Experimental Learning: Hands on Experiments for Six Sigma Green and Black Belt Training, Part I – Manufacturing Environments

Six Sigma methodologies in combination with Lean thinking have made considerable inroads as continuous improvement tools initially in manufacturing and more recently for service and transactional processes. There is considerable interest globally in training professionals on the use and application of these tools appropriate to either operational or transactional areas.

It has long been realized that adult learning is at its best when participants are involved in relevant “hands-on” experiments. Six Sigma training has seen the use of class room demonstrations ranging from the use of playing cards, simulations and to the use of sophisticated experiments to illustrate concepts of factorial designs.

This paper will focus on a series of simple but modular experiments that were developed over the past two years illustrating the application of all the Statistical tools that are taught as a part of Six Sigma Green and Black Belt body of knowledge. These experiments require the use of house hold items, are very simple to perform but yet the data can exhibit considerable complexity. We have been very successful in using these experiments at the Green Belt level and more recently at the BB level. In addition to these modular experiments, this paper also describes a simple but powerful illustration of the Central Limit Theorem.