their value to organizations, and how they work within organizations. These skills will give you a strong foundation for your role as a quality inspector.

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Business Analyst

Business analysts help companies identify opportunities to improve their products, services, and processes. This course will give you a strong foundation in the principles and tools that business analysts use to do this. Six Sigma methodologies like "Voice of the Customer" will help you in business analysis to distill client/customer input into actionable steps.

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Industrial Engineer

Industrial engineers design, improve, and install integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment. This course can supplement your engineering degree. The course will give you a strong foundation in Six Sigma principles and tools. You will use these tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your industrial systems designs.

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Management Consultant

Management consultants help companies improve their performance. Six Sigma methodologies are a common component of consulting work. This course will give you a strong foundation in the principles and tools that management consultants use, along with the language used in Six Sigma. This will make you more effective in your role as a management consultant.

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Data Analyst

Data analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to help organizations make informed decisions. This course will give you foundational skills that data analysts leverage every day, such as Six Sigma tools and metrics. You will learn how to use these tools and metrics to improve the quality of your analyses and make more informed recommendations.

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