The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is proud to announce that Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Green Belt training will be offered this summer, and will be held in person and on campus for the first time since 2020! The LSS Green Belt course is a professional development opportunity that provides tangible outcomes to benefit our campus community. The training entails approximately 40 hours of hands-on, instructor-led training via UC San Diego extension plus assigned reading and homework.

In addition to the training sessions, Green Belt candidates will also complete a process improvement project that results in a minimum of $40K hard or soft savings for campus and present their final project work for evaluation approximately two months after the last day of instruction. The project is an extremely important part of the Green Belt experience and requires a serious time commitment in addition to the training itself.

Application Information

The LSS Green Belt program is best suited for staff members who are highly involved in business process activities. Applicants should have knowledge of basic statistics, project management, and team leadership skills. Candidates are selected through an application process, and interested applicants must be career status and have at least one year of service at UC.

The application window for the summer 2023 Green Belt cohort will open in late May, with submissions accepted through mid-June. More information and specific dates will be posted on the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training webpage as they become available. Green Belt applicants must obtain their supervisor’s endorsement and submit a project proposal. Selected applicants will be announced in late June and asked to confirm their participation in the upcoming Green Belt training (beginning on July 19).

Please consider joining us for an informational session on Tuesday, May 16 from 4-5 p.m.  Register for this session, hosted by the OCIO, using this registration link. We will explain the application process, provide tips for project selection, review details and expectations for the course, and share experiences from past Green Belt graduates.

Please note that completing the Yellow Belt program is not a requirement, but it can provide a solid start to your LSS journey and assist you in preparing for your project.

Topics Covered

After completing the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt program, participants will be able to:

  • Define what Lean Six Sigma is, where it came from, and how organizations can benefit from it
  • List and describe the Lean Six Sigma roles
  • List and define the eight types of waste
  • Describe how to find and select a worthwhile Lean Six Sigma project
  • Summarize the Lean Six Sigma improvement method known as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control)
  • Describe how to create a project charter, gather the voice of the customer, and build a high-level map of the process
  • Describe how to select measures, plan for data collection, and collect baseline data about a process
  • Describe how to conduct process analysis, conduct data analysis, and then brainstorm and validate root causes of process problems
  • Describe how to craft, filter, and determine potential solutions to process problems and then mitigate the risks of process change
  • Describe how to create monitoring plans, develop response plans, and document the project for transition to the process owner/sponsor

Schedule

The training schedule will be different from recent cohorts (see details below). We have scheduled two sets of 2-day training sessions a month apart to minimize travel time for any remote staff.* There will be a virtual, 1-hour orientation session two weeks prior to the beginning of the training (date/time to be determined).

The training sessions will take place on campus, in person on the following dates:

  • Class 1: Wednesday, July 19 (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
  • Class 2: Thursday, July 20 (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
  • Class 3: Tuesday, August 8 (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
  • Class 4: Wednesday, August 9 (8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
  • Class 5: Online (asynchronous)

Final project presentations will take place on Thursday, October 12, both live and online (exact schedule and location to be determined).

*Please note that travel expenses for remote employees must be covered by the home department.

Additional Information

UCSB launched a LSS Green Belt training pilot in late 2018, organized by Garry Mac Pherson, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, Chuck Haines, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, and former CIO Matt Hall. Since that first cohort, over 50 UCSB staff have graduated from the program and earned their Green Belts. We firmly believe in this as an investment in our staff and community and we greatly appreciate your time and commitment to continuous improvement at UCSB.

We are here to support you. Please email Katie Mankins at kmankins@ucsb.edu for questions regarding application submission, project selection, or the program curriculum and schedule.