The Six Sigma method uses belt colors to define the roles and responsibilities of the project team members. The most common levels are:
- Master black belt-- An individual who has extensive experience and in-depth training in Lean and Six Sigma with the full-time responsibility of mentoring and overseeing projects led by green and black belts. A master black belt may also serve as a consultant to the executive management team.
- Black belt-- Leads problem-solving projects; trains and mentors project teams. A black belt has an understanding of statistical analysis and the DMAIC (DMAIC is an acronym for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control). This individual usually goes through several weeks of formal training in Six Sigma and Lean and may have full-time responsibilities working on Six Sigma projects.
- Green belt-- An individual with enough Six Sigma training to participate on a team or to lead small-scale projects within their work units. A green belt generally does not work on Six Sigma projects on a full-time basis.
- Yellow belt-- An individual who has basic knowledge of Six Sigma and participates as a core team member or subject matter expert for a specific project.
Every project needs organizational support. Six Sigma executives and sponsors (also referred to as champions) fulfill that need.
- Executive-- Responsible for creating a vision and setting a strategic plan for the implementation of the Six Sigma program.
- Sponsor-- A senior manager who reports directly to the executive management team. The sponsor’s main responsibility is to provide guidelines, resources, and support to the Six Sigma team.
